Lawrence Darvall
Sir Lawrence Darvall | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 November 1898 Uxbridge, Middlesex, England |
| Died | 17 November 1968 Surrey, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army (1918–21) Royal Air Force (1921–56) |
| Years of service | 1918–1956 |
| Rank | Air Marshal |
| Commands | RAF Hawkinge RAF Andover No. 2 Flying Instructors School No. 46 Group No. 216 Group Air Headquarters Italy No. 3 Group No. 23 Group Joint Services Staff College NATO Defense College |
| Battles / wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Military Cross |
Air Marshal Sir Lawrence Darvall, KCB, MC (24 November 1898 – 17 November 1968) was a senior Royal Air Force officer.
Early life
He was the second son of Richard Thomas Darvall and Annie Johnson, of Reading, Berkshire. One of his younger brothers was the politician and diplomat Frank Ongley Darvall (1906–1987), another was Alan Francis Darvall (1903–1983) who was headmaster of Wells House School in Malvern, Worcestershire from 1933 to 1968.[1][2] The mountaineer, Margaret Darvall, was his sister.[3]
RAF career
After attending and later graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Darvall was commissioned into the Green Howards on 16 August 1916 during the First World War[4][5] and in 1917 he was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry in Macedonia.[6]
After transferring to the RAF as a flying officer in 1919,[7] he became officer commanding, RAF Hawkinge in April 1939.[5] He served in the Second World War as officer commanding, RAF Andover from October 1939, officer commanding, No. 2 Flying Instructors School at RAF Cranwell from September 1940 and as Director of Air Transport Policy and Operations from 1943.[5] He went on to be Air Officer Commanding, No. 46 Group in September 1944 and Air Officer Commanding, No. 216 Group in June 1945.[5]
After the war he became Air Officer Commanding, Air Headquarters Italy in June 1946, Air Officer Commanding, No. 3 Group in March 1947 and Air Officer Commanding, Headquarters, RAF Flying Training Command in January 1949.[5] After that he became Air Officer Commanding, No. 23 Group in February 1950, Commandant of the Joint Services Staff College in 1951 and Commandant of the NATO Defense College in Paris in November 1953 before retiring in April 1956.[5]
After retiring from the services he became Chairman of Atlantic College's (UK Ltd) and, with Kurt Hahn, he was instrumental in founding Atlantic College, at St Donat's Castle, Glamorgan, the first of the United World Colleges.[8]
He was granted the right to retain his rank of air marshal on his retirement.[9]
References
- ^ "Malvern schools then and now". Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "THE WELLS HOUSE SCHOOL - 1860-1991" (PDF). Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ Gollancz, L. (1997). "Obituaries Margaret Darvall" (PDF). Journal of the Association of British Members of the Swiss Alpine Club: 30. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "No. 29708". The London Gazette. 15 August 1916. p. 8028.
- ^ a b c d e f "Air Marshal Sir Lawrence Darvall". Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation. Retrieved 28 June 2020.
- ^ "Obituary - Air Marshall Darvall: former head of Nato College". The Times. No. 57413. 20 November 1968. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "No. 31879". The London Gazette. 27 April 1920. p. 4851.
- ^ "Castle College for sixth-formers". The Times. 27 January 1962. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "No. 40797". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1956. p. 3304.