Douglas Darling
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Major General Douglas Lyall Darling &
Bar Bar or BAR may refer to: Food and drink * Bar (establishment), selling alcoholic beverages * Candy bar ** Chocolate bar * Protein bar Science and technology * Bar (river morphology), a deposit of sediment * Bar (tropical cyclone), a laye ...
, MC & Bar (3 October 1914 – 28 December 1978) was a
British Army The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom. the British Army comprises 73,847 regular full-time personnel, 4,127 Brigade of Gurkhas, Gurkhas, 25,742 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), volunteer reserve perso ...
officer who was highly decorated for gallantry and leadership during the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
.


Early life

Darling was born in India, the younger son of George Kenneth Darling (1879–1964) of the Indian Civil Service and his wife Mabel Eleanor, née Burgess (d. 1952). His elder brother was General Sir Kenneth Darling. He was educated at
Eton College Eton College ( ) is a Public school (United Kingdom), public school providing boarding school, boarding education for boys aged 13–18, in the small town of Eton, Berkshire, Eton, in Berkshire, in the United Kingdom. It has educated Prime Mini ...
and at the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...
.'Darling, Douglas Lyall' i

at unithistories.com, accessed 8 July 2015


Military career

After graduating from the
Royal Military College, Sandhurst The Royal Military College (RMC) was a United Kingdom, British military academy for training infantry and cavalry Officer (armed forces), officers of the British Army, British and British Indian Army, Indian Armies. It was founded in 1801 at Gre ...
, he was commissioned into the
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) The Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) was an infantry rifle regiment of the British Army formed in January 1800 as the "Experimental Corps of Riflemen" to provide sharpshooters, scouts, and skirmishers. They were soon renamed the "Rifle ...
on 30 August 1934. Seeing action in the
Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, he was awarded the
Military Cross The Military Cross (MC) is the third-level (second-level until 1993) military decoration awarded to officers and (since 1993) Other ranks (UK), other ranks of the British Armed Forces, and formerly awarded to officers of other Commonwealth of ...
on 8 July 1941. Between January and May 1942 he attended the 6th War Course at the Middle East Staff School in
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. Darling then took command of the 7th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade. While in command of the battalion he was awarded a Bar to his MC in August 1942, and he was made a
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military award of the United Kingdom, as well as formerly throughout the Commonwealth, awarded for operational gallantry for highly successful command and leadership during active operations, typicall ...
on 19 August 1943. Darling was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 7 March 1943. On 19 August 1945 he was awarded a Bar to his DSO. Darling became commander of 133rd Infantry Brigade in May 1959, Chief of British Mission to Soviet Forces in Europe in January 1963 and, after being promoted to major-general on 9 December 1963, he became General Officer Commanding 53rd (Welsh) Division/District of the Territorial Army in December 1963. He went on to be General Officer Commanding
Wales Wales ( ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by the Irish Sea to the north and west, England to the England–Wales border, east, the Bristol Channel to the south, and the Celtic ...
in April 1967. He retired from the army in May 1968 and was invested as a
Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregi ...
.


Personal life

He married Cynthia Labouchere, the daughter of Arthur Labouchere and Dorothy Timson, on 28 April 1939 in Westminster. They had a daughter and two sons.


References


External links


British Army Officers 1939−1945
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Darling, Douglas 1914 births 1978 deaths Burials in Wiltshire British Army major generals British Army personnel of World War II Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Companions of the Order of the Bath Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst People educated at Eton College Recipients of the Military Cross Rifle Brigade officers Military personnel of British India British people in colonial India