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Archive Report: Allied Forces

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105 Squadron badge
30/01/1943 No. 105 Squadron Mosquito IV DZ367 GB-J Sq/Ldr. Darling D.F.C.

Operation: Berlin, Germany (Nazi rallies)

Date: 30th January 1943 (Saturday)

Unit:No. 105 Squadron

Type: Mosquito IV

Serial: DZ367

Coded: GB-J

Base: RAF Marham, Norfolk

Location: Altengrabow, Germany

Pilot: Sq/Ldr. Donald Frederick William Darling DFC. 40368 RAF Age 24. Killed

Nav: F/O. William Wright 116695 RAFVR Age 34. Killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Took off at 13.25 hrs from RAF Marham, Norfolk for a very dramatic and daring raid into Berlin to interrupt large rallies addressed by Nazi leaders in Berlin on this day. The raid was in two formations with 3 Mosquito's on each. The first 3 reached Berlin and bombed at mid morning - the exact time that Goering was due to speak.

Sq/Ldr Darling with, we assume, his girlfriend. Also shown, his uniform - photos kindly supplied by Julian K. Mitchell

Above Mosquito DZ367 in flight and below, bombing up!

The speech was delayed for an hour - these 3 Mosquitos returned all safe. In the afternoon the next formation of 3 arrived at the time that Goebbels was due to speak and all again bombed at the correct time.

German defences however had been alerted and DZ367 was shot down by the defensive flak and both crew members were killed. The other 2 returned safe.


Left: Sq/Ldr. Darling DFC. grave (courtesy Bart Baeyens)

Burial details:

Sq/Ldr. 
Donald Frederick William Darling DFC. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Joint grave 2. A. 8-9. Son of Frederick William and Winifred May of Balham, London, England.



F/O. William Wright. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Joint grave 2. A. 8-9. Son of William Smith Wright and Lizzie, husband of Beatrice Mary of Bedford, England.



With thanks to the following: Bart Baeyens, Lembeek, Flanders for the grave photo. Julian K. Mitchell for uniform photo and the photo of Sq/Ldr. Daring, Bill Chorley - "Bomber Command Losses Vol 3", Martin Middlebrook "Bomber Command War Diaries". Commonwealth Graves Commission.


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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and MWO François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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