Corporal Richard R Maryan

Richard Maryan served in The Royal Warwickshire Regiment prior to volunteering for service with The Parachute Regiment in World War II.

He was jump trained at RAF Ringway on Course 61B/62. This course ran between 26 April and 4 May 1943. His instructor noted this about his performance :

"Made a slow start but overcame nervousness and finished well"

After he qualified as a military parachutist, Richard was posted to A Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion.

Dick Maryan was wounded in Italy later that year. He was rescued by the Padre, and taken to a hospital ship.

In September 1944, he served during the Battle of Arnhem as part of 1 Platoon, A Company, 2nd Parachute Battalion in Sgt Neville Ashley's section. 

Richard wrote in his diary, "I was taken Prisoner on Friday morning with Sgt Ashley, by a group of SS troops that closed in on us, we also had two badly wounded fellows with us, this was their only chance to get Medical treatment, we were taken away through the German lines, only then did we realise what we were up against, it was like running one's head into a Brick Wall trying to fight Tiger Tanks with small arms, there were dozens of them, supporting, God knows how many SS troops, they had to admit, we played hell with them during the five days, and later it came out that their casualties were, by far, heavier in proportion to ours, that gave us some sort of satisfaction."

Maryan took part in the assault to capture the road bridge. After several days hard fighting, Sgt Neville Ashley's section was out of ammunition. He withdrew the five remaining men of his section, including Maryan, into a store room built into the abutment of the bridge on Wednesday 20 September. German troops continued to attack their position and they were taken as prisoners of war. His POW number was 88912.  He was held in various camps until his escape, these included Bocholt, Dorsten, Stalag XIIA at Limburg, Stalag IVB at Mühlberg, and Halle, next to the Hindenburg Bridge. 

Richard joined the Reserves 22 August 1946. 

Profile photograph courtesy of Paul Pariso.