Page 62 - RADC Bulletin 2021

HISTORY
Parachute Group was created, nearly 20 years ago, the weather was too bad to jump. Some members of the course went back to no tent at their camp site as the wind had taken them. With ground training complete and nothing to do but play Uno and watch the wind sock, we all learned a lot about each other and what experiences we had whilst serving. The opportunity to learn about other armed services and build rapport over a common goal was fantastic, however, we all left feeling slightly defeated that we hadn’t accomplished what we went there to do.
We booked our refresher course for the first week in April 2019, along with a few others from the original course. As I had
only recently married abroad, we arrived at the course late on the Tuesday and needed
to leave again by the Friday morning for a friend’s wedding, so we only had three days to get all five jumps in. I was very much hoping the weather was on our side this time!
We packed parachutes like worker bees and with a lot of hard work and organisation from the COC, Roy, Ian and Izzy, we managed to get all five jumps completed in two days!
During my first jump, the experience of the ground rushing towards me for the first time was not what I expected, it seemed a lot faster than when I jumped with a square parachute way back in 2009. As I landed I was pulled backwards and dragged a few meters. Knowing my drills, I released one of the harness straps and was instructed to run around the parachute to show I was ok. The
second jump I landed a few meters away from my father but with the lack of wind
my canopy landed on top of me. All the others could hear me saying was “Dad the canopy is on me, how do I get out” which gave everyone a good laugh that evening. I completed all 5 jumps with no malfunctions, despite the few incidents I have mentioned, but with a minor canopy bump mid-air with another jumper from the Rifles.
Once back at my Dental Practice, with the news I had gained my B wings, it was decided that I’d be medically discharged
in August that year. Although it was not what I wanted and I was deflated at the decision made by the medical officer in charge of my case, I decided that I’d leave with a big accomplishment. I had heard that the Pathfinders Parachute Group were going to be part of the 75th Normandy commemorative jumps, at Sannerville. I called my father and he had already got us booked on the flight log.
We arrived on the Wednesday just in time to see the first stick from the Pathfinders Parachute Group jump with many others. It was absolutely breath-taking seeing the air filled with soldiers and re-enactors, including 97 year old WWII Veteran Tom Rice from
the 101st Airborne Division, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment. We met with the other group members at our RV point and had our pre-jump brief for the next day. We packed our parachutes and were fitted to make the transitions easier and smoother.
Unfortunately, the wind speed had increased and all commemorative air
shows and jump displays were called off
for Thursday. Friday wasn’t much better either, so again they were cancelled. This was frustrating, however, it did give us
the chance to see all the other events
and memorials happening in the area. We walked along Juno beach and saw where
a local school had laid wooden crosses for each soldier KIA there and visited one of
the Military Cemeteries to pay our respects finishing at Pegasus Bridge for refreshments.
The following day we went to the airport and despite the clear blue skies, we waited all day for a break in the wind. We were finally loaded up onto the Dakotas and were off. It was a 30 minute flight from the airport to Drop Zone K. The views were spectacular and my adrenaline was high. This was my first standing exit.
My father and I were the last two jumpers on the last stick of the last chalk, jumping
at 1951 into DZ K on the 8th June 2019. As the display was not on the planned date and therefore not on the events scheduled planner, there was only a small group of spectators consisting of the locals and all
of our family and friends. It was an honour and extremely humbling being there for
the 75th anniversary, showing my respect
to the fallen by jumping into the same area that our brave troops dropped into during the largest parachute operation in history; Operation Market Garden, and to do this with my Falklands Veteran father was even more meaningful. I felt fortunate to do this whilst still in the Corps and look back on the experience fondly.
60 RADC BULLETIN 2021