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Thread: OPERATION MARKET GARDEN - THE BATTLE FOR ARNHEM

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  1. #21
    Contributing Member Woodsy's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gil Boyd View Post
    Woodsy,
    Was he a gunner in thr Royal Artillery?
    Not that I am aware of. He had a Para beret and wore the Parachute Regimental Association blazer. It was a period that he never really spoke about but confirmed to me that Arnhem was his introduction to warfare.

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  3. #22
    Contributing Member Gil Boyd's Avatar
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    Thanks for that, maybe his first name isn't Bernard as there are no initial B's in a few with that surname KING, he may have another first name that should be first if that makes sense.
    The one I asked about is the only one listed without a first name letter.
    'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA

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    Contributing Member Flying10uk's Avatar
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    Gil are you able to explain what the system was in WW2 if you transferred from one regiment into the Parachute Regiment, please? Wasn't the system somehow different to what it is today and when you transferred to the Parachute Regiment in WW2 you remained partly "attached" to the regiment that you had transferred from??? I've probably misunderstood it or got it wrong but perhaps you would be able to clarify, please?

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    Legacy Member GeeRam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Flying10uk View Post
    Gil are you able to explain what the system was in WW2 if you transferred from one regiment into the Parachute Regiment, please? Wasn't the system somehow different to what it is today and when you transferred to the Parachute Regiment in WW2 you remained partly "attached" to the regiment that you had transferred from??? I've probably misunderstood it or got it wrong but perhaps you would be able to clarify, please?
    I think, from diming memory cells, what you are referring to was applicable to the Army Commando's rather than the Paras, as with the Commando's you retained you parent regt cap badge on the green beret etc., as the Commando was in effect a temporary detachment from your parent unit.?
    Just the thing for putting round holes in square heads.

  7. #25
    Contributing Member Gil Boyd's Avatar
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    As we had the 1st and 6th Airborne Regiments, and much like L Detachment SAS, the numbering and lettering was there to cause some confusion to the Germans making them think there were more Regiments or units available. By the end of the war the Britishicon Army had raised seventeen parachute and eight airlanding battalions. These battalions served in seven parachute brigades, three airlanding brigades and three airborne divisions.

    Right, slightly confusing but here goes. on the 1st of August 1942 anybody joining and wanting to be a paratrooper, once they had passed the very stiff physical assessments and Para wings course would be issued with what we know today as Para Cap badge, with one exception which would have been a King George crown on the parachute of that badge. They were part of the Glider Regiment. Shoulder flashes would only say PARACHUTE but later in the war would read PARACHUTE REGIMENT again to cause subtifuge.

    You'll notice I didn't say The Parachute Regiment, because the "Regiment" title did not happen "officially" until 1949 when they King deemed it so.

    If you were part of the 1st Airlanding Brigade, you were issued a maroon beret but would wear your Regimental cap badge ie, Ox & Bucks , Royal Ulster Rifles.

    The only exception to all of this was the Royal Army Medical Corps. So they did not stand out as medics in battle and an obvious target as they tended the dying and wounded, they were unique and were allowed to wear the Parachute winged badge.

    Hope that helps, but like the early SAS, The Parachute Battalions were made to look as if we had more than 5,000 fully trained troops initially.
    'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA

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    Legacy Member GeeRam's Avatar
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    My mothers older brother was one of those that joined the Paras straight from RASC basic training just after WW2 (Paras were going round the basic training units looking volunteers) and thus when he then failed jump training he couldn't be RTU'd as he had no parent regiment to be returned to...
    My Grandfather had to go to visit the Para's and because he was Scottish, and my uncle had actually been born in Scotland, eventually the Argyll's accepted him from the Para's, no doubt because the 1st Batt were now Air Landing Battalion, and my uncle then headed out to Palestine to join the 1st Batt Argyll's wearing a Glengarry rather than his red beret that he had proudly worn for a studio photo only a few months earlier.
    Just the thing for putting round holes in square heads.

  10. #27
    Contributing Member Gil Boyd's Avatar
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    Meant to add: Since OUR formation 79 years ago when Winston Churchill MP called for the formation of a Parachute Regiment after the mayhem by Germanicon Paras in the Battle for Crete, the Paras have earned a reputation for being one of the toughest Regiments in the Britishicon Army. The Regiment is made up of three battalions, 1, 2 and 3 PARA with 4 PARA being Reserve Forces, with 2 PARA being the tougest and the best, I have to say that because its true, I WAS THAT SOLDIER.

    A lot of great lads from every Regiment pass P Company and join a cracking Regiment which is always at the tip of the spear!! Without doubt P Company in that allotted timefame is the hardest thing you will EVER DO!
    Last edited by Gil Boyd; 09-28-2021 at 04:16 PM.
    'Tonight my men and I have been through hell and back again, but the look on your faces when we let you out of the hall - we'd do it all again tomorrow.' Major Chris Keeble's words to Goose Green villagers on 29th May 1982 - 2 PARA

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