Junior Para....

[trubrit2411]

I spy 1 Para Smokey Lloyd on his first day in the Army.

Six years later ...a Two Striped Maida God in 320 Platoon.
RIP Smokey.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wtp6mkndH2U

[Dave Burgess]

Re: Junior Para....

Our owd mate John Dwyer wudda joined not long after that flick med Tone, n nice ta see em lobbin from "Big Bev" the flying double decker, brill aircraft, n the owd "X" Type rig swingin away like a clock pendulem!

[standinthedoor]

Re: Junior Para....

I was not in Junior Para, think it was invented later. Felt a bit uncomfortable seeing children in smock and denims and charging about with rifles at the time. first one we got in Sp Coy 1 Para was Ron Lewis, a big lad, think he left with major so obviously did not do their careers any harm. Did many drop out from junior Para? I suppose training from 16 or whatever age they took them in, they should certainly sail through P Coy when the time came

[Pat Harley]

Re: Junior Para....

I don't know about sail,but certainly we juniors had the edge on the lads who came straight in,to a certain point,then it all evened out. I'm a big fan of junior soldier schemes,as far from the image they try to paint now of 'child soldiers',lumping them in with 8 yr olds in sub Saharan Africa,given guns after being forced to kill their own parents,they were the best recruiting tool ever. There was quite a high drop out rate,but of those who went on to Recruit Coy and passed out to a battalion,the majority stayed for the full 22 yrs,whereas most of the lads who joined as 'adults' left at 3,6, or 12 yrs. Probably this was because they had worked at something before coming in,and had the idea they could go back to it,whereas we who came in straight from school more or less were quickly brainwashed into the military way of life,and I suppose became institutionalized. Wouldn't have missed a moment of it,Junior and adult service!

[standinthedoor]

Re: Junior Para....

Good brief there Pat. If lads who completed their full service after junior Para felt it was worthwhile then it was worthwhile

[Pat Harley]

Re: Junior Para....

I didn't know 'Big Ron' was a junior. As you say he ended as a major,and was the first QM I had as boss when I retired from proper soldiering and became a REMF.

[standinthedoor]

Re: Junior Para....

REMF? WTF?

[Don the Mod]

Re: Junior Para....

REMF? WTF?

Rear Echelon Mother Fukker, you can see the sceptic influence.

[trubrit2411]

Re: Junior Para....

The Junior Paras that came to 320 at 17 1/2 was shit hot. They pissed all over us at weapon training. Actually they did'nt even need it.

[billy meikle]

Re: Junior Para....

I didn't know 'Big Ron' was a junior. As you say he ended as a major,and was the first QM I had as boss when I retired from proper soldiering and became a REMF.

ron lewis was support coy csm he had fun in londonderry. shame he told porkies to the press years later on.

[bob9739]

Re: Junior Para....

Good old video that Tone, one or two cheeky chappies getting kitted out there, remember getting issued with the old battledress style denims. they just chucked owt at you and you sorted and swapped with other geezers when you got back to the Spider. If you didn't you just looked a bigger bag of shite !

[Pat Harley]

Re: Junior Para....

ron lewis was support coy csm he had fun in londonderry. shame he told porkies to the press years later on.

Lost all respect for him when he did that! Should've asked him to give me back the good diver's knife I gave him!

[standinthedoor]

Re: Junior Para....

ron lewis was support coy csm he had fun in londonderry. shame he told porkies to the press years later on.

Yes, better to lose yer voice or your memory sometimes and that was one time. Knew him as a sprog.

[KevinMoran]

Re: Junior Para....

I was not in Junior Para, think it was invented later. Felt a bit uncomfortable seeing children in smock and denims and charging about with rifles at the time. first one we got in Sp Coy 1 Para was Ron Lewis, a big lad, think he left with major so obviously did not do their careers any harm. Did many drop out from junior Para? I suppose training from 16 or whatever age they took them in, they should certainly sail through P Coy when the time came

Mid 70’s I joined 29 pl I think - fuk this old age thing grips my sh1t - anyway I do remember 63 or 67 joining and 4 making it to Battalion. John (Jock)Yourston, Gaz Barnes, (RIP Warren Point), Geordie Emerson and me - Think I was the only one got back squaded (for breaking my back) but joined them all in 2 para in Berlin. Forgive me if there are any other 29Pl J Coy out there, this is what I remember. A name niggling in my head was “Turner” maybe Trevor? And then there were 3 “Evans” I think but not sure if that was JPC or Recruit Company.

A lot more got through to Recruit Company but didn’t get to Battalion - I think a lot of guys still stayed in the army - RCT (Real Craphat Transfer) was a favorite option I seem to remember.

All in all, J Coy was a real character builder, I enjoyed it but boy soldiers started for me in the “Queens Regiment” (Don’t knock it, that is where H came from) but for me it was Cadets and 3 successful 10 Tors before I was 15 and led I two of them (45 Mile and 55 Mile) is that still going on? I still have the medals.

[trubrit2411]

Re: Junior Para....

Mid 70’s I joined 29 pl I think - fuk this old age thing grips my sh1t - anyway I do remember 63 or 67 joining and 4 making it to Battalion. John (Jock)Yourston, Gaz Barnes, (RIP Warren Point), Geordie Emerson and me - Think I was the only one got back squaded (for breaking my back) but joined them all in 2 para in Berlin. Forgive me if there are any other 29Pl J Coy out there, this is what I remember. A name niggling in my head was “Turner” maybe Trevor? And then there were 3 “Evans” I think but not sure if that was JPC or Recruit Company.

A lot more got through to Recruit Company but didn’t get to Battalion - I think a lot of guys still stayed in the army - RCT (Real Craphat Transfer) was a favorite option I seem to remember.

All in all, J Coy was a real character builder, I enjoyed it but boy soldiers started for me in the “Queens Regiment” (Don’t knock it, that is where H came from) but for me it was Cadets and 3 successful 10 Tors before I was 15 and led I two of them (45 Mile and 55 Mile) is that still going on? I still have the medals.

"only one got back squaded (for breaking my back)"

No excuse.... Sadie Scripps and Pete Dennehey wudda give you an asprin.