Group Captain Sir Lawrence Darvall

Group Captain Sir Lawrence Darvall (KCB, CB, MC) was born on 24 November 1898, the second son of Richard Thomas Darvall, late of Gordon Lodge, Reading.

In 1923 he married Alleen, daughter of E. Mahony, J.P. County Cork, Ireland. Darvall was educated at Dover College, the Royal Military College at Sandhurst and commissioned into the Grean Howards. He transferred to the Royal Air Force in 1921, after four years secondment.

Promoted to Wing Commander in 1937 and to Group Captain in 1941. Director of Air Transport Policy and Operations at the Air Ministry in 1943-1944. Commanded 48th Group and 216th Group in Transport Command in 1944-1946. He was also a Companion of the Order of the Bath, created in 1941.

He became an Air Commodore in 1946 and an Air Officer Commanding Air HQ, Italy, 1946-1947. Later became an Air Officer Commanding 3rd Group, Bomber Command in 1947-1948. He was promoted to Air Vice-Marshal in 1948. After that became an Air Officer-in-Command Administration, HQ Flying Training Command in 1949-1950 and an Air Officer Commanding 23rd Group in 1950-1951. Assumed command of Joint Services Staff College in 1951-1953 and at the end of his career became a Commandant of NATO Defence College in Paris in November 1953-1955. He was finally promoted to Air Marshal and KCB in 1956.

He retired in 1958. F.R.S.A. and died on 17 November 1968.