He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on the Unattached List on 22 March 1876,[2] and in January 1877 joined the 74th (Highland) Regiment of Foot,[3] with the rank of lieutenant.

[4] Edwards was 27 years old, and serving as a lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, The Highland Light Infantry, during the British occupation of Egypt when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.

On 13 September 1882 at Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, Lieutenant Edwards led a party of the Highland Light Infantry to storm a redoubt.

The lieutenant who was in advance of his party, rushed alone into the battery, killed the artillery officer in charge and was himself knocked down by a gunner with a rammer and was rescued only by the timely arrival of three men of his regiment.

[11] On 19 February 1899, on the nomination of Lord Belper, he was appointed one of the Honourable Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms,[12] and on 13 August 1900 he was commissioned as a deputy lieutenant of the County of Norfolk.