2003  

Parachute Jump Cambodia & Thailand Spring 2003

Part 1

In spring or 2003 Pathfinder has organized a jump tour to Cambodia. This was possible thanks to the local Senior adviser to the Cambodian airborne, Colonel Thomas Bovet who positively replied to a request from Pathfinder to jump in Cambodia.

Prior to Cambodia a visit was made to Thailand so as to allow the team members to visit the city of Bangkok by visiting a few local landmarks

Leaving the city of Angels the team headed for the Cambodian capital Phnom Penh where it was welcomed by a group of officers from the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and escorted to the local quarters.

On the following day the Pathfinder group had the opportunity to visit the 911 Para Commando Battalion camp and meet the unit commander, General Cheak Pakday for an formal introduction to the unit and visiting the premises

This was the day when jumping was to be demonstrated to the team. They proceeded to the jump area where an MI-8 helicopter was already stationed on the tarmac. The original helicopter was not available at the time so the Cambodians went to the extent of requesting the personal helicopter from the Cambodian Prime Minister ,  Mr. Hun Sen who kindly allowed us to use his personal helicopter. Needless to say that the interior was not what the usual paratrooper would expect to jump from but the team was very grateful to the Cambodian authorities

We then watched on the sidelines as the Cambodians performed both static line and free fall jumps. After which the team started to gear up for its jump and then board the helicopter. The South Korean T-10 were inspected thoroughly by the Cambodian jump master. The sticks were a combination of both Pathfinder visitors and Cambodian troopers. Leaving the aircraft each of the jumpers could grasp a wonderful view of the Cambodian landscape. All the jumpers landed safely although not always in the intended area.

After a prop blast party and a wings award ceremony the party proceeded for an exercise with the Anti Terrorist team upon which all members were granted the honorary Anti Terrorist badge from the Cambodian Team One Anti Terrorist Group.

The following day the team flew to Siem Reap to visit the famous temples of Angkor.

The following day the whole team proceeded back to Thailand where it met with the Royal Thai Police Border Patrol Police for a planned jump at Hua Hin. Unfortunately the aircraft was not available at the time thus not allowing the jumpers to perform the expected jump. However two members , our Pathfinder Senior instructor (Ian Marshal and our comrade from EMPA Germany (Jorg) managed to join the Police Free Fall team and secure their Free Fall wings from the police.

________________________________________________________ 

 Parachute Jump  Cambodia & Thailand Spring 2003

Part 2

On June 2003, our Pathfinder China/Thailand , Maamar Ferkoun ,representative has been kindly invited, thanks to Colonel Bovet, to join the Royal Thai Police Border Patrol Police to perform a jump with their members.

 It was on a hot and sunny day at the same time the police cadets are to perform their graduation jumps that the jump was scheduled.

Maamar arrived from China on the eve of that day and spent the night with the first infantry division who kindly gave him a ride throughout the early morning all the way to Hua Hin, reaching the police camp where he was welcomed by Colonel Bovet.

That was the first time that Maamar boarded a Sky Van aircraft for a jump. Maamar had the honour of jumping next to the unit 3 of the Airborne Re supply unit.

This was another first for Pathfinder.

by Maamar Ferkoun  /  Pathfinder China

______________________________________________

Texel 2003

View the Video (click here)

Sharon Wales

NO SHIT, THERE I WAS, an innocent, young, unsuspecting girl (does anyone believe that?) in Texel, Holland suddenly surrounded by a bunch of swearing, smoking, drinking, farting, burping, bullshitting, and stinking, Brits, Yanks, Dutch, French and a few plastics. It took me about 52.3 seconds to feel right at home. We spent the next week together jumping out of airplanes, packing chutes, getting to know each other, telling stories (some more than others), laughing, eating, sightseeing and generally creating havoc wherever we went. We couldn't have ordered better weather. Everyday was bright and warm. We had orientation and ground training on Saturday and Sunday and then we did our first two jumps on Monday. The first jump was awesome. No one was hurt, everyone was smiling. There was a little more tension in the air on the second jump. This time we really knew what we were in for and better understood what could go wrong. After my second jump, I got a bit frustrated (okay a lot) because I couldn't figure out how to land in the DZ, but Terry, Steve and Roy squared me away. I think the best landing of the day went to Claire, who decided that shed make life a little more exciting by landing in a motorbike race track.

We did our second two jumps on Tuesday along with an accuracy competition. I'm happy to brag that I landed on the DZ both times (thanks to our instructors) but my PLFs sucked (thanks to me). We had quite a few people land on the DZ, a couple people landed in the beat field next to the DZ (Roys infamous sugar beat was using its evil magnetic powers to draw people in), and, a few people on the runway. But, I think the best landing of the day went to Stephen (affectionately known as Septic) who landed in a big ditch filled with a black, stinky, tar-like substance. He got very wet and smelly, but apparently it was a very soft landing

We did our last jump on Wednesday. Unfortunately one member of our group had a really hard landing and had to be taken to the hospital. We all wish Lilly a speedy recovery and we are proud of her for earning her wings (as they say, you only need four good landings to qualify!) After spending five days in Texel, we went to Arnhem for another few days, which was a perfect ending to a perfect week. It was inspiring to watch all of the Veterans and listen to their stories. We were lucky to be in such company.

So, NO SHIT, THERE I WAS, at the train station after already delaying my trip home three times, sad because I was going to miss that bunch of swearing, smoking, drinking, farting, burping, bullshitting and stinking, Brits, Yanks, Dutch, French, and a few plastics. I have never met a group of people so sincere, kind, genuine and professional (when they had to be). I would trust any one of them to pack my chute! Thanks to the staff for training us well. Apart from a huge bruise on my tushy and a new desire to jump out of perfectly good airplanes, I'm in perfect working order. See you next year in Normandy. Don't bother hiding, Ill find you!! AIRBORNE!!

______________________________________________

Poland Airborne Course by Tony Clarke
Dear All
Here are a few lines about my experiences during the military parachute course for Polish Wings. This was originally scheduled to precede the commemorative jump at Driel, near Arnhem, last September.

1. Berlin to Wroclaw
   Flying to Berlin with Richard, we meet Bernd, ein Berliner, for the drive to Wroclaw (pronounced Ross-Love) and the Polish Airborne Officer's School.
   The bright concrete Autobahn marches confidently from Berlin, through the former Checkpoint Bravo and the lush East German countryside, to Poland. Commissioned by Hitler in the '30s, it remains an impressive statement of intent and, during WW2, was extended eastwards through Poland with slave labour.
   Armed border guards on both sides are surprised to see the mix of passports offered from the car window. Bernd's girlfriend is Russian and there is some discussion about the validity of her papers. A token delay for old times' sake, perhaps. After crossing into Poland, long sections of the original dual carriageway survive, although a shadow of their former glory. Like a section of Brooklands race track, the surface now varies from badly patched to completely overgrown, and vehicles - including the odd Trabant - bounce along at best speed.
   I can see why they call it the breadbasket of Europe. Vast, tree-lined grasslands stretch out in the sun. There are no settlements in sight, but we regularly pass enterprising figures by the roadside. From country folk with bicycles, selling jars of dark fruit, to distracting young women who seem to want a lift...
   On the outskirts of Wroclaw we spot a pair of Russian T-34 tanks - gate guards for a military cemetery. Soviet Block austerity is still evident in some of the architecture and in places, keenly fought-over and blackened by industry, a patch up and a paint are needed. But as we near the 'Centrum', the Graffiti has been cleaned off. On all sides, spectacular Churches and public buildings have been rebuilt, the centre pedestrianised and cafes spill onto the pavements. This could be any western European city on a summer's day. We finally reach the Polish Airborne Officer's School, tucked into a residential backwater. The atmosphere is professional, yet relaxed as we are shown into our accommodation block and fed a simple meal, with strong coffee.
   Meanwhile other participants arrive from all corners of Europe. Jacko and Wim have driven from Holland, there are two Americans (one of Polish descent) and several Germans. Once settled, some of us take a Taxi into town for a welcome drink. The ten minute journey costs about 18 Zloty, or 3 Pounds. Zlotys, 'Slots' or 'Floppies' - it's another collection of change to get used to. Prices are comparatively low in Poland (for example a pint of beer in a city centre bar costs about 1 Pound) but on the 'other side of the coin', wages are low too. The smart, English-speaking girl in the ice cream parlour earns just 66p an hour (at least, that's what I thought we asked her!).
2. Back to School - Polish jump training
   The June morning is bright, breezy and warm - almost too warm to be about barracks in uniform. The day starts with some classroom theory on the unfamiliar parachute system, hosted by a Polish Colonel who I'm sure has been there, seen and done it all. The international audience listens intently as the equipment is introduced. First in Polish a few sentences at a time - then earnestly translated into German by a young female interpreter - and finally into English by a casual young man with a limited vocabulary, compensated with broad smiles. I can't help feeling we've drawn the short straw. Especially when, after a demo of the 'chute deployment, a puzzled American asks: "So is this static line or freefall?" Apparently we've missed an important detail. It is Freefall Assist, where the static line just deploys a small drogue 'chute to stabilise your fall. After '3,000', you pull your ripcord and continue counting to '5,000', when the Main opens with a 'Crack'.
   Outside, we walk the short distance to the training compound, a collection of aged but well-painted training apparatus amongst mature trees. There we're rotated between Polish aircraft drills, exit training, flight drills and landings. The Exit Trainer (or 'Knacker Cracker') is an odd building, designed for practising leaving the aircraft and the next six or so seconds. It consists of a 20 metre (66ft high) steel tower, with long cables radiating from a room at the top. It's a bit like a cross between a water tower and a high diving board - but without the water! Climbing the metal stairs in the heat leaves us dry-mouthed and is a surprising effort while shouldering a heavy steel pulley. In the darkened chamber, each student's harness and pulley are attached to a cable. There you stand, a couple of steps from the edge, looking 80 metres down your cable to the sandy landing area.
   
   On 'GO', you drive forward into mid air, like a Tom and Jerry cartoon, and pull your knees up together, your hands gripping opposite lift webs across your chest. As you start to count, you start to fall. There's over a second of slack (where in the back of your mind you wonder if you are attached to the cable...), so it is an effort to count slowly and deliberately. It's all to easy to count too fast in the classic parachutist's "ONETHOUS...2THSN,3SND" which takes about one and a half seconds!
   
   Now bouncing and lurching violently down the cable, at '3,000', you pull the 'ripcord' - which causes you to fall another six feet or so - most distracting. By now you're also travelling down the cable at about 30mph and before you know it, are preparing for a glancing impact in the sand. The shorter students are less likely to reach the sand - and hang in mid air before being helped down and marked by the waiting instructors.
   
   Like the real thing, the effort of a few seconds leaves you drenched, heart pounding - while, looking back up to the tower, other screaming maniacs take the leap of faith into space

3. Skok
   On jump day, we're bussed the short distance to the Drop Zone. Located in the countryside behind an overgrown derelict army camp, the huge flat grassy field is crossed by a single dirt road. Each of us prepare three ready-packed chutes for ourselves and wait for the aircraft to arrive.
   Presently the Antonov AN-2 is spotted approaching from some distance. It's a clumsy, stocky looking, slow-flying biplane - agricultural maybe, but a workhorse in parachute training. After the Cold War, thousands of these were sold off cheaply to parachuting clubs across the world. As it lands and splutters to a halt nearby, the pilot climbs down - short, round and rosy-cheeked in an open flying helmet. Surprisingly, he is introduced to us as the Doctor. Normally of course, medical cover would consist of an ambulance standing-by near the DZ, but apparently this is much quicker! We are lined up in front of him and solemnly asked a few 'medical' questions, via translation, to determine our fitness to parachute: 'Are there any - injuries?' ...apparently not. 'Has anyone been - drinking?' ...God forbid! The formalities over, a stick of eight men are checked and board the aircraft, which lumbers across the grass on its first lift. Inside the spartan cabin, the jumpmaster takes in the small steps and closes the door. With such a slow take off speed and gradual angle of climb, sometimes you don't notice taking off at all and learn to keep an eye on the altimeter by the door.
   Presently we hook up and the door is opened. As number One, I stand looking down at the nearby town and bright countryside as the Jumpmaster makes a few final adjustments on the run in. 'Skok' he says in a matter of fact way. I turn and look him in the eye. 'Jaamp!' Fair enough, I think as I spring forward - but he's been saying 'Go' all week!
   The flying speed is low, so you drop almost vertically from the AN-2, and 5,000 is a long count with a static line. The Poles do this because they normally drop from a jet, and a fast opening chute could be damaged in the slipstream. Under canopy, I look down, locate the DZ marker and assess wind drift. The canopies are modern, but non-steerable and in a break with tradition, we're taught here to turn ourselves around in the harness to face the wind. The idea is to guarantee a forward landing, but it also means you accelerate depending on the wind speed. You might therefore come in quite hard - toes, knees, face. In the event, there's no problem. After two more jumps and a bizarre and boisterous ceremony on the DZ, where 'Polish jump' virgins are smacked on the bottom by veteran parachutists, we are presented with our wings! It has been an enjoyable and memorable few days and again, as we leave to all parts of Europe, new friendships have been forged.

   Lt Tony Clarke 10 Para (retired)

   __________________________________________________________

ARNHEM POST OP. REPORT

By Nigel Brewin
In no particular order.

1. PERMISSIONS: Permissions from the Dutch MoD have to be given IN WRITING at the onset of planning, It took some time to get this in writing as we had to track down the relevant Dutch MoD officer who gave us the permissions. This was eventually put in writing but was a nightmare in the time it took to get it, the drop might have been cancelled as we had no proof we had genuine permissions

2. TRANSPORT. This was going to be a hit and miss affair, with less than three weeks from getting the permissions and jumping it was impossible to arrange a bus or other suitable transport. What did happen was that the whole party, both jumpers, DZ party and individuals such as Mark Hoedeman, were flexible and patient and showed plenty of goodwill in loaning vehicles to get us to and from the DZ, lugging equipment around and so forth.

3. TIMINGS: Because of traffic getting to Arnhem on the Thursday afternoon/evening, a lot of the jumpers and DZ party did not get to Oosterbeek until around 1930 hrs on the Thu evening. Everyone had been informed to be at the Hartenstein Hotel at 2000 hrs. Sadly only 7 of us were there. The remainder, quite naturally wanted to set up camp after their long journey. This however, left 7 of us, 3 km away wondering where everyone was for over an hour, getting worried. It would have been beneficial if someone from the campsite could have been dispatched to the Hartenstein, met up with me and told me where everyone was. The 7 of us could then have made our way to the campsite at an earlier time.

4. The PX parachute uses an extension strop fitted to the static line in the aircraft. It is a very time consuming job fitting them prior to the jump, I would like to thank, Simon Whitworth, Dave Barnes, Rob Si'Ree and Peter Parker for fitting them on the Thursday after they landed. I had planned this and had put aside the relevant tools, anyone organising any drops with the PX must ensure , like I had, that they have a suitable tool kit with a Ratchet set, including a 14mm socket, a heavy duty flat head screw driver and plenty of spanners at hand for this task.
One problem we encountered was the self locking nuts, after being removed, often broke and became unserviceable. Make sure you have a number of spares like we did.
The reason we had to fit the strops to the line was because we could not remove the static line from its bulkhead mountings, they are secured with CAA inspected locking wire, the removal of which renders the aircraft unable to drop static line parachutists.

5. DROP ZONE: This was a complete success, from the air I could clearly see the RV marked by a cross, the wind direction panel and the smoke. The DZ party were spread over a wide area, being able to assist the jumpers, should they have needed it, without much need to run anywhere.

6. THANKS:I would like to personally like to thank Mark Hoedeman for his fine camp site set up, the tents and catering, well done, it is good to have this support. Also to Mac MacDonald, although he stayed in the UK he worked behind the scenes by delivering all the parachutes on time to the departure airfield where the Dak was based. He also put in some food for the passengers to munch on during the flight. To Ron Visser for putting me up in his caravan at Texel, I had planned on sleeping in my car. To Peggy in Amsterdam for cooking me my dinner after dropping Brord back home after the Texel course, I was a bit unsure of the wooden plates ( I thought they were table protectors at first) and had to hold back till everyone else started eating off them!!!!!!
To Roy for giving me help and advice on Arnhem (which he says I promptly ignored!). I did listen, did digest and must admit came very close to cancelling the whole show on a number of occasions. It was a case of not wanting to let anyone down that kept the show on the road. To Brord for his efforts in translating, getting hold of our man in the Dutch MoD and getting the permissions in black and white but most of all for some OUTSTANDING dispatching, stopping a stick in full flow is not an easy thing to do, however, Brord managed it magically, it is even caught on camera. But a big thank you must go to everyone present. The team out there all pulled together, human kindness, generosity and above all else, sheer professionalism ruled the day. It was a team effort and those present would agree the operation was a success.
All the best
Nige

__________________________________

CHINA JUMP

                                        Another first for a Pathfinder member

Gary Lai is a former British army serviceman who has been introduced to me by Colonel Bovet. He is a free fall instructor and has a team of jumpers in Hong Kong. During the last 2 years he has been working on nurturing a special relationship with the Chinese authorities and army. Last week we have embarked on a trip to Central China to visit the Hubei province airborne cadet school for the Hubei province People's Liberation Army. Every province has a such a school where teens at the age of 13 are enrolled for training. after a very tough selection .Some are selected to start the training. The best will join the people's liberation army national team. All these 13 years old cadets had over a 100 jumps with round canopy before moving onto square canopies of different types and at different stages. I have joined the trip both as a member of the local parachute group and as a member of Pathfinder. My instructor supported me all along and talked to the Chinese about the Pathfinder group. I met with the base commander , Colonel Ho, of PLA's unit 81 and presented him with the Pathfinder certificate , he was very happy about it and presented me in return with a gift, badge and patch of the para school and he told me I am always welcome to jump there. We stayed in the barracks inside the camp for 4 days. We had 3 Antonov II planes at our disposal and a huge DZ with all the facilities and equipment, transmissions , pilots, chutes etc....

The weather was very very cold and dry but it was exciting enough to warm us up.
The program of the day was ;
07:00 ready to gather
07:30 breakfast
08:00 equipment readiness
08:30 all equipped on the Tarmac
09:00 all airborne
12:00 lunch
Packing parachute, body flight theory, canopy control and other topics all day on the field. After 4:00 PM or later back to the barracks. Day ends at 17:30 PM.
I have started the free fall training but so far only concentrated on the stable position exit and accuracy landing. the drop height was from 3200 to 4000 feet. the canopy we are using are free fall rigs equipped with a static line so as to ease the transition from static to free fall. I have made 7 jumps in 3 days which was very exciting. For the exit procedure we were to have half the body and both feet outside and in the direction of the aircraft so as to make a neutral position exit immediately then we are recorded on a video for each exit. Ever evening at the briefing the video is viewed and the instructor comments and corrects the mistakes. All student are equipped with a one way radio transmitter and altimeter while the instructor is on the ground checking manoeuvres.
Now I would like to work on a plan to have Pathfinder jump in China as a group, probably for the year 2005 , maybe earlier...but you can let the folks know that Pathfinder has just jumped in Central China !!!

AFGHANISTAN after report

Dave Mote in Afghanistan

by Col Ed Wright USMC (retired)
Afghanistan went almost picture perfect. Only problem was that Monte Marshall fractured the upper femur on 19 August and was in the Kabul military hospital until yesterday (Sunday) when he was evacuated to Istanbul for Surgery. Fortunately, he had temp traveller's insurance with the hazardous sports rider, thus entitled to emergency evacuation to the closest reasonable medical centre. Other surrounding countries refused to send an aircraft to Kabul. Only the Turks agreed. (Ed very good reason to make sure you have the right insurance)
On jump day, 19 August we used a Russian MI8 with rear doors removed . 10 jumpers with round SET 10 chutes and 3 freefall (Bernie, Hall, and Kris the French guy). We jumped into a large soccer field in the centre of Kabul. A terrible drop zone with many, many hazardous obstacles. Of my stick of four, two landed slightly into the edge of the drop zone, an Afghan Colonel landed on top of a building under construction, and I landed on a blacktop road adjacent to the soccer field - six feet from power lines. Raul Correa hit a goal post and his chute went over it. The Afghan General, Dave Mote, and Bob Woolstrum all landed in a residential area. Wind was not good.
Other than the jump, the visit was extremely informative with briefings by various Ministries, Generals, and Warlords each morning and afternoon. Very little free time. Awarded the Afghan wings by the Ministry of Defence and a odd Medal for "Achievement." Six of us donated our SET-10s to the "Afghan Airborne" with which to start their new airborne program. No doubt the best of the 25 jump ops I have been on since 1989
Semper fi, Ed Wright (USMC retired)

____________________________________________________________

RAF KEMBLE STATIC DISPLAY

Pathfinder has just completed its first static show in association with Survival Equipment Services. We had a good turnout by the membership who brought much of their own equipment to show the public. Many lessons were learned on the best way to present our equipment, ourselves and our sport. Practical demonstrations of dragging drills and canopy inflation was appreciated by the public.

Mark Roberts about to demonstrate dragging drills whether he wants to or not

Several people signed up as members and still several more signed up for courses. We look forword to our next venue. Thanks to all the membership and their families that turned up to help and support us. It was appreciated.

Roy Mobsby (Parachute Regiment retired)

                                  OPERATION MALTESE STAR

OCTOBER 2003

Part of the Maltese training team.

I had received a call from Alan Ash from WASF earlier in the year asking me if I fancied a working holiday. He needed a Weapons and Tactics Instructor for a bodyguard course he was running for the Karate club of Malta and one or two other interested people on the Island..

Convoy drills

A couple of the guys on Malta were members of WASF and military enthusiasts and so we linked in with them to supply us with a realistic enemy for the scenarios and the use of their airsoft weapons for training. We then arranged through another "Friend" to use a condemned hotel for a training area.. With all this arranged over the internet and phone I left from Gatwick airport for the sunny Island of Malta. Our contact Dave met us both at the airport. Although Alan left from Manchester our aircraft landed within thirty minuets of each other which was convenient.

The hotel we were booked into made some of the barracks I had lived in ,look like palaces. Its nickname given to it by the locals is "Fawlty Towers" .It was cheap and cheerful and the food was plentiful and ideal as a base but definitely not the sort of place you would take the wife for a holiday. Not if you want to stay married that is.

The course poses in the ruins of the hotel

The following day Alan ,Dave and myself check out the hotel we were to use as a training base. It had partially subsided down the side of a hill and was still the subject of an on going court case. However in the meantime the locals were stealing it brick by brick and tile by tile. I think it had been responsible for most of the building renovations within a ten mile radius I walked through the building and with Alan identified rooms and hallways for different types of scenarios. The hotel had a small road and courtyard which lent itself to ambush and anti ambush training not to mention embussing, debussing and walking drills. We had some time to prepare before the students turned up and this was spent briefing our Maltese friends on the basic drills we intended to teach. The course although compressed due to the short time frame taught all the major points for a good close protection officer. The group were enthusiastic and worked hard. Although all were martial artists much of the disarming drills and arrest and restraint procedure were new to them as was the use of firearms.. All to soon it was time to bring the course to a close but we finished with some very happy but tired students.To finish off the course in the proper fashion a buffet was held at the Royal British Legion in Valetta and the certificates were presented by a Maltese veteran. We were asked to come back again to teach another course at a later date which we have agreed on.

ED.

PX MK4 STEERABLE/LLP HARNESS TEST 2003

While lying here in a Dutch hospital I thought I might as well start to write a brief report on my accident Having been savagely attacked by a wild sugar beet, I found myself on an extended weeks holiday care of the Dutch Medical system. If you have ever wondered if our expensive insurance is worth it the answer is yes. This all started when Ian, Del and myself took a hybrid parachute system over to Texel to try to interest them in a purchase. I managed to get injured on landing. The parachute system worked perfectly, blue skies ,nice ride down, slightly off the wind line and I decided to land just off the student area rather than risk going in the water filled ditch that borders the DZ. I landed within thirty feet of the ditch and the crossing point, PLFd and managed to roll onto a large sugar beet the size of a coconut. As I found out later, it was the only one within sight that was above the surface, wasn't I lucky. After a scary rescue by the DZ. party (that’s another story) I was rushed to the Gemini Hospital at Den Helder where I spent a week being well looked after by the nursing staff.. I had managed to break my back and as Brord will tell you, when I received the news I definitely had a bum twitch I thought "This is it, Im screwed. Carol will kill me." The doctor in the accident room looked at my x-ray and told me I had an unstable fracture. I stupidly asked him if I would parachute again. Yes your right ,it was a stupid question. He looked at me in shock and simply said No! By the second day I was able to move onto my side and feed myself . On the third day they put me through the CAT scan and informed me it was a nice stable fracture and that I would not need an operation . He further told me it would take three months before I would be up and about again and then another month being taught to walk properly again. I managed to get through to the Insurance firm and tell them what had happened. Although I was well looked after I was going to swim the bloody channel if they did not get me out of here. That night a new fibre glass back brace enabled me to walk unofficially to the toilet. Hanging in the toilet using every disabled handle and bar in the room I was able to achieve the successful conclusion of the operation although the paperwork did prove a bit difficult (But then I have always had problems with the paperwork.) On the Friday I was evacuated by air ambulance. The twin engine Cessna executive aircraft was cleared to land at the Navel air station at Den Helper by kind permission of the Station Commander and I was taken by ambulance with my one private English nurse to meet it. Apart from the Dutch ambulance crew dropping my stretcher (with me on it) and the aircraft flying sideways most of the way back to England the flight was uneventful. The aircraft landed at Southampton airport and a waiting ambulance took me home. The English nurse that had been supplied by our insurance firm travelled with me and then handed me over to my wife. She even signed for me. After a week in a Dutch hospital lying on my back I felt dead chuffed to be able to walk from the ambulance to my front door wearing a back brace. Pair of lace stockings and I could have gone to any Rocky Horror show without any one batting an eyelid. I managed to walk short distances without the back brace within three weeks and was able to walk down the isle at my daughters wedding and "Give her away" without falling over. I even laid off my pain killers so that I could have my first beer (apart from the non alcoholic bottle Brord had brought into the hospital for me). I have set myself targets and I will be at Texel and Arnhem in September controlling the DZ. with Ron Visser.  It will be at least three months before I can go back to work so in the meantime ,more planning of future events.. I would like to thank everyone for all the good wishes and especially Brord ,Ron, Peggy, Marc and all the other members of Pathfinder Holland who visited me everyday I was in Hospital. A special thank you to Brords Mum who washed my dirty washing and delivered them to me ironed in the hospital. (Even my underpants,)

Thanks guys. Roy Mobsby Jump/Operations Co-ordinator. Pathfinder Parachute Group UK.

Just make sure you have the right insurance for you, Don't cut corners. You never know when an accident might happen. That why they are called "Accidents"

Italy 2003

Welcome from the Mayor

Steve gets his Italian wings

The team

To comment about this page or the site, Email the Pathfinder webmaster 

Nick@pathfindergroupuk.com (Click link)

Copyright © 2007  Roy Mobsby. All Rights Reserved.

Copyright © 2007 Roy Mobsby. All Rights Reserved. for permission to use any of the pictures including (any and all reproduction), articles, text or layout contact Roy Mobsby pathfinderuk1@aol.com  or contact the webmaster nick@pathfindergroupuk.com  legal action may be taken for the unauthorised use of any material in this website

TOP