2 PARA in 1984

[Oyibo]

Lived there too, pad brat,Goose Green estate. In 1988, they were newish then.

I moved in there just after they were built. Very nice. Rather flimsy studwork and plasterboard though.

I don't know if you remember, but the houses had stairwells which partly formed a fake chimney in the sitting room of the next door house. One guy in 2 PARA tripped down the stairs in his pad and his head appeared over the mantlepiece in the next door house's sitting room where the family were watching telly.

 

[Roger Out]

I moved in there just after they were built. Very nice. Rather flimsy studwork and plasterboard though.

I don't know if you remember, but the houses had stairwells which partly formed a fake chimney in the sitting room of the next door house. One guy in 2 PARA tripped down the stairs in his pad and his head appeared over the mantlepiece in the next door house's sitting room where the family were watching telly.

Moved from there 30 years ago, don't remember that well to be honest. The bedrooms were decent sizes and had a downstairs loo. That I do remember. Also they built a few little parks around the estate.
I remember in Willems Park my dad telling me some twat broke into his car and nicked a load of army kit.
Bit of trivia but we also lived next door to one of the Hollywood platoon guys too.

 

[bigeye]

1982: My happy memories of Aldershot include getting a kicking from 'squaddie bashers' after leaving Redan Road TAC and then getting another kicking outside the North Camp Chippy by 'squaddies'.

 

[LEGZ30]

No, they were on a emergency tour of South Armagh at the time.

Fermanagh

 

[par avion]

Fermanagh

Yes, sorry. On the 1983 BBC programme 'The Paras' the last episode showed 480 Platoon deploying their for a month with them.

 

[par avion]

Tour dodging *******.

Apparently the guys in 2 and 3 Para were sending their mates in 1 Para, white feathers in the post.

Also I’m assuming there was never a time when all three battalions were in Aldershot at the same time?

There was at one point from when 1 Para returned from an 18 month tour of NI until they went to Berlin for to years in 1976. This lasted until 1977 when 2 Para went to Berlin for 2 years followed by two years in Ballykinler, returning to the Shot in 1981 as the lead Parachute Bn. 3 Para went to Osnabruck in 1977 for three years and then went to Tidworth for three years in 1980, moving back to the Shot in 1983. 1 Para stayed in the Shot until 1981 when they moved to Edinburgh.

From 1961 when 2 Para returned from a 2 year tour of Cyprus there were 3 Para battalions in role in 16 Para Bde based in Aldershot. In 1968 it was decided that there would only be one 2 battalions in role with 1 taking part in the normal arms plot. A line infantry battalion joined 16 Para Bde in 1968, with 3 Para going to Malta on a two year accompanied tour. When they returned in 1970 to the Shot, 1 Para moved to Palace Bks, Holywood, NI.

All three battalions were based in Aldershot from 1950 when 16 Parachute Brigade moved from Germany until 1959 when 2 Para moved to Cyprus on an accompanied tour.

Oh so 1 para weren’t really based in the shot during the 80s then?..

Only from 1980-81 and 87-89

Were 3 para in NI from 89-91? The Clegg incident was 1990.

3 Para served in Palace Barracks from 1989-91 at Palace Bks followed by 1 Para from 91-93 and 2 Para from 93-95.

1 Para served 2 tours at Palace Bks, Holywood - 1970-72 & 91-93. 3 Para were the only Para Reg bn to serve one accompanied tour.

ParaQuite a few 1 PARA Int stayed on to be with 2 PARA in BRB - They were very knowledgeable indeed.

I remember a SNCO telling me in the late nineties, that 3 Para Toms married the best of the bunch from the Shankill who came to the Naafi discos. 1 Para Toms married the ones rejected 3Para and 2 Para Toms married the ones rejected by 3Para &1Para.

 

[Roger Out]

Yes, sorry. On the 1983 BBC programme 'The Paras' the last episode showed 480 Platoon deploying their for a month with them.

There was also a follow up made briefly on 480 platoon. Tatum ( if I remember rightly) was working in “Radio Rentals “after being discharged.

 

[Oyibo]

There was also a follow up made briefly on 480 platoon. Tatum ( if I remember rightly) was working in “Radio Rentals “after being discharged.

Vaguely remember that (the documentary, not Radio Rentals). Quite depressing

ETA - Found it. It's on a re-release of 'The Paras' tagged on to the final episode.

 

[par avion]

There was also a follow up made briefly on 480 platoon. Tatum ( if I remember rightly) was working in “Radio Rentals “after being discharged.

And 'Pte Day, who bottled it a bit on the two footed jump on the Trainasium until talked through with the Captain, ended up in the 'Red Freds'.

 

[par avion]

Vaguely remember that (the documentary, not Radio Rentals). Quite depressing

I thought the documentary was very good, better than recent ones, or do you mean about Tatum being discharged after being so keen and getting through all the training?

 

[AULD_SWEAT]

I remember a SNCO telling me in the late nineties, that 3 Para Toms married the best of the bunch from the Shankill who came to the Naafi discos. 1 Para Toms married the ones rejected 3Para and 2 Para Toms married the ones rejected by 3Para &1Para.

What a pretty picture You paint...

 

[Oyibo]

I thought the documentary was very good, better than recent ones, or do you mean about Tatum being discharged after being so keen and getting through all the training?

The latter. Very sad to see Tatum working in what must have been a soul-destroying job reminiscing about how much he liked being in the Army.

The documentary was very good, and played a large part in me joining. Of course there were many who said that 'Hollywood Pl" had it easy.

 

[bigeye]

The latter. Very sad to see Tatum working in what must have been a soul-destroying job reminiscing about how much he liked being in the Army.

The documentary was very good, and played a large part in me joining. Of course there were many who said that 'Hollywood Pl" had it easy.

I was at Browning Barracks in September 1982 attempting a PO Course. Prior to that I did an interview there in June of that year. It was memorable for a couple of reasons. The revised 2 and 3 Para casualty lists being posted and the fact that there was TV crew filming on the parade ground.

Ironically I ended up doing the latter and not the former.

 

[Whiskybreath]

There was also a follow up made briefly on 480 platoon. Tatum ( if I remember rightly) was working in “Radio Rentals “after being discharged.

There was a follow-up to the Mountain and Arctic Warfare cadre 3-part series ('Behind the Lines') which the BBC did in the 80s (?) which featured the outstanding character of the SSgt who had led, instructed and provided a role model for all throughout. I think he was in some brain-crumbling job wearing a company tie. I really felt for him.

 

[par avion]

There was a follow-up to the Mountain and Arctic Warfare cadre 3-part series ('Behind the Lines') which the BBC did in the 80s (?) which featured the outstanding character of the SSgt who had led, instructed and provided a role model for all throughout. I think he was in some brain-crumbling job wearing a company tie. I really felt for him.

Wasn't he (Colour Sergeant being RM) doing a CQMS job in the Company Stores of an RM Cdo. He was complaining about his kids asking him what he does at work and having to tell them he workes in a store room all day issuing things out and signing bits of paper?

 

[exspy]

All three battalions were based in Aldershot from 1950 when 16 Parachute Brigade moved from Germany until 1959 when 2 Para moved to Cyprus on an accompanied tour

From 1961 when 2 Para returned from a 2 year tour of Cyprus there were 3 Para battalions in role in 16 Para Bde based in Aldershot. In 1968 it was decided that there would only be one 2 battalions in role with 1 taking part in the normal arms plot. A line infantry battalion joined 16 Para Bde in 1968, with 3 Para going to Malta on a two year accompanied tour.

Great post, which leads me to several questions.

When were Montgomery Lines and Browning Barracks built?

I'm guessing 16 Parachute Brigade and the Airborne Forces Depot were located at Maida Barracks in Aldershot prior. That must have been a very large complex. Was Maida Barracks broken down into individual blocks for each unit within the Brigade?

Finally, which line battalion was assigned to the Brigade in 1968, and were they moved into Montgomery Lines?

Cheers,
Dan.

 

[par avion]

When were Montgomery Lines and Browning Barracks built?

I think they were completed in 1968 and opened by Monty himself. I have no idea if a line battalion moved in. The first time a line battalion moved into Aldershot in Montgomery Lines was about 1977 when 1 RRW moved there from Berlin. I have no idea about Maida Barracks. Not even Arrsers are that old.

 

[Roger Out]

Lots of Aldershot camps were 1960s concrete block types. Including Buller and St Omer.
I’m sure it’s all very different now. I know the St Omer Tower was demolished about ten years ago.
I remember speaking to someone who said they always felt a tad depressed coming back to Aldershot on a Sunday evening, seeing the red light on top of the St Omar tower block, it could be seen from quite a way off.

 

[Roger Out]

With regards to New Normandy Barracks, wasn’t it only 1 para who were ever based there, para regt wise?

 

[Oyibo]

With regards to New Normandy Barracks, wasn’t it only 1 para who were ever based there, para regt wise?

I think so. I moved there when it was completed - I can't remember any other PARA Bns moving in.