Carrying on the discussion of what the Canadian Infantry Association should or could be doing, here is an article from The Guardian on the British Parachute Regiment.
Unfortunately, we do not read articles like this about our Canadian Infantry regiments (i.e. especially since the Canadian Airborne Regiment bit the dust, and articles in today‘s papers make it sound like the RCR and RCD were the only Canadian regiments to send troops to South Africa):
Regiment founded in war and ready for anything
The paras Skills honed in the jungle were crucial
Special report: Sierra Leone
Steven Morris
Monday September 11, 2000
The troops from the 1st Battalion The Parachute Regiment chosen for yesterday‘s rescue mission comprised some of the fiercest, most highly-trained frontline soldiers in the British army.
Since their formation in 1940 the paras have built a formidable reputation for penetrating enemy lines, often in the most inhospitable and perilous of conditions.
Their role has had to change with the times. It is unlikely that troops will ever be parachuted en masse into a battle zone, as happened during the second world war. However the skills the paras were renowned for - surviving and fighting effectively after being dropped in enemy territory - are still crucial.
Each battalion of the regiment comprises up to 550 soldiers. One battalion always takes the "airborne battle group" role and is ready for quick deployment anywhere in the world, living up to the paras‘ motto, Utrinque Paratus - ready for anything. Each battalion includes specialists in sniping, demolition and communications.
"Train hard, fight easy", is one of the regiment‘s catchphrases. The paras have their own training company, with officers expert in rooting out recruits who do not have the physical or mental hardness to survive battle conditions. The regiment is keen to dismiss the idea that would-be recruits have to be "superhuman" and "as hard as nails", but the training remains notoriously tough.
Skills such as fighting in the jungle are honed during training exercises in places like Belize. The troops in yesterday‘s rescue are bound to have been familiar with the very difficult and dangerous terrain they faced. A crucial skill would have been knowing exactly how their equipment would work in wet and humid conditions. They are also familiar with working in tandem with helicopter back up.
The possible role of the SAS in the rescue remains unclear. The government, as always, refused to confirm or deny whether they were involved, but it would be no great surprise if they were.
The illustrious history of the Parachute Regiment dates back to June 22 1940, when Winston Churchill sent a note to the War Office asking for a corps of 5,000 parachutists to be raised. By September the following year the 1st Parachute Brigade was formed, followed by 1st Airborne Division by the end of 1942.
The Parachute Regiment 6th Airborne Division spearheaded the glider-borne raid and capture of Pegasus bridge in Normandy in the dead of night on June 6, 1944. The raid was immortalised in the film The Longest Day.
Despite its proud history, the regiment‘s long-term future has been unclear in recent years. After the Falklands war there was a hiatus during which the regiment was not sent into major combat zones, to the frustration of its rank-and-file soldiers and officers.
But in the past year or so the paras have seen duty in Kosovo, a three-week mission to Sierra Leone in May this year - during which time they killed four Revolutionary United Front rebels in a battle - and yesterday‘s rescue.
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Dileas Gu Brath,
M.A. Bossi, Esquire