Date of birth:

September 28th, 1915 (Bilboa/Basqueland, Spain )

Date of death:

April 16th, 2005 (Prince Rubert/BC, Canada)

Nationality:

Canadian

Early life: Darrow, who was called D.G., came from Prince Rupert B.C. and was born on 28-9-1915 in Bilbao, Spain. He emigrated to Canada in 1906, to Prince Rupert B.C. In 1909, he returned to Spain, married, and returned to Canada the same year with his bride Consolacion Francisca Alonso Tocath. In his youth, he was a boxer. He died at the age of 67 on 4 January 1955.

WWII: 10 September 1939: Canada declares war on Germany - the first and only time Canada single-handedly declared war on another country. 14 September 1939: Prime Minister William Lyon MacKenzie King declares that Canada should be the Allies' arsenal and pledges not to institute conscription.
Marriage: He married Dorothy Tryphena Fowler on 6 December 1940. Darrow met Dorothy on a steamer from Vancouver to Prince Rupert. Darrow asked her to attend his sister's wedding with him and the two would marry afterwards.
Tragedy: When Darlene Anita Gomez was born on 9 August 1942 in Prince Rupert County, British Columbia, Canada, her father, Darrow Gomez, was 26 and her mother, Dorothy Tryphena Fowler, 21. She died on 9 August 1942 in her birthplace at the age of 0.
Enlistment: Darrow reported for service during World War II and joined the artillery with the 105th Canadian Anti-Tank Battery. 105th CATB: The 105th Anti-Tank Battery was a unit of the 3rd Canadian Anti-Tank Regiment during World War II. It was one of four batteries in the regiment, along with the 4th from Peterborough, Ontario, the 52nd from Weymouth, Nova Scotia, and the 94th from Quebec City. Each battery had two troops of four 6-pounder anti-tank guns and a troop of four M10s, Sherman tanks with a 3-inch gun and a 50-calibre machine gun. Their role supported infantry battalions by supplementing their 6-pounders.
On D-Day, the regiment created composite batteries to concentrate all four M10 troops under one battery commander. The M10s of the 105th Composite AT Battery attacked enemy pillboxes and provided covering fire for infantry battalions. However, the battery's landing was delayed by rough seas, crowded beaches and the destruction of the Rhino Ferry.
Cause: The Allies launched a major offensive in February 1945 to push back the enemy across the Rhine and defeat Germany.
Battle: Heavy fighting took place in Emmerich, Germany in 1945 during World War II. The Canadian Scottish and Regina Rifles played a key role in liberating the town. 28-29 March 1945 The Canadian Scottish and Regina Rifles fought to extend their bridgehead over the Landwehr Canal. The Canadians drove the enemy back into the city, while engineers-built bridges across the canal. The Regina Rifles, supported by tanks and Crocodiles, attacked to clear the southern part of the city. The 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade cleared Emmerich by 30 March 1945. The German armed forces surrendered in the west on May 7, 1945, and in the east on May 9, 1945, ending World War II in Europe.
It was during the fighting at Emmerich in March 1945 that Darrow would earn the DCM, second only to the Victoria Cross for valour. Molly Lamb, an official war artist, documented the devastation of the town in her artwork Ruins of Emmerich.

Post War: Dorothy and Darrow had two children, Gale Norberg (Robert Irvine) and Maurice (Moe). Gomez (Kathy). Both Gale and Moe had two sons – Trevor (Cathy) and Wade (Serena) Norberg, Robin and Kris (Mamata) Gomez. Then some girls entered the picture, great granddaughters Chantelle, Dana, and Myranda and great great granddaughters SheaLynn and Erin. In 1991 Darrow and Dorothy celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
Darrow remained in the Canadian Army following the war, he would rise to the rank of Warrant Officer II with the 120th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1953.
Darrow was a member of the United Fishermen and Allied workers union like his father. He was elected as alderman in Prince Rupert BC for several years. In 1955 he attended a wage conference at Vancouver, during that time he was seeking re-election for his position as alderman.

Lest we forget: Darrow died on 16 April 2005, in his hometown, at the age of 89.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Sergeant

Unit:

105th Anti-Tank Battery, 3rd Canadian Anti-tank Regiment, 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Canadian Army

Recommendation:
On the morning of the 30th March 1945 at Emmerich, K15513 Sergeant Darrow Gomez was NCO i/c a 17 pounder self-propelled Valentine gun which was a part of a troop of the 105th Canadian Anti Tank Battery in support of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. The enemy had determinedly counter-attacked the position during the previous night and with daylight came the knowledge that self-propelled guns had been brought up to support these attacks. These enemy guns had assumed a most aggressive role and were rapidly rendering untenable the area occupied by a company of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. Since they were deployed on high ground and at short range, any movement on the part of our infantry was extremely hazardous.
At approximately 1100 hrs Sergeant Gomez pin-pointed the location of enemy gun after performing a reconnaissance under rifle and machine gun fire. Sergeant Gomez then manoeuvred his 17 pounder Valentine gun into a favourable position and succeeded in knocking out the enemy self-propelled equipment. Not content with this one success, Sergeant Gomez immediately commenced another reconnaissance in the company of "D" company commander of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. After considerable time, they located the position of another enemy self-propelled gun which was pinning down an entire company of our infantry. Notwithstanding the fact that the infantry company commander was killed at his side and the driver of his own equipment had become severely wounded, Sergeant Gomez fearlessly commenced to advance his gun to a suitable position. Although his own gun was twice hit by enemy shell-fire this NCO attained his objective and laying the gun himself, destroyed the enemy self-propelled equipment with one round.
Shortly after this incident, a strong enemy fighting patrol attacked the position occupied by Sergeant Gomez. Although his gun was clearly exposed to this party of enemy, and at very short range, he unhesitatingly manned the machine-gun mounted on his equipment and brought fire to bear on the infantry. One of the enemy patrol was consequently killed, seven were taken prisoner and the remainder forced to retire.
Throughout these actions, Sergeant Gomez displayed magnificent leadership and absolute disregard for his own personal safety. There is no doubt that the example he set enabled our infantry, despite heavy casualties, to hold this vital area in face of spirited enemy counter attacks.
London Gazette, 11 August 1945

• Photo 1: Ryan Gingras
• - ZUEHLKE, M., On to Victory, Douglas & McIntyre Publishers Inc., Vancouver, Canada, 2010.
  - National Defence and the Canadian Forces