Maurice Sanders

The OB was built of farmland belonging to Maurice at Tregamellyn Farm where he was born and brought up. He married Helen Denley in 1942.

Maurice Sanders only spoke on his death bed of his involvement in the resistance. Although younger than most and without the WW1 experience of many members, Maurice was selected for his marksmanship - as a youngster he earned his pocket money by lamping rabbits with a rifle at night and was renowned for his accuracy.

Young “protege”, Julian Silkstone vividly remembered one day standing next to him holding his shotgun when a pigeon flew past, Maurice pivoted elegantly for a large man and brought it down with a single shot.

“If I were picking a resistance team, Maurice would undoubtedly be number one !
Although he never went into much detail, I distinctly remember him telling me he used to be "on patrol" during the war. I took that to mean part of the Home Guard, which I guess is exactly what others were supposed to believe ! Sums him up really - trustworthy and reliable.

Maurice was of course much older than I. I guess he was born in 1916 and he died in 1998. He was an immense character in many ways, a potent mentor to me, a great story-teller, with a fine sense of humour, but a temper not to be mixed with ! He was quite short in stature, but was immensely powerful and afraid of no one. I think I am right in saying as a young man he was the all-Cornish wrestling champion! He would certainly have been a handful for the Germans !”