The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. A S Darling

Andrew Smitton Darling was born in 1913, the son of Peter Darling (1869-1928) and Mary Ann Greig Darling (1870-1972) of Auchterarder, Perthshire.

After taking a commercial course in Perth, he was employed on the clerical staff of Scottish Agricultural Industries Limited, Crieff. Later he was a grain traveller with a company from Lanark.

Darling was a member of his local dramatic society and the Scottish Horse Territorials. He had been keenly interested in flying and joined the RAFVR in August 1937, training at RAF Perth with 11 EFRTS. He gained his wings at RAF Prestwick with 12 EFRTS.

Darling was called up on 1st September 1939. He completed his training as a recruit at 12 Group Pool at Sutton Bridge then on 3rd February 1940 he joined 611 Squadron at Digby.

611 Squadron became fully operational in May 1940 and operated over Dunkirk during the evacuation.

On 21st August 1940 Darling shared in the destruction of two Do17s off the Lincolnshire coast. He was flying Spitfire P7305 that day. On landing after combat the Spitfire hit a wheel chock that had been left on the runway and nosed over, it was back in action two days later.

He was posted to 603 Squadron at Hornchurch on 27th September. On the 30th he probably destroyed a Me109 and damaged another, on 5th and 20th October he probably destroyed Me109s and on the 28th he probably destroyed a Me109 and damaged another.

Darling destroyed two CR42s over the Straits of Dover on 23rd November 1940 and on the 29th he shared in the destruction of a Do17 east of Ramsgate.

On 3rd March 1941 he was posted to 611 Squadron at Hornchurch. On Circus 7 on 13th March his Spitfire IIa P7368 was damaged in combat and he force-landed at Dungeness.

He was killed on 26th April 1941 as a Flight Sergeant with 91 Squadron, he had arrived there on 3rd March 1941.

Flying Spitfire P7615 on a shipping reconnaissance patrol, Darling was acting as ‘weaver’ to F/O RH Holland. They were attacked by two Me109s. Darling was able to warn and save his flight commander before being shot down by Oberleutnant Schumann of II/JG 51.

His burnt-out Spitfire aircraft was found close to Reindene Wood, Hawkinge, with his body still in the cockpit.

He was 28 and is buried in Auchterarder Cemetery.