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238234 Pte. Richard R Maryan British Army 2nd Btn. A Coy. 1 Pltn. Parachute Regiment My brother Richard Maryan, and Sgt. Neville Ashley were the best of friends they both were taken to Stalag 12a, but got split up from there. Richard was called up in 1939, he served with the Welch Regiment, when Winston Churchill called for volunteers to form an airborne army, he was interested, and signed up. He was sent to Ringway, where they trained jumping from a tower, and then from an Aircraft, after training, he was put in No. 1 Platoon "A" Company, 2nd. Parachute Battalion. His best friend through most of the action was Sgt. Neville Ashley, who saved Richards life in Sicily, although Richard was wounded he could have been killed but for Neville, who firing a Bren Gun stopped a German advance.An extract from my Brothers Diary who served with the 1st. Airborne division, in the 2nd. world war
"The landing on Catania Plain was a terrifying experience, our R.A.F Pilot never deviated, he flew through sustained Anti-Aircraft fire, on the coast and up to Catania the Aircraft was shaking and vibrating all the way from Ack Ack fire that came very close, we dropped down to 600 feet which would give us a suitable height for our 'Chutes to open and get us to the ground quickly, we were met with rapid firing guns that fired tracer bullets."
The Diary goes through from Sicily, to Arnhem, where he was captured serving with the 2nd. Battalion, and then on to his life in stalag 12a. prison camp, and events leading up to it.
When my brother Richard was taken Prisoner at Arnhem, he was taken by Cattle Truck to Stalag 12a, When the R.A.F raided one night all the perimeter lights were turned off, Richard and a friend escaped. Some French people took them in and hid them under the stage in a Village Hall, they gave them overalls to hide their Uniforms, when the American Army arrived, they Airlifted them back to Grantham England.
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