Geoffrey Langlands CMG MBE No.4 Cdo. Updated***100th birthday***

This message was edited 7 times. Last update was at 05/11/2017 17:17:02

As a result of a post placed on the 4 Commando panorama photo by John Martin, I thought I would create a separate message under Wartime Army Commando Individuals and copy John's comments here and add a few of my own. John stated

Some of you may have read an article in yesterday's Sunday Times about Major Geoffrey Langlands, a former soldier who for many years has run a school along English public school lines in the Hindu Kush for Pakistani boys and girls. He is now 92 and about to retire. A little research shows that this wonderful man was a section sergeant in C Troop 4 Cdo at the time of the Dieppe Raid. His section officer was Lt David Style, who was awarded the MC for his part in the action. Geoffrey was apparently able to take some photographs at Dieppe with a German Leica captured earlier at Lofoten. He is yet one more example of a former Commando soldier who achieved magnificent things in later life.

Indeed Geoffrey Langlands in WW2 was a Sergeant in C Troop No.4 Commando and is mentioned several times in Jimmy Dunning's book The Fighting Fourth. He did take part at Dieppe and before that had qualified as a climbing instructor. He put this expertise to good use whilst C Troop were based in the village of Bethesda, Snowdonia.

There is a BBC short film about him on this link:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/8664333.stm

He was recently awarded the The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, Companion (CMG) - For services to education in Pakistan.

He is the Founder and Principal, The Langlands School and College, Chitral, Pakistan.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 02/04/2013 11:43:29

I have just been sent this photo by Major Jimmy Dunning which includes Sgt Geoffrey Langlands and a few others from a section of No.4 Commando 'C' troop June 1942 Ayrshire. All are named on the photo:

http://www.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/units/4/cdo++jd486.jpg.html

Our thanks to John Martin who sends us this link to a Daily Telegraph update about Major Geoffrey Langlands and his successor at the school :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/9958980/Goodbye-to-Major-Geoffrey-Langlands-of-the-Hindu-Kush.html

What an incredible story - thank you so much for posting that.

Major Geoffrey Langlands celebrated his 100th birthday last month.

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/british-high-commissioner-wishes-major-langlands-happy-100th-birthday

He has a Facebook page in his honour where many of his former students praise him

https://www.facebook.com/GDLanglands/

One of his pupils was the former international cricketer Imran Khan who created a video birthday greeting

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T0X5w9boD8c

Happy 100th birthday Sir.