The Marland Family

Maurice Marland - Hero of the Resistance

Maurice Marland was born on the 12th February at Falaise in France 1888 and was the English teacher at Granville primary school.

In 1905 he went to teacher training college in Caen. He qualified in 1908 and made his teaching debut in Caen.

Freed from military service, he was appointed at St. Hilaire of Harcovet where he worked until 1914.

He signed up voluntarily on the 22nd of August 1914 and was wounded in combat at Tailly (Menuse) on the 31st of August.
Demobilised on the 15th of May 1919, he had a short time at Periers before he returned to Granville, where he taught until his death.

The testimony of his old pupils presents a Mr Marland as a youthful figure, always well turned out. He was a distinguished man who spoke well but knew how to remain simple and friendly.

Outside of school, his pupils and ex-pupils would go and have discussions with him because he was so wise and helpful.

Arrested on the 18th of June 1943, Maurice touched his pupils by addressing them with words of comfort, which ended in a discreet evocation of their motherland.

Despite the difficult circumstances, he remained an example of courage, dignity and civility.

The contents of his education, the administration and confidence, which he inspired, led to many of his pupils joining him in the Resistance.

A key word, which sums up Maurice Marland, is SOLIDARITY.

Maurice Marland was in the front line of the resistance movement during the war.

He helped to evacuate British troops to Jersey and there back to England.

Of the 52 solders who found themselves in Granville in 1940, he managed to help 50 of them escape; they also escaped with considerable knowledge of German troop movements, given them by Maurice and his team.

On July 22nd 1944 at 6am the German military police stopped Maurice at the Cross of Lude where he was sheltering. They took him to La Rochelle, Normandy.

A young woman was working for the Germans. She met Maurice briefly. He simply said to her: "It’s so sad, Miss."

In the evening Maurice was in the cave, which the Germans used to house their prisoners. The entrance was watched over by a guard dog. Between midnight and 1am the young woman heard a car pull away. Later in the night, on a visit to the outside toilet, she noticed the door to the cave was open and there was no-one inside. When she asked where the teacher was, she was told "We have just driven him to the Grosskommandantur".

Half an hour after the car set off from La Rochelle, Normandy, the inhabitants of La Lucerne d'Outremer heard a five or six shots fired. The next day Maurice Marland’s body was found in a ditch, killed by five 9mm bullets.

He was 56 years old. He died for his beliefs and his principles; Maurice Marland didn’t just preach about courage and dignity, he practised them. It’s for their qualities that he’s still remembered today.

-----------------------------
One cannot say whether Maurice is linked to our family or not; I for one rather hope he was. However, I have just heard of a Marland that Married A French Girl, now I wonder IF!!
 

Geoff Marland