William Darell
Encyclopedia
Brigadier-General William Harry Verelst Darell CMG
, DSO
(23 January 1878 Wokingham
- 7 February 1954) was a British Army officer and rower
who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
at Henley Royal Regatta
.
Darell was 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. He was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards
on 8 September 1897. He served in the South African War from 1899 to 1902.
Darell was an eminent single scull
er, competing for the Household Brigade Boat Club. In 1906 he was runner-up to Harry Blackstaffe
in the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley. In 1907 he won the Diamond Sculls beating Alexander McCulloch
and competed in the Wingfield Sculls
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. When he went to war it was as DAQMG
7th Division and he was promoted AA&QMG 3rd Division on 3 July 1915. He was awarded the DSO in 1915. His final promotion was to DA&QMG 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 Darell remained in the army after the war becoming Colonel on 1 October 1920, with seniority from 1 January 1919. He was Deputy Director of Mobilisation and Recruiting at the War Office in 1920 and AAG War Office in 1921. After commanding 1st Battalion Irish Guards
from 1924 to 1928, he retired from the Army in 1929.
Darell died aged 76 and was buried at Saul, Gloucestershire
.
Darell married Eva Jeffie Bainbridge, daughter of Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge
MP for Gainsborough
. Their son William Oswald Darell succeeded to the baronetcy
.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(23 January 1878 Wokingham
Wokingham
Wokingham is a market town and civil parish in Berkshire in South East England about west of central London. It is about east-southeast of Reading and west of Bracknell. It spans an area of and, according to the 2001 census, has a population of 30,403...
- 7 February 1954) was a British Army officer and rower
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
who won the Diamond Challenge Sculls
Diamond Challenge Sculls
The Diamond Challenge Sculls is a rowing event for men's single sculls at the annual Henley Royal Regatta on the River Thames at Henley-on-Thames in England...
at Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta
Henley Royal Regatta is a rowing event held every year on the River Thames by the town of Henley-on-Thames, England. The Royal Regatta is sometimes referred to as Henley Regatta, its original name pre-dating Royal patronage...
.
Darell was the second son of Sir Lionel Darell 5th Baronet. The Darell family
Darell Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Darell, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
derived its fortune from service in the East India Company in the late eighteenth century. Darell was educated at Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and went on to Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
where in a brilliant career he won the Sword of Honour. He was commissioned into the Coldstream Guards
Coldstream Guards
Her Majesty's Coldstream Regiment of Foot Guards, also known officially as the Coldstream Guards , is a regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division or Household Division....
on 8 September 1897. He served in the South African War from 1899 to 1902.
Darell was an eminent single scull
Single scull
A single scull is a rowing boat used in the sport of competitive rowing. It is designed for a single person who propels the boat with two oars, one in each hand....
er, competing for the Household Brigade Boat Club. In 1906 he was runner-up to Harry Blackstaffe
Harry Blackstaffe
Henry Thomas "Harry" Blackstaffe was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.Blackstaffe was born in Islington, London, and became a butcher. He was a long-standing member of Vesta Rowing Club in Putney and also a cross-country runner who represented South London Harriers in the...
in the Diamond Challenge Sculls at Henley. In 1907 he won the Diamond Sculls beating Alexander McCulloch
Alexander McCulloch
Alexander McCulloch was a British rower who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.-Biography:McCulloch was born at Melbourne, Australia, the son of George McCulloch...
and competed in the Wingfield Sculls
Darell entered the Staff College in 1913 and on the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
in August 1914 was posted as a major to Southampton
Southampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
, where as Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General he helped to execute the deployment of the BEF to France. When he went to war it was as DAQMG
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
7th Division and he was promoted AA&QMG 3rd Division on 3 July 1915. He was awarded the DSO in 1915. His final promotion was to DA&QMG 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 Darell remained in the army after the war becoming Colonel on 1 October 1920, with seniority from 1 January 1919. He was Deputy Director of Mobilisation and Recruiting at the War Office in 1920 and AAG War Office in 1921. After commanding 1st Battalion Irish Guards
Irish Guards
The Irish Guards , part of the Guards Division, is a Foot Guards regiment of the British Army.Along with the Royal Irish Regiment, it is one of the two Irish regiments remaining in the British Army. The Irish Guards recruit in Northern Ireland and the Irish neighbourhoods of major British cities...
from 1924 to 1928, he retired from the Army in 1929.
Darell died aged 76 and was buried at Saul, Gloucestershire
Saul, Gloucestershire
Saul is a village in Gloucestershire, England at the site of the junction of the Stroudwater Navigation and the Gloucester and Sharpness Canal. It is in the parish of Fretherne with Saul in the district of Stroud....
.
Darell married Eva Jeffie Bainbridge, daughter of Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge
Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge
Emerson Muschamp Bainbridge was an English mining consulting engineer, philanthropist and Liberal Party politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1895 to 1900....
MP for Gainsborough
Gainsborough (UK Parliament constituency)
Gainsborough is a county constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election....
. Their son William Oswald Darell succeeded to the baronetcy
Darell Baronets
There have been two Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Darell, one in the Baronetage of England and one in the Baronetage of Great Britain. One creation is extant as of 2008....
.