William Darell

Brigadier-General William Harry Verelst Darell CMG, DSO (23 January 1878 – 7 February 1954) was a British Army officer and rower who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley Royal Regatta.

Biography

Darell was born in Wokingham, the second son of Sir Lionel Darell, 5th Baronet. The Darell family derived its fortune from service in the East India Company in the late eighteenth century. Darell was educated at Eton College and went on to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst where in a brilliant career he won the Sword of Honour.[1] He was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards as a second lieutenant on 8 September 1897, and promoted to lieutenant on 18 January 1899. He served in South Africa through the Second Boer War 1899-1902; where he took part in operations in the Orange Free State (April to May 1900), the Transvaal (May to June 1900, July to November 1900) and Cape Colony; and was present at several major battles, including at Belmont, Enslin and Modder River (November 1899), Magersfontein (December 1899), Poplar Grove and Driefontein (March 1900), Vet River, Zand River, Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (June 1900), Bergendal and Komatipoort (August 1900). From July 1901 he was signaling officer to a Mobile column.[2] Following the end of the war, he return to the United Kingdom in August 1902.[3]

Darell was an eminent single sculler, competing for the Household Brigade Boat Club. In 1906 he was runner-up to Harry Blackstaffe in the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley.[4] In 1907 he won the Diamond Sculls beating Alexander McCulloch and competed in the Wingfield Sculls.[5]

Darell entered the Staff College in 1913 and on the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 was posted as a major to Southampton, where as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General he helped to execute the deployment of the BEF to France.[6] When he went to war it was as Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster General of 7th Division and he was promoted Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General of 3rd Division on 3 July 1915. He was awarded the DSO in 1915. His final promotion was to DA&QMG of IV Corps on 24 December 1916 when he succeeded W. L. White, who was twenty-two years his senior. Darell held the post for the rest of the war. He was mentioned in despatches in 1917[7] Darell remained in the army after the war becoming Colonel on 1 October 1920, with seniority from 1 January 1919.[8] He was Deputy Director of Mobilisation and Recruiting at the War Office in 1920 and Assistant Adjutant-General, War Office, in 1921. After commanding 1st Battalion Irish Guards from 1924 to 1928, he retired from the Army in 1929.[9]

Darell died aged 76 and was buried at Saul, Gloucestershire.[10]

Personal life

Darell married Eva Jeffie Bainbridge, daughter of Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge, MP for Gainsborough. Their son William Oswald Darell succeeded to the baronetcy.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Centre for War Studies". University of Birmingham. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  2. ↑ Hart´s Army list, 1903
  3. ↑ "The War - Return of Troops". The Times (36842). London. 9 August 1902. p. 11.
  4. ↑ "Henley Royal Regatta: Results of Final Races — 1839-1939". rowinghistory.net. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  5. ↑ "Record of Races". google.com. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
  6. ↑ "No. 28879". The London Gazette. 25 August 1914. p. 6693.
  7. ↑ "Rowing Men in New List of Casualties" (PDF). The New York Times. 11 February 1917.
  8. ↑ "No. 32127". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1920. p. 11199.
  9. ↑ "No. 33371". The London Gazette. 30 March 1928. p. 2341.
  10. ↑ Some Memorial Inscriptions - Saul, Gloucestershire St James's Churchyard
  11. ↑ Lundy, Darryl (2015). "Brig.-Gen. William Harry Verelst Darell". The Peerage. Retrieved 14 July 2015.
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