Edwards was
commissioned into the
Royal Engineers in 1852. He served with the
Royal Engineers in the
Crimean War in 1853 and the
Indian Mutiny of 1857. He transferred to the
Indian Staff Corps in 1882, and, during the
Mahdist War, became Commanding Royal Engineer for the
Suakin Expeditionary Force in 1885. He was
mentioned in despatches for his role in this Expedition. On return to the United Kingdom, Edwards became
Commandant of the
Royal School of Military Engineering. He was then appointed
Commander of British Troops in China and Hong Kong in 1889. Edwards was also selected by the
British Government to inspect the forces of the Australian colonies in 1889 and to advise on their organisation. He recommended a structure to enable the colonies to combine for mutual defence, uniform organisation and armament, a common Defence Act, a military college to train officers and a uniform gauge for railways. but he made his
resignation from the British House of Commons in February 1899. He became colonel-commandant of the Royal Engineers in 1903. ==Family==