Garland brothers are remembered for their wartime RAF service
Members of Flashback Midhurst group on Facebook answer call to lay flowers at grave and to pay respects to the four men who died during the Second World War, three of them killed in action
F our brothers who died while serving in the RAF in the Second World War have been remembered by members of the Flashback Midhurst Facebook group. Flowers have been laid at the grave in Midhurst Cemetery and Mrs Elizabeth Fox, the owner and founder of the page, said she was ‘overwhelmed with pride’ at the response to the request made by a new member of the group.
Flight Lieutenant John Cuthbert Garland died aged 32 on February 28, 1943, and his gravestone in Midhurst also commemorates his brothers, who were all killed in action – Flying Officer Donald died in Belgium on May 12, 1940, aged 21; Pilot Officer Desmond was lost on operations on June 5, 1942, aged 27; and Flight Lieutenant Patrick died in Holland on January 1, 1945, aged 36.
On February 28, 78 years after John’s death, Darran Mark Walker asked group members to visit the grave to pay their respects and lay some flowers.
Mrs Fox said: “The response was overwhelming, with up to 100 likes and 40 comments on the original post. The grave was visited multiple times in the day and received four beautiful bunches of flowers. It is amazing that even in these current circumstances the community will unite and go above and beyond for others.”
The brothers were the sons of Patrick and Irene Garland from East Finchley.
Mr Walker said: “Patrick and Irene lost all their four boys during World
War Two, with 21-year-old Flying
Officer Donald Edward Garland posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions on March 12, 1940, whilst Pilot Officer Desmond William Garland was lost without trace aboard his 50 Squadron bomber and the fourth son, Flight Lieutenant Patrick James Garland, was killed when his Spitfire crashed at Glize-rijen.”
Nicky van der Drift, chief executive at International Bomber Command Centre, provides more information on the website internationalbcc.co.uk.
The formation successfully delivered a divebombing attack from the lowest practicable altitude VICTORIA CROSS CITATION London Gazette, June 11, 1940
Donald was the youngest of five children, born in Ireland, in 1918. The middle child was a daughter, Sheila, who died in 1988.
Donald flew Fairey Battle bombers with 12 Squadron and in May 1940 was part of a daytime operation in Belgium.
Mrs van der Drift said: “The mission was extremely risky and the Squadron lost all but one of the five Fairey Battles taking part. His aircraft was shot down close to the target, which was heavily defended both with anti aircraft guns and German fighter planes.”
Donald and his observer, Sgt Thomas Gray, were posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for their bravery.
The citation, published in the London Gazette on June 11, 1940, reads: “Flying Officer Garland was the pilot and Sergeant Gray was the observer of the leading aircraft of a formation of five aircraft that attacked a bridge over the Albert Canal which had not been destroyed and was allowing the enemy to advance into Belgium.
“Orders were issued that this bridge was to be destroyed at all costs. As had been expected, exceptionally intense machine-gun and anti-aircraft fire were encountered. Moreover, the bridge area was heavily protected by enemy fighters. In spite of this, the formation successfully delivered a dive-bombing attack from the lowest practicable altitude. British fighters in the vicinity reported that the target was obscured by the bombs bursting on it and near it.
“Much of the success of this vital operation must be attributed to the formation leader, Flying Officer Garland, and to the coolness and resource of Sergeant Gray, who in most difficult conditions navigated Flying Officer Garland’s aircraft in such a manner that the whole formation was able successfully to attack the target in spite of subsequent heavy losses. Flying Officer Garland and Sergeant Gray did not return.”
Donald was originally buried in secret by local civilians and was then reinterred by the Allies in 1945 and is now buried in Heverlee War Cemetery, near Lovain, Belgium.
Desmond flew Avro Manchester bombers with 50 Squadron. On June
15, 1942, his crew took off from RAF Skellingthorpe on a night-time minelaying mission in the Gorse region.
Mrs van der Drift said: “The aircraft never returned and only one member of the crew survived. He became a POW and later told that the aircraft had been shot down and crashed into the sea just off the French coast.”
John served in the RAF Volunteer Reserve as a medical officer. He suffered ill health and died of natural causes.
Patrick was a pilot in 2 Squadron Tactical Reconnaissance Unit and was flying a Spitfire on New Year’s Day in 1945. His aircraft bounced on landing, stalled and crashed upside down.