Ed was born on February 6, 1934 in Calgary, AB. While in High School in Calgary in 1951, he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (Auxiliary) then in 1954 transferred to the Regular Air Force, attending Canadian Services College, Royal Roads in Victoria, BC. He then completed his aircrew training as a Radio Officer in Winnipeg, MB, with subsequent flying tours at RCAF Station Whitehorse, YT on Search and Rescue duties; then with 426 Transport Squadron, at RCAF Station Lachine, QC and Trenton, ON following Lachine's closure. He moved to 437 Squadron in Trenton in 1961 when that squadron formed with the then new Yukon aircraft. Both squadrons were tasked to support international operations with NATO and the UN.

In 1963 Flight Lieutenant de Caux reclassified to Air Traffic Control and served subsequently at Trenton, ON, Goose Bay, NL, and Cold Lake, AB. He was promoted to Major in 1971 and moved to Bagotville, QC. He was transferred to National Defence Headquarters in 1975 with the Directorate of Air Regulations and Traffic Services. In 1978 he was posted to Borden, ON with the Air Traffic Control Training Company; then part of the Aerospace and Ordinance Engineering School. In 1979 he was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and appointed the Commandant of the newly formed Canadian Forces Air Traffic Control Training Unit in Cornwall, ON. He moved to Air Command Headquarters in Winnipeg, MB in 1982 as the Senior Staff Officer Air Traffic Control. In 1986 he was reassigned to Edmonton, AB as the Detachment Commander for Region Operations and Cadets for the Alberta area.

Lieutenant-Colonel de Caux retired from the Regular Forces in April 1990 and again joined the Reserves, this time in the Cadet Instructor Cadre. He was the Officer-in-Charge of the Provincial Cadet Office for Manitoba and North Western Ontario until 1992 when he was appointed the Deputy Region Cadet Officer for Prairie Region. He retired in November 1998.

In January 1999 he joined the Manitoba Provincial Committee of the Air Cadet League of Canada. He was elected to the Executive Committee in 1999, Vice Chairman in 2000 and was Chairman of the Provincial Committee from 2001 until 2006. He was a Director with the National Committee from 2000 to 2007. He served as an Advisory Board Member with the ACL (MB). He was awarded the Natonal League's Certificate of Honour in 2007 and the ACL (MB) Douglas Inglis Award for Distinguished Service in 2012.

Ed was Past-President of 500 Wing of the Royal Canadian Air Force Association, the Manitoba and Saskatchewan Regional Representative of the 426 Thunderbird Squadron Association. Ed was married to the former Jeneane Ann Young, RN, of Goderich, Ontario and had three children.

Ed passed away in May 2021.