James "Stocky" Edwards of Comox, BC, one of Canada's most famous pilots in World War II, died at the age of 100.

Edwards was 19 years old when he joined the Canadian Air Force in 1940. By the end of the war, he had nearly 20 confirmed aerial kills, especially over North Africa, and was promoted to the rank of Wing Commander, according to the Canadian Air Force.

Ross Arnott, Mayor of Comox, said in a Facebook post that Edwards died on Saturday evening and added: "Stock's intelligence and energy never ceased to amaze us."

Born in Saskatchewan, Edwards went on to serve for 32 years with the Air Force in a variety of local and international positions before settling in Comox.

Edwards was chosen as a member of the Order of Canada in 2004 and a Knight of France in 2014.

In recent years, Edwards dedicated his time to projects concerned with the environment, animals, and nature in general, most notably "Ducks Unlimited."