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.

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. 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 sculler, 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 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 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 Assistant Adjutant-General, War Office, in 1921. After commanding 1st Battalion Irish Guards from 1924 to 1928, he retired from the Army in 1929.

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