352

F/SGT. DARLING:

2.

F/Sgt. Darling arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception
Centre, Bournemouth, on the 7th October, 1941.

On the 25th November, he was posted to No. 11
Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourne, Hertfordshire, where
he crewed up and completed his training on Anson and Wellington
aircraft. He was posted on the 19th May, 1942, to No. 156
Squadron, Wyton, Huntingdonshire, from where he took part in
20 operational flights as a Navigator and Bomb Aimer on
Wellington aircraft. The targets included Cologne, Essen (4)
Emden (3) Bremen (2) Wilhemshaven, Duisburg (2) Maury ^Mainz, Dusseldorf
and Osnabruck in Germany. He also took part in mine laying
operations off the Frisian Islands. On the 23rd July, 1942,
he was remustered to Navigator.

F/Sgt. Darling was a member of the crew of a Wellington
aircraft which took off on air operations on the night of
August 27/28th, and which failed to return to its base. All the
crew, including F/Sgt. Darling were classified as missing.
Information later received through the International Red Cross
Committee stated that F/Sgt. Darling had lost his life on
the 28th August, 1942. His death has since been presumed to
have occured on that date. Further information was received
through the International Red Cross Committee that F/Sgt. Darling
was buried in the Principal Cemetery, Krefeld, Germany.

5/2/2516 AS2
339 hours as Navigator

Mrs. M.A. Darling (M)
Waiwera,
NORTH AUCKLAND.