Swales' VC citation reads: Legacy Originally buried at Fosse's USA Cemetery, his remains now lie at the War Cemetery at Leopoldsburg, near Limburg, Belgium, Plot No.8, Row C, Grave No.5. Air Chief Marshal Sir Arthur 'Bomber' Harris, KCB, OBE, AFC, of RAF Bomber Command, wrote a letter to Swales' mother, saying, inter-alia: Although often referred to as being a "captain" at the time of his last flight, Swales was in fact an 'acting' major. The S.A.A.F. was using the army ranking system, hence the ranks of 'captain' and of 'major'. At the time of his death on 23 February 1945, Swales was aged 29 years. In 1958, the British Air Ministry wrote to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission informing them that the South African Air Force authorities had confirmed that at the time of his death, Swales had in fact held the rank of major. The front page of the program for the opening of the S.A.A.F. Memorial in Pretoria on 31 May 1950, described Mrs. Olive Swales (who opened the Memorial) as being the "mother of the Late Major Edwin Swales, DFC, VC". Awards and recognition Swales was the only S.A.A.F. pilot during 1939–45 to be appointed a pathfinder master bomber and also to have been posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross. The full list of the medals awarded to Swales follows: The Victoria Cross The Distinguished Flying Cross The 1939–1945 Star The Africa Star The France and Germany Star The Defence Medal, 1939–1945 The 1939–1945 War Medal (Victory Medal) The Africa Service Medal Swales' full-size war medals and some other possessions are held and displayed at the South African National Museum of Military History in Saxonwold, Johannesburg. At his old school, Durban High School (founded in 1866), a school 'House' is named Swales House. In the city of Durban, there was a major arterial road named 'Edwin Swales VC Drive'. In terms of a controversial decision made by the eThekwini Municipality, Swales' name was expunged, and the road's name changed to honour instead noted anti-apartheid figure Solomon Mahlangu. The original set of miniature medals belonging to Swales, and a silver model Lancaster bomber, are now housed in an exhibition honouring Swales at his old school, Durban High School. Many years ago, the miniature medals and the model had been sold by a member of the Swales family. After changing hands a few times, the group came up for auction