German soldier/gear (picture).

[villiers]

I maybe over reacted. One reason could have been the I was `requested´ to take part in the Normandy celebrations several years ago, where they needed ex-service geriatrics who were forcibly ejected from a DC3 to commemorate the Pegasus Bridge (and a few other) landings. I spent some hours visiting the Regimental Cemetery where I was surprised to find a fair number of gravestones with Scottish names, but adorned with the Star of David (the place was divided into two for the German and British dead ... but with only two French graves). I was told that as soon as it was known that the Paras would be the first to land in enemy territory, a large number of Jewish servicemen absconded to Scotland, changed their names and joined the Regiment. They were the bravest of the lot and died so that I could play silly b*ggers on the end of a parachute in their honour so many years later.