The 30th Anniversary of Operation Corporate 1982

Aldershot - Sunday 17th June 2012
A Commemorative Weekend:-
Hosted by Veterans of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT
and Supporting Units of AIRBORNE FORCES.

Patron: Lt Gen Sir HWR Pike KCB DSO MBE

Event Committee: Col JH Crossland CBE MC (Chairman), Maj Gen CD Farrar-Hockley MC, Col CM Davies MBE, Lt Col D Redwood AAC,

Major (Retd) M Simpson MBE, Major (Retd) L Ashbridge MBE, Peter Richens Southern Regional Secretary, Parachute Regiment Association.

There is to be no national event in 2012 as only the 25th and 50th are officially commemorated. The above Committee has the full backing of Regimental Headquarters (RHQ) of the Parachute Regiment who will, current operations allowing, support this event. Rushmoor Borough Council (RBC) together with the General Officer Commanding 4th Division, based in Aldershot, and SODEXHO are also supporting this venture.

The aim of this weekend gathering over 16/17 June 2012 will be to encourage as many of our former soldiers, and Next of Kin (NOK) of those who fell, to return to their old Regimental Home for this memorable occasion. It is the committee's aim to make this anniversary as available as possible to our soldiers and NOK while keeping the cost at a minimum.

The weekend will commence with an informal gathering of the Veterans on the evening of the 16 June with the main event being on Sunday 17 June. Sunday will concentrate on the NOK with the Service at the Aldershot Military Cemetery. It is there that most of our KIA are buried and all names of those KIA will be read out from the Falklands Plaque. A full Drumhead Service will be conducted by our Regimental Padres, including David Cooper. Children of the local branch of the Parachute Regiment Association (PRA) and Scout troop will lay flowers on all the graves. It is hoped that the Colours from both Battalions will be on parade together with many PRA Standards from around the UK. It is also hoped that a notable VIP will be in attendance.

On completion of the Drumhead Service the NOK and VIP will relocate to the Princes Hall where 3 contingents of veterans and serving troops will carry out a march past. The first guard will consist of both Battalions' Colour Parties and current serving members from 16 Air Assault Brigade. The second guard will be the Veterans of the 1982 conflict, and the last guard will contain the PRA members. It is anticipated that the Band of the Parachute Regiment will provide the music throughout. After the March Past a reception will be held for all at the Princes Hall.

Further details will be published in due course.

Taken from Sama (82) site

On 5th October 2011 in company with  other members of Sheffield PRA I went to Rotherham the home town of Mac McKay although not his birth place. Mac as we all know was  awarded the VC for his actions on Mount Longdon on the night of 11th -12th July 1982 at the end of the Falklands war.

A small group together with Rotherham Council and help from a National lottery grant built a fitting monument to 3 of its most famous brother all VC Winners. The first 2 winners were for duty in the war to end all wars, the great war, WWI. Needles to say the relatives of those VC Winners were consulted.  I had the honour of meeting Macs mum Freda McKay who graciously invited me to her home along with my two wards, veterans Hammie Moonie 89yrs and Bert Marsh 87yrs  WWII  We were treated to a look into Freda's memrobelia of her son and family. As an old Pal it was a great pleasure while being heart rending. Thank you Freda

The three VC's are:

  George William Chafer (16^th April 1864- 1^st March 1966)

Private 1^st Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment 

On the 3^rd/ 4^th June 1916 at the Somme, France during heavy bombardment on the British trenches a messenger carrying vital information was left unconscious and half buried after a shell exploded near by. Private Chafer realising the severity of the situation and under his own initiative, took the message from the man’s pocket and ran along the parapet dodging machine gun and shell fire. Although severely wounded and suffering the choking effects from a gas attack he succeeded in delivering his message.

 Thomas Norman Jackson (11^th February 1897- 27^th September 1918)

Lance Corporal 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards

On the morning of 27 September 1918, Lance-Corporal Jackson was the first to volunteer to follow Captain C.H. Frisby across the Canal du Nord in his rush against an enemy machine-gun post. With two comrades he followed his officer across the canal, rushed the post, capturing two machine-guns, and so enabled the companies to advance. Later in the morning, Lance Corporal Jackson was the first to jump into a German trench which his platoon had to clear and after further intense action he was unfortunately killed.

He was awarded the VC For most: “conspicuous bravery and self sacrifice in the attack across the Canal du Nord, near Graincourt”.

Ian John McKay (7^th May 1953- 12^th June 1982)

Sergeant 3^rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment (3 Para)

 During the night of 11^th/ 12^th June 1982, the Parachute Regiment mounted a night attack on an enemy position on Mount Longdon. SGT McKay was Platoon Sergeant of 4 Platoon B Company and after securing their initial objective, they were ordered to clear a heavily defended ridge. As the advance continued they came under increasingly heavy fire. Realising that no further advance was possible the Platoon Commander ordered the platoon to move from its exposed position and find cover.  The enemy fire was still heavy and realising their situation was becoming increasingly hazardous, taking SGT McKay, a Corporal and a few other soldiers, the Platoon Commander moved forward to reconnoitre the enemy position.

It became clear that action was needed before casualties escalated. The reconnaissance mission became an attack. The assault was met by a hail of fire, the Corporal was seriously wounded along with another man, one man was killed. With complete disregard for his own safety SGT McKay charged the position alone. On reaching his objective he then cleared the position. Allowing the other soldiers to redeploy with relative safety. Sadly SGT McKay was killed at the moment of victory and awarded the VC posthumously.

With a complete disregard for his own safety, he displayed courage and leadership of the highest order, and was an inspiration to all those around him.

 (copied from the Service book - not full citations)

Armistice Day 2011

As we get closer to the day of remembrance, on the 11^th of the 11^th many of us old soldiers, sailors, and airmen will don our poppies go to the cenotaphs and remember our old friends without question as we always do. But what of those who know nothing of service life? Indeed this week has been full of controversy about the wearing of the poppy not least by Mr. Snow and the hate filled fans of some of the supporters at Celtic. Clearly forcing people to wear poppies is not acceptable and an infringement of civil liberties.

However we as old soldiers know that it is not politicians or celebrities that have given us the right to exercise our choice but the serviceman and women of this country. It was also the land armies that took over when service men went to war. The ladies who moved aircraft including fighters and bombers around to make sure the war was not held up. It was the WAF’s who packed the Chutes. It was the factory workers who made the weapons, the munitions’ workers, the Police, the Fire Service, the wardens, and not least the Bevan Boys who kept the home fires burning.

In WWI the effects of the war on soldiers was rewarded with execution, and anyone who has visited the WWI condemned cell in Poperinge will know of the horrors of that war. Thankfully that is no longer the case today. In WWII it was the dreadful injuries sustained, the amputee's, and the guinea pigs, and of course those who made the final sacrifice that paid the price. Slowly this has help develope better treatment of the service personnel. Today our own children and our children’s children will stand shoulder to shoulder to repel the onslaught of tyranny just like they did in 1914 and 1939, and on many occasions across the world since then.

Today, it is the IED (Improvised Explosive Device) that is of great concern to the men and women who fight on the front line and after some criticisms the progress made to help the servicemen has flourished. Even the treatment of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) has been improved but by no means enough! The likes of Selly Oak and the new Queen Elizabeth wing at Birmingham all play their part in our defense and the proper treatment of our armed forces and not before time. The need today is greater than it has been at any time since WWII.

Remember the Kohima Address

When you go home

Tell them of us and say

For your tomorrow

We gave our, today.

Freedom is not Free of Charge. It was won by those who fought and worked through those testing times and it has been maintained by those who have fought and worked since and still fight today. So Mr. Snow and anyone else who feels he is being forced to wear the poppy. If you wear your poppy, wear it with Pride. Pride in Great Britain and all the people who won through to secure those rights for you. Give generously out of your large amounts of remunneration. In any case,

We Will Remember Them

We landed in the early morning of the 5th and quickly made our way to watch 100 members of 3 Para drop onto 'DZ N' as they did 65 byears earlier and quick as you like Bert and Les became the personalities of the year. People of all ages and origins gathered round to ask them what it was like and the stars that they are they were soon signing shirts, books, leaflets, autograph books and any other media with a gusto that would make any celebrity envious.

Later that day after a little refreshment we assembled at Breville wher 65 years earlier they and 350 men the 12th (Yorkshire) Bn attacked and acheived where others had failed and took the village. It was this act tha secured the left flank of the Allies and not without cost. After being recieving the French Commemerative Bar from the Lady Mayor of Breville they presented her with a plaque to the people of the village in memory of the hundreds who died to securee their freedom. The plaque will be housed in the Mayor's Town hall. We also laid a wreath in their memory.

On Staurday there was no let up parades in Ranville Cemetery where Bert was able to lay a cross to his old mate, 'John  Bull', a very moving event. I too had my own task and laid a cross at the grave of my fathers Cousin 'Albert Wattam' who died during 'Op Paddle at the age of 21 years. We later walked the Pegasus Bridge and paid tribute there to the men of the Airborne Forces that spearheaded the start of 'Op Overlord'.

It was not all tribute and no fun though and the 400 men of 3 Para made us feel at home in the local hostelry wher once again the celebs triumphed with more autographs doled out to so many appreciative soldiers and civilians alike. The weekend went on in almost brilliant sonshine and the stamina of these Guys makes you proud to be their friends and Airborne Brothers.

Alas all good things come to an end and the weather did not disappint us when at Pegasus Bridge on Saturday we were drenched. It did not however dampen our spirits and we adjourned to a chinese for a celebration Dinner. Sunday brought a new task and we were asked to attend another service in Grangue a beautiful village where on the 6th June 1944 an aircraft crash landed and the 11 engineers on board were taken prisoner and held in a barn in the local Chateau uswed by the Gestapo as their HQ. The following day the were executed by the Nazi's.The farmer closed up the barn after this murder and never allowed access to it but it remains as it was.

The day saw a continuence of the bad weather during the day but we managed to visit a few sites and eventualy returned to Ranville where once again we met up with the men of 3 Para and enjoyed a few hours of libation before returning to get some shut eye. Of all the weekend activities getting to bed for 10 pm  was the only deadline we failed to make. However we were up at 5 and made the Ferry in good time fore the journey Home. A special thanks to Bob Marshall who supported me along the early days and throughout the planning to make it possible.

The final farewell between Les and Bert was extremely emotional for both and for many of us that witnessed this very moving time but it was not the end and their renewed friendship I am sure will go on. If ever there was an event worth taking on, then this was it? God Bless them both and all those who made it possible.

WE WILL REMEMBER THEM.