The Airmen's Stories - Sgt. R G Marland

Rainford Gent Marland, of Preston, Lancashire was born in mid-1916, the son of Thomas Rainford Marland and Sarah Marland.

He attended Balshaw Grammar School in Leyland. He went on to Stand Grammar School in Whitefield.

After completing an apprenticeship with Thomas Blackburn & Sons, Preston, he qualified as an architectural draughtsman.

Marland joined the RAFVR about April 1939 as an Airman u/t Pilot.

Called up on 1st September 1939 he completed his training and joined 222 Squadron at Hornchurch on 1st September 1940.

He claimed a Me109 destroyed on the 7th, a Ju88 on the 11th, a Me109 damaged on the 14th, two probable Me109s on the 30th and another probable on 25th October.

He shared a Ju88 on 17th February 1941 and shared another on 8th March. Marland was commissioned in March 1941. He claimed a Do17 destroyed on 7th April, a Ju88 damaged on the 21st, a Me109 destroyed and two others damaged on 9th July and a Me109 destroyed on 27th September. He was then serving with 603 Squadron.

Marland was posted to 229 Squadron in the Middle East in October 1941. He probably destroyed a Ju88 on 23rd November.

He was killed in an air accident on 16th December 1941. He had completed a slow roll in Hurricane Z5617 when the engine cut out and the aircraft spun into the ground.

He is buried in Halfaya Sollum War Cemetery, Egypt.

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