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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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105 Squadron badge
30.01.1943 105 Squadron Mosquito IV DZ367 GB:J Sqn Ldr. Donald F.W. Darling DFC

Operation: Berlin, Germany (Nazi rallies)

Date: 30th January 1943 (Saturday)

Unit No: 105 Squadron, 2 Group, Bomber Command

Type: Mosquito IV

Serial: DZ367

Coded: GB:J

Base: RAF Marham, Norfolk

Location: Altengrabow, Germany

Pilot: Sqn Ldr. Donald Frederick William Darling DFC, 40368 RAF Age 24. KiA

Nav: Fg Off. William Wright 116695 RAFVR Age 34. KiA

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.

Above: Sqn Ldr. Darling DFC 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.

Burial details:

Sqn Ldr. Donald Frederick William Darling DFC. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Joint grave 2. A. 8-9. Grave Inscription: “"THERE, THE WARFARE ENDED, BID THEM REST IN PEACE"”. Son of Frederick William and Winifred May of Balham, London, England.

Fg Off. William Wright. Berlin 1939-1945 War Cemetery Joint grave 2. A. 8-9. Grave Inscription: “HE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT HE FINISHED THE COURSE HE KEPT THE FAITH”. Son of William Smith and Lizzie Wright. 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 Sqn Ldr. Daring. Updated by Aircrew Remembered (Jun 2026).

Other sources listed below

RS 04.06.2026 - Updated

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Acknowledgements
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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 Captain 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', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, 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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