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Just watched this 2 video box documentary series of 480 platoon recruits in 1982 just as the falklands war burst upon the scene.

Recomend this to anyone thinking of para training. It shows life as a fresh recruit and follows them in there training from P Company, Basic Wales to there first jumps.

Of the 41 that started only 16 passed. The 10 mile tab clamied alot of victims and hot weather gave most of them exhaustion which didnt help as well as the sheer pace that they were going. Infact they ran 2 P companys that year as they did not have enough recruits for the team events.

There was 1 lad there who missed the first ballon jump through injury but did the plane jump after (his first 1). When he came back to do the ballon jump, he just could not do it and as a result failed even though he had previously jumped out of a moving plane. Hard to understand, but shows the pressure of the whole thing.

It also shows briefly how the recruits are doing after passing out and into there battalions which most of them went to 2 and 3 para as they had taken losses in the falklands. Must of been hard for them to go straight into battalions who have just come back from a war.

I doubt training has changed that much from 1982? so this is a good insight to earn that red beret.

Bigwig wrote:red beret.

MAROON BERET!!!
I'm not sure about the training... You know what the mob is like for changing things though!
"Are the lads happy Sgt Maj?"
"Yes sir, they are overjoyed"
"OK, f*(k them around a bit until they are unhappy then!"

Where did you get the videos from?

Thats right maroon beret . I was half and half about putting that down as I noticed to colour is not actually red but its says red beret on back of the cover and I think I've seen or heared it being called that before

I went into HMV to look for some music but ended up over by the video part under one of the keep fit titles where there was a small variety of military videos.

Channel 4 made a good programe on the airborne training about ten years ago, I did manage to record at the time, I still look at it from time to time and think god you were silly sod to do all that.

I want to be a silly sod one day .

TIP: Anyone looking for any video on P-Coy or Paras in general, go onto www.parachute-regiment.com and then click on the Airborne Forces Shop tab, they have everything, books, vids, prints, berets, cap badges, you name it!

Don't worry Loz, you can borrow one of mine if you want? I have one in green and one in Maroon

I am mega pussers Loz, it's taken three years now for my other half to try and box all of my various Corps bits and bergans full of kit and put them in storage

Aye, leave it where it is Loz that's your best bet.

Y'know I've still got my "test" boots. There going no where! First lid form KS as well

Arrived home one evening to fine 2 pair of my old boots with geraniums
in them. ( not happy )

Two weeks later,them boots are going white she announced.
"Not whilst i f&*king wore them.

Dog house go ..............& take youer f&*king boots with you.


SMOKING

I have that video and it's pretty good, if a bit outdated.

Aye I have the two video BBC Series, The Paras. Aint a bad vidio at all. Gives you alot of insight about all the training. Far as I've heard thou, they dont do the baloon jump no more, which sucks big time. Well I dont think they do anymore anyway, thats what I been told. Also, I was up at Glencourse, Scotland a few weeks ago for RSC, and I was the only one there going for the Paras. One of the SGT's told me that the time for the 1.5 mile run had gone down from 9min 30sec to 9min 15sec. He said that was a very recent change in the requirements, but cant find confirmation anywhere, unless he was just trying to motivate me to try get well within the time expected

Part from that, I think quite alot of the training has changed since 480 platoon. Mind you, alot o the training is very similar, and id still recommend anyone wanting to join the paras to buy the video,

Mal

They no longer jump from the balloon because of cost (I believe). The RAF supplied the balloon and there needed to be two, in case of failure. The crews that ran them stayed in hotels and generally enjoyed life. A lot of the guys used to hate jumping from the balloon because its a straight down drop, no airspeed to carry you. Its also very quiet. The lads now do qualifying jumps from a Skyvan, like civvy jumps.

No Balloon jump???????????????What the f@#k is going on!!!!!! And as for the too expensive as the crews had to stay in hotels bollox! The Balloon was an old barage balloon on a WINCH no crew needed, just some bored craphat sitting on the back of a wagon with an up and down button..

I don't know whats going on but that balloon jump should have earned you your wings on it's own, I have never been so scared before or since. And stepping off the edge and dropping like a stone for 200ft beats any roller coaster ride x 10....

Maroon wrote:No Balloon jump???????????????What the f@#k is going on!!!!!! And as for the too expensive as the crews had to stay in hotels bollox! The Balloon was an old barage balloon on a WINCH no crew needed, just some bored craphat sitting on the back of a wagon with an up and down button..

I don't know whats going on but that balloon jump should have earned you your wings on it's own, I have never been so scared before or since. And stepping off the edge and dropping like a stone for 200ft beats any roller coaster ride x 10....

I bet it was scary, shitting myself now thinking about it

I hope that milling isn't replaced/going to be replaced because i am looking forward to that part of P-Company, providing i can get that far.