Geoffrey Langlands
|
Geoffrey Douglas Langlands CMG, MBE, HI, SPk |
|
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Major Langlands of Pakistan |
| Born |
21 October 1917 West Sculcoates, England, United Kingdom |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom British Indian Empire Islamic Republic of Pakistan
|
| Service/branch |
 British Army British Indian Army Pakistan Army
|
| Years of service | 1939–1953 |
| Rank | Major |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Indo-Pakistani War of 1947 |
| Awards |
Sitara-e-Pakistan Hilal-i-Imtiaz Order of St Michael and St George_Ribbon.png){kind=small} Order of the British Empire
|
| Other work | Headmaster Aitchison College Principal Cadet College Razmak Principal Langlands School and College |
Geoffrey Douglas Langlands CMG, MBE, HI, SPk (born 21 October 1917) is a retired British Major, and a retired teacher and educator living in Pakistan since the partition of the British Indian Empire in 1947. He also served the British Indian Army and Pakistani Army as part of his service tenure.
Langlands was born 21 October 1917, in Hull, England, to a father employed in an Anglo-American company and a mother who was a classical folkdance instructor. His father died 27 October 1918, due to the 1918 flu pandemic that killed millions worldwide. After the death of her husband, Mrs. Langlands moved with the children to her parents' home in Bristol.
In 1930, Langlands' mother died due to cancer after which Langlands and his siblings lived under the care of their grandfather. The following year on 24 December, Langlands grandfather died leaving children with no other relatives. His older brother received a scholarship to an orphan school in Bristol, and a family friend helped secure positions for the other children.
In July 1935, Langlands completed his A Level education and began his teaching career in London, the following year at age 18. In September 1936, he had been a mathematics and science teacher to second grade students in a school in Croydon. When World War II began in 1939, Langlands joined the British Army as an enlisted soldier. In 1942, Langlands became a commando and took part in the Dieppe Raid
In January 1944, Langlands arrived in British India as an army volunteer on a troop carrier and worked three years as part of the selection board for officers training in Bangalore. Rising to the acting rank of troop sergeant major, he received an emergency commission in the British Indian Army as a second lieutenant on 3 September 1944. During partition of the sub-continent in 1947 when India and Pakistan became independent nations, Langlands decided to move to Pakistan and was transferred to Rawalpindi where he joined Pakistan Army.
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