Thank you all for jumping at DZ-K Driel on the 22th September 2007.

It was great to see you all coming out the Dakota,

Special thanks to Brord,Willem and Peter for all their work, to come to

this special day.For more photo's look at our website ; www.greensparks.nl

Best regards and hope to see you all on the 19th April 2008 for Ops.RUMMY 3

at DZ Elspeet.                                                                               Oct 07

Hello Lads,

 I just wanted to send an email to you to say a Big Thankyou to you all! Roy/Brord/Nick/Ron/Peter/Willem for all your hard work and time in Organising and for teaching us parachuting and giving us the opportunity to earn our parachute wings with you and making this event a Great and Enjoyable experence at Texel/Arnhem  and for the warm welcome Martin and myself had all week into the Pathfindergroup by yourselfs all and all the other members in the group !!

I cant wait till next year to come back and do it all again!!, im sorry to say im hooked!! on the monday the 23rd after the weekend at home and getting back to keeping both feet on the ground i could'nt stop looking at the clear blue cloudless sky  wishing we were all back up there again! Been telling all the lads in the group back home about my experences at Texel/Arnhem and all the fun times at night in the De-Kivit getting to know,as well as jumping  with all the members in the pathfindergroup and especially jumping out of the old lady herself at ginkel heath and walking back from the DZ as fast as i could to the RV Point, talking to the veterans along the way which i had the pleasure to met some of them the afternoon before at the Airborne Museum in Oosterbeek seeing there Smiles and there pats on the back for keeping the airborne botherhood  alive!!  and for sharing my experence with them which i just had at the airfield  the tension before boarding the plane hearing the dak starting up taxing on to the runway getting airborne and approaching the DZ  going throught the drill (stand up/hook up/check equipment/sound of equipment check 15ok 14 ok --- 1ok port stick ok/ action stations/ Go Go Go!!) and jumping out from the Dakota at ginkel looking at the surrounding area on the DZ and landing with PLF was Absolutely Priceless , it realy brought home to me even more what these Brave Lads went through 63 years before aswell as being shot at in the sky ,even before they had a chance to get on the ground with nine days of hell in front of them!!

Iv have been going through and looking at photos from both of  our cameras which we had taken all week at texel/arnhem and the film footage of the jump at Drill which i will be sending to Nick for the web site!! asap

Just to report in that your 2 wandering members (Jason Lennox & self ) have returned safe and sound from Texel and got 5 square jumps in from the Caravan between 3,500 and 5,000ft.. Jason is now the proud possessor of his Dutch wings.

We also did as our 6th jump , level 1 of the AFF as an upgrade to the course so we are well pleased with that...and hooked!!

Can I thank you for your help in the coordination of the event and can you pass a BIG thank you to Ron for meeting us on day 1 and assisting us with the admin etc and also for seeing us off on the last day and assisting us in drinking some fine Dutch beer

Hotel de Kievet was a very good choice and we were well looked after by Derek and staff.

Para centre and staff were brilliant as usual                     June 2007

Subject: Texel basic course 2007

Just a quick note to let you know how the course was. It was great.

It was really nice to meet the lads they made us very welcome. The weather was against us, as we only got 3 jumps in.  We were using the MC-1C parachute and it was great.  I will not be able to get back until next year and I'm going to bring my Mrs with me and turn it into a Holliday.

All the best for now...                                                   May 2007

Hey Roy, thanks for the kind words and all your support, we truly appreciate it.

Many thanks for making me a member of  The Pathfinder Group, and compliments for the quick way of working in your organisation, especially Brord and Nick, and the others whose names I don't know ,

  I hope I was not the person with the bad exit during the Arnhem Drop, but it should be great when the C-47 comes to Texel in 2007, so we can do some extra exit exercises.   I also had a little smile on my face when the Dutch Military put there first stick in the trees, I was in the 2nd stick first Dak, and just on the ground, and saw the F60 coming in , so I had first class view on it.

  It was a perfect day, one of the best of my life, jumping out a C-47 Dakota, who can wish for more, thanks to the Pathfinder Group. I am born in Ede and I hear the stories about Arnhem since I was a child,  I had to jump on the Ginkle Heath, and I did it to thank the British Para's. I hope we can jump soon, next year, same weather, blue sky and soft landings                                                                     (Nov 06)

Harry (Arie) Schuurman, 

40 Battallion,

Nationale Reserve, (TA)

Ede/Arnhem,  Holland.

Ref Arnhem 2006

To all members of Pathfinder, Paratroopers, Drop zone crew, Jump masters, Pilots, etc., 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.

Thank you for being among you and see you all in the next event

I waited for this moment for over 25 years. My father took me, when i was 12 years old, to the movie "A Bridge To Far" from that day i wanted to jump at Arnhem.........Well, I finally did. During the Texel week and the Arnhem jump i met some wonderful people from South Africa/Ireland/USA/Holland/Maastricht/ext whereby the atmosphere and Airborne spirit was great. To jump out of a Dakota with 30 other Para's in two sticks gave me the feeling of what the veterans did in ww2.To stand up and hook up, count off, stand in the door.......Go. is something i will never forget. And to land on the original dropzone made for me the day complete.
I want to thank the Pathfinder staff, transportation from Col Rupert prince, Cooks, ext.
And to you all paratroopers........it was an honour to have jumped with you.

.                                                                                    (Oct 06)

Bob Butner

Houston, Texas

Since many years, I had a dream, an inaccessible objective: that of living and feeling the same emotions, the same sensations as those thousands of parachutists felt, all those who left all they had to come and render our freedom that was taken away from us. Initially with the assistance of Hubert, we could make truth this dream by getting access to the information to be part of the courses at Texel, then thanks to the patience and with the obliging ness of the staff, we had in reach of touch what had always been so distant; and finally in Arnhem, the apotheosis celebrated on the DZ after the jump of the Dakota will remain engraved forever in my memory. There will be certainly other jumps but that one was the first of all. I whish to thank you for allowing me to take part in this memorable event, still inaccessible 6 months ago.

Thank you all, Hubert, Brord, Nick, Terence, Ron, Hervé, Frank and all another those who made this possible. I will never forget.       (Oct 06)

I would like to thank all the members of pathfinder  for making the Texel course one of the most enjoyable Experiences, and I am looking forward to rejoining the group in future Events.   (October 06)

Great time in Arnhem. Met up with a few of the lads from 7th. (14 of 'em on the jump).                                                           (October 06)

Rikki Jenkins

ex 7 RHA

It's a shame you were unable to make it to Texel mate as it was excellent.  The course comprised of a real international mix and as you said, a cracking bunch of lads.  The South Africans were there in force and prior to every drop, sang that airborne song of theirs.  Brord and Ron as always, were first class and their approach to be both the training and jump phase made the whole thing very enjoyable. 

  (October 06)

Hello Roy,

I hope you are well mate, I imagine you have already had reports about Texel and Arnhem by now. I just want to add my thanks to you, even in your absence we knew you were instrumental in its organisation. I had a great time, I arrived at Texel for a refresher jump, but the course had completed their 5 rounds and Ron and Brord were happy with my drills, so I just made a square jump as the winds were a little high.

Arnhem was absolutely superb, no wind! so a vertical landing was a new experience for me, massive crowds on the heath and obviously a few beers at the bar afterwards, all in all a fantastic week, I picked up the atmosphere when I arrived at Texel, the lads who had been on the course had built up such a team spirit especially the Irish and the South African gangs, really everything that Pathfinder stands for!

Thanks again Roy, you were missed, See you next year mate.             (Sept 2006)

Just a line to say Thanks mate!  I had a great time at Texel and of course at Arnhem, I know that events like that do not organise themselves! You guys dispatched us all so professionally, I was 2nd out, 2nd Stick, 2nd Lift, and watching the 1st Stick going out of the door was impressive to me [we didn't leave the nailmarks on the fuselage either!!!!]  I might try to get on some other Pathfinder events next year.

All the best mate                                                  (Sept 2006)

Captain Hannes Oosthuizen

Texel Basic Para course

Because we finished the course early we managed to fit in a trip to the Airborne Forces museum at Arnhem.  I would highly recommend the course to anyone who was interested.  A good time was had by all.  We hope to fit in the Estonian course next time around.

Arnhem anniversary jump.1999

I should like to express my thanks to all that made this jump possible.  Unfortunately too many to name.  Being the 55th Anniversary, it was an occasion that can never be repeated in quite the same way.

Czech basic course

..I would not have missed it for the world

Dreil ,Polish DZ Arnhem 2002

I would like to thank the following for making this all possible. All you jumpers who did not mind paying a lot of money for this weekend.  Wybo Boersma, the director of the Airborne museum for supporting us from start to finish, Marc Hoedeman, for arranging the camp site,food, uniforms and the use of his vehicles.  Corrien for her help and putting up with Marc, Carol for putting up with Roy. Peggy for her patience with me during all those telephone calls, visits and e-mails needed to organise this.  Antonov Holland foundation, Robert van Essen and Arjan Kooger for the perfect flying, Ron Visser and Hans Oomkes for the perfect DZ control. Parachute center Texel for the use of some small equipment, Robert Si'Ree for his entertaining fracture, and all those who I forgot to mention.

Without all of you it could not have been done.

Texel, Dutch basic Para course 2003

I have never met a group of people so sincere, kind, genuine, and professional (when they had to be) . I would trust anyone of you to pack my chute.  Thanks for 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, im in perfect working order.  See you next year in Normandy. Don't bother hiding, I'll find you.

Poland 2003

It has been an enjoyable and memorable few days, and again, as we leave to all parts Europe, new friendships have been forged.

Arnhem anniversary jump 2003

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.

Normandy 2004 Anniversary drop.

Pathfinder group, without knowing it have just achieved the most powerful piece of intervention youth work I have ever witnessed in my 11 years of running youth programs.  This is a relationship that is going to run and that no nonsense mental attitude that is so prevalent in British Airborne Forces is now firmly entrenched in the youth service.  goodbye PC,Hello Airborne, Its Green On!

Cambodia 2005

Thanks to the following members for their great contribution to the revival of the Cambodian Airborne.  Ian Marshall, Jason Snailham, Alister Mc.  In recognition of these services the following have been awarded medals (officer of the Shahametrei) from Prime Minister Hun Sen of Cambodia as a recognition for their contribution and assistance to the 911 unit.  Ian Marshall, Jason Snailham and Maamar Ferkoun. This goes to the whole Pathfinder team and other fellow Paratroopers who joined us on these trips, without whom all of this would not have happened.

Estonian 2005

Andrei Ambros is to be congratulated on leading a highly motivated and capable group of instructors, presenting an outstanding course and future courses are highly recommended, guaranteed not to disappoint.