WWII RAF Battle Of Britain Spitfire Fighter Ace G/C George Darley DSO Signed
Item History & Price
| Reference Number: Avaluer:15967330 | Modified Item: No |
| Sub-Type: RAF WWII FIGHTER PILOT | Type: Military |
| Object: SIGNED BOOKPLATE |
You are looking at a bookplate with the original autograph of the following late great Battle of Britain RAF fighter ace:
Group Captain George Darley DSO :
At the start of WWII he was posted to RAF Catterick for administrative duties. He went to HQ 12 Group on 11th September and was sent to Debden next day for controller duties.
On 9th May 1940 he was posted to Merville in France, as Controller with 63 Wing of the Air Component of the BEF.
After returning to England... in late May, he went to 5 OTU Aston Down for a refresher course. Darley went to 65 Squadron at Hornchurch on 5th June as a supernumerary Squadron Leader and on the 26th he joined 609 Squadron at Northolt and took command on the 28th.
On 8th August he shot down a Me110, on the 15th a probable Ju88, on the 25th a Me109 and a Me110, on 15th September he damaged a Do17, on the 25th got a probable Me110 and damaged a Do17 and on the 26th he probably shot down a Do17 and damaged another.
He was posted on 4th October 1940 to be Station Commander at RAF Exeter and promoted to Acting Wing Commander on the 6th. He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 22nd October 1940).
He went to Air HQ Singapore on 17th May 1941, engaged on Fighter Defence as well as liaising with the Americans in the Philippines and the Dutch in Java. He was returning from a Burma inspection aboard an Imperial Airways flying boat on 8th December when the captain announced that Japan had invaded Thailand.
Unable to refuel at Bangkok, the flying-boat returned to Rangoon where Darley and his passengers transferred to a longer range flying boat bound for Singapore. They arrived there as Japanese aircraft were sinking the battleship Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser Repulse off Kuantan, Malaya.
On 7th January 1942 he organised an RAF withdrawal from Kuala Lumpur, Malaya to Singapore in the face of the advancing Japanese. After arranging destruction of the airfield he attached an explosive booby trap to the chain of his office lavatory.
When the withdrawal from Singapore began on 27th January, Darley established a fighter operations centre at Palembang on Sumatra and organised Hurricane sorties until Palembang became indefensible. After surviving a road ambush Darley boarded a merchant ship, which though ordered to Australia, altered course to India at the whim of her master who explained that he and his crew had been away from their home port of Glasgow for far too long.
He arrived at RAF Depot Karachi on 16th March and was posted to command 151 OTU at Risalpur on the NW Frontier.
Darley was appointed Station Commander at RAF Risalpur on 7th October 1942. He was there until 7th February 1943, when he was posted to 221 Group Calcutta. On 11th June he returned to Risalpur, again to command 151 OTU there.
Darley returned to the UK in July 1944 and was given command of 62 OTU Ouston.
He was made Station Commander at RAF Cranfield on 15th June 1945 and went to RAF Staff College for a course.
He passed away in November 1999.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book or print.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
Group Captain George Darley DSO :
At the start of WWII he was posted to RAF Catterick for administrative duties. He went to HQ 12 Group on 11th September and was sent to Debden next day for controller duties.
On 9th May 1940 he was posted to Merville in France, as Controller with 63 Wing of the Air Component of the BEF.
After returning to England... in late May, he went to 5 OTU Aston Down for a refresher course. Darley went to 65 Squadron at Hornchurch on 5th June as a supernumerary Squadron Leader and on the 26th he joined 609 Squadron at Northolt and took command on the 28th.
On 8th August he shot down a Me110, on the 15th a probable Ju88, on the 25th a Me109 and a Me110, on 15th September he damaged a Do17, on the 25th got a probable Me110 and damaged a Do17 and on the 26th he probably shot down a Do17 and damaged another.
He was posted on 4th October 1940 to be Station Commander at RAF Exeter and promoted to Acting Wing Commander on the 6th. He was awarded the DSO (gazetted 22nd October 1940).
He went to Air HQ Singapore on 17th May 1941, engaged on Fighter Defence as well as liaising with the Americans in the Philippines and the Dutch in Java. He was returning from a Burma inspection aboard an Imperial Airways flying boat on 8th December when the captain announced that Japan had invaded Thailand.
Unable to refuel at Bangkok, the flying-boat returned to Rangoon where Darley and his passengers transferred to a longer range flying boat bound for Singapore. They arrived there as Japanese aircraft were sinking the battleship Prince of Wales and the battle cruiser Repulse off Kuantan, Malaya.
On 7th January 1942 he organised an RAF withdrawal from Kuala Lumpur, Malaya to Singapore in the face of the advancing Japanese. After arranging destruction of the airfield he attached an explosive booby trap to the chain of his office lavatory.
When the withdrawal from Singapore began on 27th January, Darley established a fighter operations centre at Palembang on Sumatra and organised Hurricane sorties until Palembang became indefensible. After surviving a road ambush Darley boarded a merchant ship, which though ordered to Australia, altered course to India at the whim of her master who explained that he and his crew had been away from their home port of Glasgow for far too long.
He arrived at RAF Depot Karachi on 16th March and was posted to command 151 OTU at Risalpur on the NW Frontier.
Darley was appointed Station Commander at RAF Risalpur on 7th October 1942. He was there until 7th February 1943, when he was posted to 221 Group Calcutta. On 11th June he returned to Risalpur, again to command 151 OTU there.
Darley returned to the UK in July 1944 and was given command of 62 OTU Ouston.
He was made Station Commander at RAF Cranfield on 15th June 1945 and went to RAF Staff College for a course.
He passed away in November 1999.
This bookplate / piece would look great mounted in any RAF Battle of Britain book or print.
International bidders please note any item(s) purchased for over £20 must pay for and be posted by international signed for postage only.
