Flying Officer Donald Edward Garland, VC (28 June 1918 – 12 May 1940) was a bomber pilot in the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

and a recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious decoration of the Orders, decorations, and medals of the United Kingdom, British decorations system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British ...

, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the 15th century. Originally a phrase (the common-wealth ...

forces.

Early life

Born in Ballinacor,

County Wicklow County Wicklow ( ; ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. The last of the traditional 32 counties, having been formed as late as 1606 in Ireland, 1606, it is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and the Provinces ...

, Garland was the son of Dr. Patrick Joseph Garland, CMG. He was a pupil at Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Holland Park, London from 1929 to 1935, and left with a good all-round School Certificate. After spending some time at an insurance office, he joined the

(RAF) on a short-term commission. Mgr. Canon J. Vance, who became headmaster of Cardinal Vaughan School in 1928: "In those days I questioned young men closely before recommending their applications for short-term commissions because of a lurking fear that they might be forced to start life again at an awkward age, for Donald I had no misgivings whatever. He could start his life again at any time and was bound to succeed because of his independence and of his resourcefulness. I salute Garland's great heroism"

Victoria Cross

Garland was 21 years old, and a

flying officer Flying officer (Fg Offr or F/O) is a junior officer rank used by some air forces, with origins from the Royal Air Force. The rank is used by air forces of many countries that have historical British influence. Flying officer is immediately ...

in No. 12 Squadron during the Second World War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 12 May 1940, over the

Albert Canal The Albert Canal (, ; , ) is a canal located in northeastern Belgium, which was named for King Albert I of Belgium. The Albert Canal connects Antwerp with Liège, and also the Meuse river with the Scheldt river. It also connects with the Des ...

, Belgium, two bridges, Veldwezelt and Vroenhoven, were being used by the invading army, with protection from fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft and machine-guns. The RAF was ordered to demolish one of these vital bridges, and five

Fairey Battle The Fairey Battle is a British single-engine light bomber that was designed and manufactured by the Fairey Aviation Company. It was developed during the mid-1930s for the Royal Air Force (RAF) as a monoplane successor to the Hawker Hart and Ha ...

bombers were despatched, with Flying Officer Garland leading the attack. They encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire, and the bridge was hit but not put out of commission. Garland and his navigator, Sergeant

Thomas Gray Thomas Gray (26 December 1716 – 30 July 1771) was an English poet, letter-writer, and classics, classical scholar at Cambridge University, being a fellow first of Peterhouse then of Pembroke College, Cambridge, Pembroke College. He is widely ...

, attacked the bridge at Veldwezelt. They died either crashing in the village of Lanaken or in the hospital in

Maastricht Maastricht ( , , ; ; ; ) is a city and a Municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. It is the capital city, capital and largest city of the province of Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg. Maastricht is loca ...

, Netherlands. Only one bomber managed to return to base. Sergeant Gray was also awarded the VC for this action in a joint citation with Garland. Heverlee War Cemetery-11

Garland is buried at the Heverlee War Cemetery in

Leuven Leuven (, , ), also called Louvain (, , ), is the capital and largest City status in Belgium, city of the Provinces of Belgium, province of Flemish Brabant in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is located about east of Brussels. The municipalit ...

, Belgium. Both Garland and Gray were awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Leading Aircraftman Reynolds, the third member of the crew, did not receive a medal because he was not in a "decision making" position. Garland's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum London, England. He had three brothers, all of whom served with the RAF and also died on service: * Pilot Officer Desmond William Garland – killed in Belgium on 5 June 1942 aged 27 * Flight Lieutenant John Cuthbert Garland – died on 28 February 1943 aged 32 * Flight Lieutenant Patrick James Garland – killed in Holland on 1 January 1945 aged 36

Victoria Cross citation

The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London Gazette on 11 June 1940, reading

Memorials

A Vickers VC-10 Serial 'XR807' of 101 Squadron was named 'Donald Garland VC & Thomas Gray VC'. During 2005, to mark its 90th anniversary, No.12 Squadron RAF flew a Tornado GR4 with Flying Officer Garland's and Sgt Gray's name painted under the cockpit as a mark of respect. There is a monument on the bridge to the operation.Peter West, "Boredom, Bravery and Courage," Flypast Magazine, March 2003, pp. 65–68.

References

External links

Flying Officer D.E. Garland & Sergeant T. Grey
in ''The Art of War'' exhibition at the

UK National Archives The National Archives (TNA; ) is a non-ministerial department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Its parent department is the Department for Culture, Media and Sport of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. It is the ...

Flying Officer Donald Garland's VC
on Royal Air Force Museum Collections Online. {{DEFAULTSORT:Garland, Donald Edward 1918 births 1940 deaths Military personnel from County Wicklow Irish officers of the Royal Air Force People from Tinahely Royal Air Force officers Royal Air Force recipients of the Victoria Cross Royal Air Force pilots of World War II British World War II bomber pilots Irish World War II pilots Irish World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross People educated at Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School Royal Air Force personnel killed in World War II Aviators killed by being shot down Burials at Heverlee Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery