Pathfinder history 2006 part 2

Here is a report of Operation Czech Wings that Pathfinder took part in. We were represented by Jasper Nales and Jos Soliman. On Wednesday evening we found each other in Arnhem, where the last preparations were made. We left Thursday by car; to our destination close Pribram, an Airport in Czechia. After successfully travelling we arrived and got acquainted with the other participants, a German group (Fallschirmjägerkameradschaft Kaiserlauten) and a British Lieutenant Colonel. This first day was not perfect; it rained. We did not let it beat us of course. We enjoyed a barbecue with the necessary Czech beer, and were looked after by the instructors. The next day would consist entirely of theory training.

Friday started with a firm breakfast, then we moved ourselves to the hanger at the Airport for our training. We would be jumping with the OVP 68 system, a Czech military (round) parachute. The first part of the day, we were told the characteristics of the system, and learned among other things the exit techniques, para-rol and reserve procedure in case need. Exit techniques are in many countries different but serve the same aim: the parachutist must adopt the correct attitude leaving the Plane with sufficient distance between Jumpers. The exit Type we would make would be the Czech military exit, such as is applied at military mass droppings (airborne operations).

After leaving of the Plane you had to say aloud: 1000. VERIFY 2000.,3000.,4000, CANOPY! And remember the Para-rol (PLF) a fall technique which is used to reduce the impact with the ground at harder landings. After a correctly carried out role one can stand up immediately, what is very important is that the parachute goes on the ground with you and doesn’t drag you along. The DZ crew and the instructors made sure the parachutist were OKAY. Of course the para-rol and exit techniques were frequently practised. In the second set of briefings other procedures were discussed especially what to do during landings in uncommon areas, such as water, trees, roofs of houses, etc.

The forecast for the following day was better. That evening we went out to eat with the German and the British LTC, in Pribram, where we were amazed by the prices. In Czechia every price seamed low, we of course were grateful, and had a luxurious supper in the best restaurant of the city where the Czech beer flowed abundantly. We returned by taxi to the airfield for more briefings. Then latter decided to go back to Pribram once more, to do a bit of "nocturnal exploration".

Then at last the drop day came, Saturday a final briefing from the jumpmaster concerning the drop zone, wind - and circumstances and altitude of dropping (700 meters approximately 2100 feet). We travelled afterwards to our plane; the Antonov AN-2. A Russian plane that is extremely suitable for dropping off Para’s, transporting small freight as well as taking off from very short runways. We were finally in the air: AIRBORNE!

Our first jump was good, everyone’s chute opened and safely landed, some of us landed in a broad bean field. Broad beans are a small vegetable. The plants however, are another tale... After a long walk we reached the Airfield, where we prepared ourselves for the second jump. Also the second jump went excellently. This time we landed in formation. We all had landed within 10 to 12 meters of each other. This time on grass and para-rol proved for everyone its usefulness. OUCH!

broad bean fields are high and can be hundreds of meters long difficult with 30kg of chute on your back

There was unexpected bonus for by jasper. He got offered a Czech military VT-100 square parachute free fall from 4000 feet. This jump successfully finished, he landed splendidly beside the clubhouse of the Para’s. Meanwhile the weather had turned to sun and heat everywhere. Blue skies and safe landings indeed!

As i started to plan my trip to Texel this year i was aware that most of the other students would be travelling much greater distances than me. From Ireland, the USA, South Africa, Belgium and Holland as well as the UK. The usual mixed bunch of lads.

As soon as i arrived, much latter than the others, it was quite clear that every one was going to get on as one big team. As i was the last to arrive, i got the last top bunk bed in the 8 man bunk house with the Irish lads.

Sunday started the course with classroom lessons, the usual PLF training, Reserve parachute drills, exit drills and fitting the GQ parachutes, and frank volunteering to demonstrate the drag drills. The weather was gloriously sunny.

With the help of Ron, Frank, Terrence, Jp and Her've i was soon taken into the fold as one of the old boys who had been there before. Many of the group had parachute experience and showed the others how to get things right.

The South African Guys who had more experience helped the Irish lads, The Irish Guys helped the Belgium Guys, Every one helped the USA and British guys, who in turn helped everyone else. Her've translated Dutch and English into French for the French speaking Belgians, Brord was his usual endlessly patient self carefully teaching and explaining and running about organising, training and Ron keeping a careful eye on the parachute packing, fitting and training. All in all every student grouped together and i was proud to be among them.

Terrance took so many pictures on his compact camera, that there is almost a full CD's worth of pictures covering this years September course, and with 27 students he had a lot to photograph. click here for the photo's in the members section

By Monday morning the heat was on as the Cessna 208 and pilot were ready, and so the first 2 sticks of 12 got there GQ parachutes and reserves ready. Everyone was informed that on there first jump they would be on video, from both inside the Cessna and by a wing mounted camera. The faces were stern and the concentration complete as nerves of steal overcame nerves of panic, but not one student showed anything but complete professionalism. As i was only there to refresh, so i watched closely as the first stick then the second exited the jumpship. No hesitations and all landed safely, if not all over the place. Some on the DZ, some in fields and some close to the centre. The following jumps honed there targeting the DZ.

Soon it was my turn, mounting my helmet camera firmly and tightening the leg straps, i got ready.

Parachute packing was now in full production, with the rest of my stick up for a second jump.

Landing close to the runway, but on the DZ, I executed a good plf and field packed my GQ. I started off with the rest of my stick for the Centre. Unfortunately my helmet camera didn't work, so i set about for my second jump.

By the second day every one had seen the video footage of there exits, and were ready to get plenty of jumps in. The GQ packing factory was in full swing again and everyone worked hard. Frank and Terrence visited the local shop and purchased supplies for lunch each day, every one was very great full for this, and Kevin from pathfinder south Africa showed us all how many parachutes can be packed in a day.

Day three most of us got in our final jumps, soaked up the sun. Mike and JP's father and son joined in the group and we all got several song versions from Charlie and the Irish lads. My helmet camera finally decided to work and i got good footage of my 3rd exit.

Day 4 was Chaplain peter and Brord's turn to do some sky diving and a chance for an extra jump for those that wanted it

A fantastic course with great guys, I'm already planning my own group for next September.

Aitken, Brian
Ballegeer, Albert
Bilotti, John
Bird, Nick
Blagus, Mark
Brennan, James
Cassidy, Christopher
Chausse, David
Chiste, Claudio
Coetzee, Kevin

Coleman, Cy

Crawford, Terence
Evrard, Cédric
Fanning, David
Fitzell, Stuart
Fitzgerald, Philip
Gallagher, Emmet
Grove, Peter
Harwood, Jim
Higgins, Daniel (sprained ankle)

Hoogervorst, Peter

Loxton, Mickey
Oosthuizen, Johannes
Russel, James (sprained ankle)
Schaffer, Charles
Schoor, Tienie van
Tille, Jean-Michel
Turner, Kristian
Spiering, Frank
Cullen,Ralph
Hoogsteden, Patrick
Steimer, Herve

Although we have been getting cancellations up to the day before the jump Pathfinder has managed to perform very well at the Ginkle Heath on September 16th 2006.

As you probably know we jumped on the same DZ as 4para did on D+1, September 18th 1944. Our jump aircraft was a original Dakota which actually has flown missions during Market Garden in 1944. The jumpers who have been looking around in the aircraft might have seen the shrapnel holes from the AAA in the fuselage. We have flown 2 full loads to the Ginkle Heath and dropped 50 static line jumpers and 5 free fallers onto the DZ.

Kitting up View from the Dak

On load one we had one serious injury, Bill Blankenburg broke his (left) femur on landing and was shipped of to the hospital in Ede. After one week he was transported back home and he is recovering fine. The one dislocated shoulder was back the same evening and the back pains patient was spotted in the pub on Sunday.

After the first load was dropped the aircraft flew to the south bank of the river Rhine. Here there was a 60 vehicle WW2 polish convoy. This convoy was organized in honour of the polish veterans and General Sosabowski. One of the General's grandsons was onboard the second vehicle in the convoy. We made three low passes over the convoy. On the second pass we threw out 6 streamers above the vehicles. The third low pass was at about 300 feet and Brord and Peter were standing in the door waving to the convoy.

Good Stick exit Go Go GO

After about a 20 minute pause at Soesterberg the second load boarded the aircraft and was also despatched at the DZ. The South African detachment probably set a new world record for the time needed to get one stick out of the Dakota. They seemed to race each other to the door and took out the complete stick with them.

Other : -

I waited for another 25 years before my dream became true, to jump at Arnhem from a C-47 in ww2 jump gear and land on the original dropzone with many other military jumpers. Well, 16 September 2006 was for me, finally, the day of day’s.

I was up and running at 05.00 hrs to collect my wife and a friend from the motorway to escort them to the campsite. After returning to the campsite I saw that everybody was up and showers were busy and people were having their breakfast in the dark. I small light coming from the kitchen was a beacon for food and drink.

The dropzone crew stayed behind in camp when the paratroopers walk to the truck to collect the chutes. Everything was organized and all paratroopers had their chutes in the bags and walked towards the buss that was transporting us to the airfield. I was imagining how it went in 1944 and I can only guess that it went the same way. Our bus was transporting us to the airfield on a empty road that's very rare in Holland these day’s. During this moment we got newspaper copies of the 1944 news of the Market Garden operation from Brord. In WW2, when paratroopers jumped during operations, the men signed each others dollar or pound bills. I had the idea to do the same with the newspaper. I walked through the bus and had everybody signed the newspaper. After a short drive we arrived at the airfield Soesterberg.

At the aerodrome it was a buzz of people and noise and many went to the toilet for the “lucky load drop”. There was the British Parachute Regiment, American 82^nd Airborne Division (first time), Dutch Airmobile brigade and last but not least Pathfinder. One of our colleague's Mike del Soldato knew a few of the 82^nd airborne guy’s and started talking to them. They were wondering who we were and after explanation of Mike, they were all enthusiastic of our organisation. Because of limited time, the first load of a mixed group of American, British and modern style paratroopers started to get dressed and gearing up. I felt as if I was back in 1944 and felt the atmosphere of the operation.........good feeling.

After we were checked and got our number in the aircraft we started walking towards the airfield. In a long line of paratroopers we saw the C-47, F60 and the C-130 standing ready for accepting the jumpers in their belly’s. As in military style rows we waited to get aboard and waved to the other groups and wished them good luck. The feeling of making history was when I step on the ladder to get in the C-47. This was a moment for me that I will remember for a long time. Not many people can say that they have been in a C-47, let alone jumped from one. We were pushed in the door and seated on the floor with 30 other jumpers. The bullet holes were seen from the inside of the aircraft and this aircraft was one of the original C-47’s that was used during operation Market Garden. I was sitting in a spot in the aircraft were 60 years ago an veteran was seated going to the real operation.

The engines started and rumbling went through the aircraft. During taxiing everybody got comfortable for the short flight to the Ginkle heath. The noise of the engines was wonderful and the take off went smooth and fast. During the flight I could see the landscape beneath me, passing me by as if I was sitting in a train looking outside........only now I little higher. I think we were at about 100 feet cussing altitude and the sky was clear and blue.

The first stick got the word: Stand-up and Hook Up. I was in the second stick and could see how the first stick was making them selves ready for the jump. During this time I was standing outside the cockpit and was looking at the pilots and instruments. through the screen I could see the dropzone coming and soon sounded the word to GET READY......1 Minute. Looking back into the rear of the plane I saw the whole stick standing ready for the jump. A few seconds later the whole stick was moving forward towards the door and within a couple of seconds the whole stick was gone.

I could feel the plane turning to the left and the word came from the jumpmasters for the second stick to Stand-up and Hook-up. I went to my place in the stick as the number 3. Behind me as the number 4 was my good friend Mike (Guiseppe) Del Soldato. After we were hooked and ready, Brord checked the whole stick if everything was as it suppose to be. We were flying for a few minutes when we got the word to stand ready. I shook the hand of mike. We noticed that we were coming over the dropzone and were making a left turn again. This happened for 4 or 5 times. We didn’t know that an accident happened with the first stick. We were hooked and ready for 20 minutes and no jump sign was coming, because it took a long time, Ian was giving us water and spaying us with it........Thank you, Pope Ian II. In the meantime I could look outside the door. I could see the people down waving at us and the grass fields were of a beautiful green colour. The trees were of a brownish colour and the whole scenery was amazing. This was the same scenery the veterans were seeing when they jumped at Arnhem, only there were also bullets coming their way and the heath was burning because when the 10^th, 11^th and 156the parachute regiments jumped, the heath was not cleared and they jumped into an hot DZ.

The good thing about the delay was, I could enjoy the ride and atmosphere of taking part in a historic event. We got the word......1 Minute. I checked everything again and the number 1 my friend Herve stood ready in the door. I was looking into his eyes and you could see that he was ready for the jump. We were crossing the ede-arnhem road and herve got the sign to jump..........and out he went. The number 2 got out the door. I grabbed the door, pulled myself out the door and I felt the wind passing my ears. I grabbed the reserve and held knees and feet together. the next thing I felt was the shock of the opening and the quietness around me. I looked at the chute and the canopy was nice and round. I got twisted twice around and soon the risers were free and I could focus on the decent. below me I saw the heath coming fast and I could make two adjustments of were and how I wanted to land. I looked around for the other chutes and it was a wonderful sight to see all those chutes descending as they did in 1944. I had my knees, feet and elbows together and landed on my right on the heath. I came down like a ton of bricks and probably the no-wind situation was a factor.

When I had my breath back I could smell the heather and the warm temperature. I could hear the next plane coming over dropping the para-loads from the C-130 or F60 and the canopy’s were opening when I was getting my chute off. I saw Mike and we shook hands and Herve joined us. After we got our gear together we walked towards the monument were a lot of people were standing. As we walked through them they all asked for autographs and handshakes. I can imaging the feeling of the paratroopers had when they were greeted by the Dutch during the operation in 1944.....It was a good feeling.

Later I went to my wife and friend who were dropzone crew and I had a front-row seat were they were standing, because for another 5 times the, the C-130 and F60 dropped their sticks and the second flight of the Pathfinder-team dropped their loads. In one of the two stick was our good friend Frank and it was a good sight to see him jump from the ground. It was a wonderful scenery. What I noticed was the feedback I received from the 82^nd boy’s on the dropzone. They were all impressed with pathfinder and I got the feeling that they accepted us as one of their own. A better compliment than this is not thinkable.

To all members of Pathfinder, paratroopers, dropzone crew, jumpmasters, pilots, ext, it was a privilege and an honour to have jumped with you on that historic day. When in the future someone ask me with whom I jumped, I will answer: with very special ordinary men.

On Saturday 17th September then, we all gathered at an airport near the drop zone and fitted our parachutes. These were so-called PT10s (round canopy with no panels removed so no steering assistance!!) and seemed even older than those we had used in SA the sixties judging from their exteriors etc. But at least they were reputed to have been professionally packed!! There was quite a buzz in the hangar because there was a company of young British and also young American paras preparing to jump. I say “young” advisedly because many of them looked barely out of school. These were the regulars in their respective professional armies and there was lots of talk of Afghanistan and Iraq where they had done tours of duty. For many years at these memorial events, veterans who were the survivors of the battle for Arnhem actually jumped, but, if you do your arithmetic, these vets are all in their eighties now and are no longer able to jump from Dakotas. However, there were four of them in the hangar with us and they were going to do tandem jumps with the Skydivers from the British paras from a Chinook helicopter!! (A tandem jump is one in which you as the passenger are buckled onto an experienced free faller who handles the whole parachuting exercise with a modern steerable parachute and puts you down gently. Tell me if you want to have a go Ma and I’ll arrange it for you!! At 93 you’d probably make the record books!!) It was surreal though - here you had guys walking into the hangar aided by Zimmer frames and wheelchairs and they were off to do para jumps!!

Anyhow our turn came and off we marched to our Dakota which had reputedly been one of the originals used in 1944 - it still sported the odd holes where the bullets/shrapnel had come through. The aircraft drill was pretty much the same as for us back in SA and soon we were trundling our way to the door. I don’t mind admitting that I still have to work hard at overcoming my fear of going out the door, but there is so much activity going on around you and our original training was so good that you just slot into a sort of response zone and next thing you know you are checking your canopy. (Feedback we received from the British jumpmasters – we call them dispatchers – was particularly positive regarding the exits of the SA bunch.) Well the drop zone called Ginkle Heath was huge and, unfortunately, there was hardly any wind which resulted in us coming down fairly straight. You tend to have difficulty distributing the impact with such a landing, unlike a sideways landing. Unfortunately two of the Brits in our jump were hurt, one with a dislocated shoulder and the other with a badly fractured leg. The Dakota did its traditional low fly-over after everyone had jumped and we trooped in past all the vets and twenty odd thousand spectators that turn out year after year to the events.

Part of the proceedings too is a drive past of restored WW 2 vehicles and it is amazing what a following this has in Europe. You have jeeps, sidecars, halftracks, ambulances, tanks that have all been lovingly restored. Like ourselves as jumpers, all the occupants of these vehicles wear the uniforms of yesteryear. Neatest of all was a pretty young woman with the rather severe khaki outfit, cap and hair mangled into a net. And the uniforms are worn the whole weekend, not just for the parade!! Arnhem is like a fancy-dress ball town for three days on end. The pubs churn out the beer, the restaurants the food and wherever you go you see the flag of the British Airborne – the light blue Pegasus (I think it is) set against a maroon background. Obviously the town does very well out of the whole scenario (figures bandied about estimate approx €5million comes into the town over the weekend), but that does not decry from the wonderful and tasteful atmosphere that prevails.

After the jump I joined a few friends (one of them an ex British Para who was our guide) and we found our way to a particular pub for what was obviously a gathering of the clans. There were British paras of all ages in varying stages of inebriation. The older ones wore their red berets and medals and were just lapping up the attention of the younger ones who were chatting, singing and swapping war stories. What became apparent was that every British para would seem to have to go to Arnhem at some stage in his career to show his respect to those that had died there. The Commanding Officer of a British para regiment would lay on a bus and have his boys go across the water to Arnhem, without even the need to put in for leave as it was simply part of their duty to go – a sort of institutionalised pilgrimage.

Pathfinder SA

The Memorial service held the following morning at the Oosterbeek Military Cemetery was a very moving event. Apart from the wreathes that were laid by the host of groups represented, hundreds of Dutch school kids, holding bunches of flowers filed in and were placed in front of the gravestones. At the appropriate time they were asked to turn around and memorise the names and think of the men as they went to sleep that night as men who had died for their freedom. The Dakota out of which we had jumped the day before did its low flyover to round off a beautiful thought provoking occasion.

My recent visit to Great Britain was most enjoyable. Her Majesty was alerted of my arrival date and to avoid an audience with me hurried off to Australia, using the Commonwealth Games as an excuse not to see me. The first few days I stayed with friends in Burgess Hill West Sussex. On the evening of Tuesday March 14th we were enjoying a pleasant cocktail party, until it was interrupted by two of the ugliest chaps that ever shit between a pair of jump boots. Yes, I came face to face with the one and only Roy Mobsby, present with Roy was a face I had hoped to never see again. Steve Jennings, a man who took liberties of a sweet innocent thing such as myself during our Italy campaign. On a more serious note, it was very good indeed to meet Roy and see Steve again, however I must say I am certain Roy does allot of airbrushing on his photo's.

It was a very nice time. In fact a friend of mine who was present, John Murrell served with Steve Jennings some fifteen years ago, so they were very happy to see each other again after so many years, small world. Roy presented me with a Para Statuette of the 60th anniversary of Arnhem and a Pathfinder UK Jump Log Book. I in turn presented Roy a Pathfinder Plaque in the shape of the U.S. Army Pathfinder Badge as a sign of Camaraderie and Friendship between our parent organization Pathfinder UK and Pathfinder US, C-Section New England. I hope Roy will photo and post a picture of the plaque in the next news letter. Photo's of Roy, Steve and I were taken, but the Zoo has not returned them yet. I hope to be on the Jump Manifest with

Dave Barnes, Commanding Officer of Her Majesty's Mess Tin Repair Regiment located at Manchester, was kind enough to transport me to Manchester to be the guest speaker at the Brown Cow. The Brown Cow is an Airborne Pub decorated with beautiful woman, such as Froto the dancing princess with more time in service then all members of Pathfinder UK put together. I was also happy to see Rob Siree again, however I made the mistake of inviting him to visit me in New England before I observed that he ate each meal as if the Russians were in the next town. On a serious note Dave introduced me to several former Paras at the Brown Cow. One stands out above all, Mick (Gibo) Gibbons a veteran of 2nd Battalion Para Regiment Falklands. I always enjoy meeting a brother warrior, Mick has the most impressive Jump Wing collection I have seen. He is also a very generous man as is Dave. Mick and I exchanged Regimental Neck Ties as well as beer and spit. God Bless him and those like him.

I knew it was time for me to return to the US, as Dave advised the Commonwealth Games will be over soon and you best not be here when Her Majesty returns. Dave and his lovely Joann treated me as family and Dave presented me with many souvenirs to include a copy of Dave's favourite film, Broke Back Mountain. I thank you all for a most enjoyable visit and will return in September. The dirty bastards at US customs confiscated a brand new Para Zippo Lighter on my return home which was given to me by Dave. Well the White House just called so I must close for now, I will e-mail photo's ASAP. Airborne All The Way.