JPC

[APara'sMum]

Hiya Rotary, and thanks very much for the welcome. I will tell my son for sure, he will think this is a great idea

[Rotary Booty]

Lily

On the forum we are all very aware of what you Mums, (and whole families of course, but Mums especially), go through at times like these. While I was serving, and your son is probably the same, I never really gave it a thought as I knew I was OK!

However, during Gulf War II the tables were turned, and I was the one glued to every TV and news broadcast, wondering how things were going.
I wrote a poem called 'The Knock on the Door' and it is posted in the Royal Marines section under Miscellaneous Discussion, page 3, about half way down. Although it is dedicated to Royal Marines Mums, you may find it a very appropriate reflection of what you are feeling at the moment, and realise that we all understand; you are not alone.

God bless all you Mums.

[neil1955]

Thought I'd get the ball rolling seeing as theres a lack of posts on here.

JPC, J-Coy or to give it it's full name The Junior Parachute Company was (i think) set up back in the 60's to allow 16-17 year olds to join up. Originally you spent TWO YEARS in the depot before going through Recruit Company from scratch.............how doe's that fit in with the 'my training is longer than yours debate' thats been had eleswhere on this forum.

When I went in this had been reduced to a year in JPC at the end of which you were graded to determine which week you entered Recruit Coy, some poor sods went in a week one others in at P-Coy.

You basically went through all the normal training syllubus except NBC from memory, and seeing as you spent over a year in the Depot you were fit as fcuk. I've got some good memories from this time and still have mates from this period. Any former members of the JPC will know what I mean..................remember the HUMPS!!!!

If i said is was a mixture of the Hitler Youth and The Hezbulla I would not be far off the mark (well only a bit, we didn't pray three times a day)

Just thought I'd see if there's anyone out there who remembers.

As an after thought did the Royal Marines have anything similar as this wasn't unique to Para Reg, most Regiments had a similar set up.

24261095 J/inf Me Malta Bks Aldershot Hants. Went in almost sixteen fresh from rural Northumberland welcome to downtown Aldershot talk about culture shock... AHHH the wooden spider blocks endless runs beside Basingstoke canal, running back and forth OVER the baily bridge not the roadbed oh no to easy over the humpy bits at the sides .The HUMPS a line of old air raid shelters had to do five laps at the end of each ten miler usually twice a week CADRE Plt for 3 months in Browning Bks under the watchfull eye of Stan Browning HUGE man wonderful instructor ARMY heavy JUDO champ and Pete Fraser Small man very fit always carried more than anyone again excellent instructor. Meeting the RSM for the first time Nobby Arnold, sadly no longer with us a real character. So by the time you were sent to REC coy 388 plt in my case you were ready never saw any bullying messing about yes ribbing yes TUBE of the week (not me thankfully) but no bullying good firm yes as the man said Train Hard Fight easy. One of cpl Fraser`s rant`s was that a ZULU impi could run 30 miles to a battle FIGHT IT WIN and run 30 miles back and still have the energy to **** the wife..... BUT it was`nt all fun. cat.

[Maroon]

I was at JPC at Pirbright (wooden tops Depot) which mean't not only did we have to be better than them at being soldiers we had to better then them at F**king drill, typical Para mentallity!!!!

As for the sock in the mouth episode, I saw and experienced a lot more and worse when I was in and put it down to character building, it did me or my muckers no harm and if you couldn't hack it then jack it!

Looking back, it was bullying but it certainly sharpened your awareness and you tended not to F up twice