Name Douglas Darling Rank Major General | Years of service 1934–1968 | |
Born 3 October 1914 ( 1914-10-03 ) Died 28 December 1978(1978-12-28) (aged 64) Commands held 7th Battalion, Rifle Brigade | ||
Major General Douglas Lyall Darling & Bar, MC & Bar (3 October 1914 – 28 December 1978) was a British Army officer who was highly decorated for gallantry and leadership during the Second World War.
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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 and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
Military career
He commissioned into the Rifle Brigade on 30 August 1934. He was awarded the Military Cross on 8 July 1941. Between January and May 1942 he attended the 6th War Course at the Middle East Staff School in Haifa. 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 on 19 August 1943. Darling was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 7 March 1943. On 19 August 1943 he was awarded a Bar to his DSO.
On 9 December 1963 Darling was promoted to major-general. He retired from the army in May 1968 and was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath.
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.