REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

From the Secretary – Maj (Retd) PA Raison

THE PARACHUTE REGIMENTAL ASSOCIATION Patron: HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS THE PRINCE OF WALES, KG, KT, PC, GCB, AK, QSO, ADC

REGIMENTAL HEADQUARTERS THE PARACHUTE REGIMENT MERVILLE BARRACKS CIRCULAR ROAD SOUTH COLCHESTER ESSEX CO2 7UT TEL: 01206 817073 MIL: 94660 7073 Email: secretary@prahq.com www.theparachuteregimentalassociation.com

1 September 2019

Please see below the monthly news from RHQ PARA. If you have anything you would like to promote in this, please send submissions by the 25th of each month to the Secretary at secretary@prahq.com Topics:

A. Arnhem 75 Commemoration Coin B. RHQ PARA Manning C. Certificate of Insurance – Public Liability D. Charity Commission News E. Wilf Oldham 99th Birthday F. Woodall Spa – Lincoln G. Warrenpoint 40th Anniversary Service H. Welfare Process

Events I. Pass Out Parades J. ARNHEM – Oosterbeek Cemetery Parking K. Red Devils Reunion L. Diary Dates

A. Arnhem 75 Commemoration Coin

Please see below the New Coin Struck by The Parachute Regimental Association to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of Operation Market Garden & The Battle to take & hold a vital bridge at Arnhem. To purchase please contact RHQ/PRA Colchester direct. It is hoped that all branches will assist in the sales of these coins. Pre-orders of the coin are welcome and they will be dispatched at the earliest opportunity.

B. RHQ PARA Manning

During the period 18-24 September 2019 RHQ PARA will be operating on minimum manning. Please bear this in mind when contacting RHQ during this time. All enquiries should be directed to Julia on: admin@prahq.com or 01206 817077.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

OPERATION MARKET GARDEN – 75th Anniversary September 2019

We are proud to announce that this coin is being commissioned by The Parachute Regimental Association (PRA) at RHQ PARA.

This coin is in production as we speak and will be sold in ARNHEM, at Ginkel Heath DZ on Saturday 21 Sep 2019 and on Sunday 22 September 2019 at Oosterbeek Cemetery. It will also be sold to individuals and Branches direct from RHQ Para.

The cost will be £10 or €10. Please note the top band on the image (in grey) will be engraved on the side of each coin (quite unique).

Anyone wishing to purchase a coin should email Julia on: admin@prahq.com or call on 01206 817077. C. Certificate of Insurance – Public Liability There are still a number of Branches that have not paid their Affiliation Fees. A list of Branches that have not paid will be sent to the Regional and Branch Secretaries. This will be the final reminder before cover stops for those who have not paid. Thank you to all those that have forwarded their affiliation fees to Julia so far. The annual Affiliation Fee remains at £50 this year. Payment can be made by cheque payable to: The Parachute Regimental Association or by BACS transfer to: Sort Code 16-19- 26, Acct No 19954846. Please ensure you use your Branch name as a payment reference so that we can track payments. D. Charity Commission News The Charity Commission News is a quarterly newsletter, which provides essential information for charity trustees and their advisers. This is vital reading for any trustee within the Branches and provides a wealth of

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

information on new ways in which to boost charity funds for organizations of all sizes. Further details can be found at: https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/charity-commission-news E. Wilf Oldham 99th Birthday

Arnhem Veteran, Wilf Oldham celebrated his 99th Birthday on the 28th August 19. The Bolton Branch pulled out

all the stops to ensure that he remembered it. The celebration was a total surprise for Wilf and it took a few minutes for him to realise what or who the party was for. The celebration was supported by ITC Catterick and the CO & RSM from the Bolton TA Centre. They also had the pleasure of Tameside and Liverpool PRA in attendance. It was a great day with entertainment and good food and to top it off, Wilf rounded it all off by singing a few songs.

Photos provided by David Sharkey

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

F. Woodall Spa – Lincoln

Veterans, families and guests gathered at the Teahouse in the Woods at Woodall Spa, Lincolnshire on Sunday 18 August 19, for the Arnhem Commemoration Service. After the initial reception, the Veterans moved to the muster point outside the Conservative Club to prepare for the march to St Peter’s Church. The parade formed up with Standards from a number of Branches and they marched to St Peter’s Church accompanied by a lone piper. The salute was taken by the Lord Lieutenant of Lincolnshire and other dignitaries, before making their way inside the church. Here they conducted a service of dedication for the new window in the church to remember the members of 1st Air Landing Brigade that were based at Woodall Spa prior to departing for Arnhem.

Regional Secretary George Duffus with Frank Ashleigh, Phil Ward and Alec Smart

The dedication and service was followed by a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial. Wreaths were laid by veterans and other dignitaries, with Geoff Roberts KOSB leading the way. Later that afternoon there was a free concert in Jubilee Park featuring the Coningsby Wives Military Choir and “Theirs is the Glory” was shown at the famous Kinema in the Woods. An excellent day, that saw a number of veterans in attendance as well as a large number of relatives and members of the local population. This would not have been possible without the support of a large number key supporters.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

Geoff Roberts – 7 KOSB The New Window

The National Secretary with Alec Smart and Phil Ward

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

G. Warrenpoint 40th Anniversary Service On Tuesday 27 August 19, The Parachute Regimental Association NI held an excellent service to remember the 40th anniversary of the Warrenpoint Bombings at Narrow Water. This was followed by a luncheon at Newtownards Branch RBL. Veterans travelled from NI and the rest of GB, with some coming from as far away as Australia. General Sir Mike Jackson was in attendance and addressed some of the families at the lunch.

The Service of Remembrance

Wreaths and Personal messages at the site

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

H. Welfare Process The Regimental Welfare Team at RHQ is ready to help, at short notice anyone, who requires assistance. The system is very clear and available to assist any member of the Parachute Regiment or Airborne Forces in need. The process is designed to ensure transparency and provide an audit trail (unlike others) for any assistance given, which is a lawful requirement. The first part of the process must be initiated by a SSAFA or RBL caseworker. They will complete Form ‘A’ which is then submitted to the Regimental Welfare Team. They will then allocate funds from the Regimental Charities as required. The following numbers are very useful and should be used if you do not know your local SSAFA or RBL office number: SSAFA Helpline: 0800 731 4880 RBL Helpline: 0808 802 8080 Any individual or Branch that requires assistance from the Regimental Welfare Team can call them on: 01206 817102 (Laura) or 01206 817103 (Sue). All information shared is confidential. See the website for further details. EVENTS The events calendar on the website is being constantly updated. If you are organising an event in your area, please let us know so that we can promote the event on the website and Facebook page. I. Pass out Parades (POP) The scheduled Pass Out Parades for 2019/2020 are as follows: Please note that the Pass Out Parade of 806 Tamera Fri 13 Sep 19 has been cancelled. 807 Breville Fri 11 Oct 19 808 Bruneval Fri 29 Nov 19 809 Oudna Fri 14 Feb 20 810 Arnhem Fri 17 Apr 20 811 Normandy Fri 19 Jun 20 The parades take place at Helles Barracks, Catterick. The support that members of the Association give to our

recruits is outstanding. Please ensure that you make contact with ITC Catterick CSM on ITC-2ITBPARACSM@mod.gov.uk prior to attending as cancellations do occur, due to non-formation or

amalgamation. J. ARNHEM – Oosterbeek Cemetery Parking

All coaches are requested to register by email at: afsf@xs4all.nl Please see additional information attached to this newsletter from the Airborne Forces Security Fund NL K. Red Devils Reunion 2019 marks the 55th anniversary since the formation of the regimental free fall team, the Red Devils, in 1964. Former team member Jackie Smith is organising a reunion for serving and former team members (including guest jumpers, pilots and wives/partners) at the Imperial Hotel, Blackpool (same location as the very successful reunion in 2014) over the weekend of 22/23 November 2019. It will take the form of an informal fork buffet supper on the Friday evening and a gala dinner on the Saturday. For further details please contact Jackie at jackie.smith1@ntlworld.com Tel: 01980-594853 or the Imperial Hotel at reservations@imperialhotelblackpool.co.uk Tel: 01253-623971.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

L. Diary Dates There are a large number of events in the calendar for this year and it would be great to see you all at some of these. If you have any dates for 2019 please let me know at the earliest opportunity so that they can be added to the diary. Details of events should be sent when available and updated accordingly. 7 Sep 19 Wandeltocht (Airborne March) Oosterbeek, Netherlands The Airborne March is the annual Dutch commemorative event in remembrance of the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944, that began in 1947 and always takes place on the first Saturday in September at Oosterbeek

near Arnhem.

7 Sep 19 10th Bn Unveiling Leicester 7 Sep 19 Op BOLD GUARD (Kiel Canal) Glasgow 8 Sep 19 Arnhem 75 Commemoration Somerby 8 Sep 19 Arnhem 75th Service All Saints Church, Down Ampney 14 Sep 19 NIVA Service National Memorial Arboretum 20 – 22 Sep 19 Arnhem 75 Commemorations Netherlands 5 Oct 19 WO & Sgts Mess Past & Present St Athan, Wales 7 Nov 19 Field of Remembrance Westminster Abbey 8 Nov 19 St Pauls/St Lawrence Jewry London 10 Nov 19 Remembrance Day Cenotaph, Whitehall

Details of all these events and others are available on the Web Page at www.theparachuteregimentalassociation.com

Paul Raison

Late News: Regimental Charity Support to Airborne Veterans In August 2019 the welfare office at RHQ PARA granted £19504.10 to 25 Ex Airborne members and their families. Support for the Regimental Charities is vital to this continuing. Support Our Paras, the Airborne Forces Security Fund and The Parachute Regimental Association are the ONLY charities that guarantee their money will go to support our Airborne Veterans.

REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER 214015 RHQ Disclaimer. The Office of the Secretary of The Parachute Regimental Association is required to publish a disclaimer concerning any article or idea passed to branches by way of this letter. This letter provides a conduit between the branches to allow ideas, articles and topics to be viewed and discussed by the branches. Although these ideas, articles and topics appear in this newsletter it does not necessarily reflect the view of this office.

Dear Tour Operator/Traveller,

The Memorial Service on Sunday 22nd September 2019 at the Arnhem-Oosterbeek war Cemetery in Oosterbeek

will commemorate the 75th Anniversary. The memorial Service is dedicated to the casualties of the Battle of

Arnhem and will be attended by Arnhem Veterans, next of kin, local inhabitants and hundreds of schoolchildren.

During this extremely busy period the cemetery has limited space for passengers to stop and get off their coach

and to board again after the Service has finished. Unfortunately, there is not enough space to park all the coaches

at the cemetery and therefore a traffic plan has been set up especially for coaches so that they can get their party

off and board in the vicinity of the Cemetery.

If the limited parking space is used, this traffic plan will help you to park your coach near to the cemetery and

will allow your travel party to board the coach again after the Memorial Service. To make use of this, you are

required to register with the organization of the Memorial Service. Once registered you will receive all the

information you require by email. Please register with us by email to: afsf@xs4all.nl

It is important that you get your party off at the cemetery in good time. The expectation is that thousands of

interested people will visit the Memorial Service. Please note that it may not be able to access the cemetery due

to the number of visitors expected and the safety limits of the area. Marshalls will be in place by 0900hrs. The

procedure is as follows:

1. Parking for coaches will start from 0900hrs and go on until 1015hrs.

2. When the coach arrives at the cemetery, the driver will receive a follow-up number and must communicate

this to the travel party in the coach.

3. The tour director and driver gets the travel party off the coach.

4. The driver follows the traffic route specified by the organization guided by signs and traffic marshals.

5. The travel party board the coach again near the Cemetery after the Memorial Service from 12.30 hrs.

onwards.

6. As a matter of safety, only coaches that are issued with a follow-up number issued by the marshals will be

permitted to use the parking route near the Cemetery.

Because of these measures, the organization urges the tour operators and larger groups to register at the earliest

opportunity.

Airborne Forces Security Fund NL

Organizer of the Annual Memorial Service Oosterbeek.