Born in Ballinacor, County Wicklow, Garland was a pupil at Cardinal Vaughan Memorial School, Holland Park, London from 1929 to 1935, and left with a good all-round School Certificate. After spending some time at an insurance office, he joined the Royal Air Force on a short-term commission. Mgr. Canon J. Vance, who became headmaster of Cardinal Vaughan School in 1928: "In those days I questioned young men closely before recommending their applications for short-term commissions because of a lurking fear that they might be forced to start life again at an awkward age, for Donald I had no misgivings whatever. He could start his life again at any time and was bound to succeed because of his independence and of his resourcefulness. I salute Garland's great heroism"
Victoria Cross
Garland was 21 years old, and a flying officer in No. 12 Squadron during the Second World War, when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. On 12 May 1940, over the Albert Canal, Belgium, two bridges, Veldwezelt and Vroenhoven, were being used by the invading army, with protection from fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft and machine-guns. The RAF was ordered to demolish one of these vital bridges, and five Fairey Battle bombers were despatched with Flying Officer Garland leading the attack. They met an inferno of anti-aircraft fire, and the bridge was hit but not put out of commission. Garland and his navigator, Sergeant Thomas Gray, attacked the bridge at Veldwezelt. They died either crashing in the village of Lanaken, or in the hospital in Maastricht, Netherlands. Only one bomber managed to return to base. Sergeant Gray was also awarded the VC for this action in a joint citation with Garland. Garland is buried at the Heverlee War Cemetery in Leuven, Belgium. Both Garland and Gray were awarded the Victoria Cross posthumously. Leading Aircraftman Reynolds, the third member of the crew, did not receive a medal because he was not in a "decision making" position. Garland's Victoria Cross is displayed at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon, England. He had three brothers, all of whom served with the RAF and also died on service:
Pilot Officer Desmond William Garland – killed in Belgium on 5 June 1942 aged 27
Flight Lieutenant John Cuthbert Garland – died on 28 February 1943 aged 32
The announcement and accompanying citation for the decoration was published in supplement to the London Gazette on 11 June 1940, reading
Memorials
A Vickers VC-10 Serial 'XR807' of 101 Squadron was named 'Donald Garland VC & Thomas Gray VC'. During 2005, to mark its 90th anniversary, No.12 Squadron RAF flew a Tornado GR4 with Flying Officer Garland's and Sgt Gray's name painted under the cockpit as a mark of respect. There is a monument on the bridge to the operation. On the day of the attack on the bridge, Garland and his crew flew from the grass airfield near the village of Amifontaine, France, where 12 Squadron had been based since December 1939, No memorial to the airfield, and to the men who flew from it, has been reported to exist in the area.
