[1] He went on to study Literae Humaniores at St John's College, University of Oxford.

[2] In 1951 he came to Cyprus with a British archaeological mission led by Joan du Plat Taylor to excavate at the Late Bronze Age sanctuary at Myrtou-Pigadhes.

Catling left in 1960 with the independence of Cyprus from British colonial rule.

[1] He carried systematic excavations at the North Cemetery of Knossos with Nicolas Coldstream and with the British School at Athens at Menelaion.

In the last years of his life he gathered material to publish an excavation conducted by Terence Mitford and John Ilife at Palaepaphos during the 50's, unfortunately he died before completing it.

His funeral was held at St Matthew's Church, Langford, Oxfordshire on 1 March 2013.