The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R G Marland

Rainford Gent Marland, of Preston, Lancashire joined the RAFVR about April 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot. Called up on September 1st he completed his training and joined 222 Squadron at Hornchurch on September 1st 1940. He claimed a Me109 destroyed on the 7th, a Ju88 on the 11th, a Me109 damaged on the 14th, two probable Me109’s on the 30th and another probable on October 25th. He shared a Ju88 on February 17th 1941 and shared another on March 8th. Marland was commissioned in March 1941. He claimed a Do17 destroyed on April 7th, a Ju88 damaged on the 21st, a Me109 destroyed and two others damaged on July 9th and a Me109 destroyed on September 27th. He was then with 603 Squadron. Marland was posted to 229 Squadron in the Middle East in October 1941. He probably destroyed a Ju88 on November 23rd and was killed in an air accident on December 16th 1941. He is buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt.

Photographs courtesy of Colonel C R Romberg RA, British Embassy Cairo