Ch5 Arnhem paras programme

[NCA]

Did anyone see last night episode?Its a two part programme following a group of teenagers through ww2 style para training.Tonights episode will conclude with an actual parachute drop over Arnhem.
Its been good so far..a real eyeopener for some of them.And it looks like Soldier of Fortune supplied the Denison smocks ect..
Its on Channel 5 at 8.00pm tonight.

[davejb]

Yes i watched it and laughed at the shock they got when the blanks started to fly but they get to do the one thing ive always wanted to do, the Arnhem drop from a Dak in full period costume, and yeah SOF did supply the gear, i pitied the boy with the bren he didnt know what end to look at first and was cuddling it like a toy, i remember that feeling cuz i was always given the damn thing to cart around both cadets and TA.

[NCA]

I liked the line:'urgh, these rations are mingin!' 'There not meant to taste nice , just keep you alive'.

[davejb]

I used to love the processed cheese and the oatmeal biscuits , open the cans pour it in the mess tins didnt matter what it was, get it down yer, nice brew afterwards, then the slippery bog paper to finish off the day, great.

[jimpy]

I used to love the processed cheese and the oatmeal biscuits , open the cans pour it in the mess tins didnt matter what it was, get it down yer, nice brew afterwards, then the slippery bog paper to finish off the day, great.

Dave

You must be the ONLY person that I know of to openly admit to liking the dreaded "cheese possessed!! I f*cking hated it!! (Loved the oatmeal blocks though............still do when my son can get hold of them for me, he's serving with 1RHA) Remember the fun and games with the milk powder and trying to make it up so it actually resembled milk, if only in colour and texture?

Oh happy days!!
Regards etc

Ian D

AKA: Jimpy


PS: The Rat-Packs are a hell of a lot better now than when I was in.

[davejb]

Its gourmet cooking now Ian, and yes the boil in the bag gear they get now is very tasty, the beef stewand dumplings, the irish stew, the apple flakes, ooh i feel hungry, my bro in law has an attic full of the stuff , must try to "obtain" some

[jimpy]

i pitied the boy with the bren he didnt know what end to look at first and was cuddling it like a toy, i remember that feeling cuz i was always given the damn thing to cart around both cadets and TA.

At least it wasn't a GPMG and SF kit!
I did 8 years TA, 4.5 of that in the infantry. Of that 4.5yrs I was with the battalion SF platoon either as the platoon radio operator or as a SF Fire controller/gunner.
I got "conned" by my Section Corporal, he was tasked with reforming the Battalion SF Platoon and wanted me to go over with him as his Platoon RTO, I agreed, then he told me I would have to do the SF Fire Controllers course, 10 days with the SASC on Salisbury Plain, and it tipped it down for 9 of them, including the day when we did our final qualification shoots!! (Note to self, find photo of course and post on forum!)

Regards etc

Ian D

AKA: Jimpy

[jimpy]

Its gourmet cooking now Ian, and yes the boil in the bag gear they get now is very tasty, the beef stewand dumplings, the irish stew, the apple flakes, ooh i feel hungry, my bro in law has an attic full of the stuff , must try to "obtain" some

I know that Dave.

My boy always saves any Rat-Packs for me that he doesnt use when on FTX's etc, but the cheeky sod always hangs onto the juice powder drink unless I get my hands on it first!

[davejb]

One bad memory was as a cadet sgt, i had the GPMG given to me and the treat of the day was a commando beach landing near Penhale using Wessex helos, fantastic skimming about 12 feet above the waves, i had to jump out first to give platoon covering fire using the gimpy with a BFA , i jumped and ended up to my thighs in soft sand and couldnt move, had to be pulled out by two Royal marine Commandos, i never did live that down, i was called sandy for a few years after.

[Jumper]

Yes i watched it and laughed at the shock they got when the blanks started to fly but they get to do the one thing ive always wanted to do, the Arnhem drop from a Dak in full period costume, and yeah SOF did supply the gear, i pitied the boy with the bren he didnt know what end to look at first and was cuddling it like a toy, i remember that feeling cuz i was always given the damn thing to cart around both cadets and TA.

Dave, theres nothing to stop you doing that jump, as long as you can get a medical form signed, then do the course run by Pathfinder group europe (400e) £15 to join the club, and buy your own uniform. You dont have to be ex para, though alot of us are (so the drinkings good), this year ive had the honor of jumping twice onto Dz k in Normandy from the Dak, and also onto the Renkum Dz x, the day before those kids did.(we trained em lol). There is simply nothing like jumping from a wartime Dak wearing WW11 kit, landing on a wartime Dz(hallowed ground) and meeting the vets, to say thank you and to shake their hands. To see the smile on their faces is awsome, and to hear their story is very humbling.