The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. E V Darling

Edward Vivian Darling was born on 11th October 1914, the son of Edward Henry Darling (1886-1970), a schoolmaster, and Mary Louise Stark (1891-1976).

His father ran a school in India and Darling may have been born there.

He is recorded as a 'Civil Engineering Assistant Admiralty' before he joined the RAFVR about August 1937 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939, he completed his training and arrived at 12 Group Pool, St. Athan on 31st December. After converting to Hurricanes he was posted to 41 Squadron at Catterick on 26th January 1940.

He took part in the operations over Dunkirk. On 11th August 1940 Darling shared in the destruction of a Ju88, on 6th September he got a probable Me109, on the 9th claimed two Me109s destroyed, on the 15th shot down a He111 and damaged a Do17, on the 18th he destroyed a Me109 and damaged a Ju88 and on the 23rd he damaged a Me109.

Darling was himself shot down over the Channel on the 24th in Spitfire R6604. He made a crash-landing outside Dover, unhurt. Three days later he was shot down over West Malling. He baled out, wounded, and was admitted to Preston Hall Hospital.

Back row: F/O HC Baker, F/O DA Adams, P/O MF Briggs, Sgt. EV Darling, F/O JN McKenzie,

F/O ADJ Lovell (in cockpit)

 Front row: P/O DE Mileham, F/Lt. EN Ryder, Sgt. RA Angus, S/Ldr. DO Finlay, Sgt. TWR Healy,

Sgt. JS Gilders, P/O EP Wells, Sgt. RC Ford

Back with the squadron, Darling destroyed a Me109 on 27th November 1940. Commissioned in January 1941, he went to 602 Squadron in June but was promoted in August and moved to 616 Squadron at Westhampnett, as a Flight Commander.

He was awarded the DFC (gazetted 17th October 1941).

Early in 1942, tour-expired, he was posted to an OTU in Wales as an instructor. On 9th May 1942 Darling joined 403 (RCAF) Squadron at Rochford as a Flight Commander. He failed to return from a Rodeo on 2nd June, his Spitfire Vb AR389 'D' was shot down by Fw190s off Calais.

Darling is remembered on the Runnymede Memorial, panel 65.

Above image courtesy of Dean Sumner