An RAF corporal checking a trainee's harness Major Rock and Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson speaking with RAF officers as a stick emplanes A stick of parachutists ready to emplane at Ringway Parachutists ready to emplane at Ringway Parachutists climbing aboard a Whitley

Paratroopers crammed inside the fuselage of a Whitley A stick of parachutists about to carry out a descent from a Whitley A paratrooper jumps from a Dakota A paratrooper jumps from a Dakota A stick of parachutists jump from a Dakota over Ringway

Parachutists and equipment containers dropping over Tatton Park A Whitley and a Dakota dropping parachutists in formation Jumping from a Whitley at Ringway, 1942 Parachuting from Whitley's at Ringway, 1942 Jumping from a Whitley at Tatton Park, 1941-42

Parachuting from Whitley's over Tatton Park, 1941-42 Parachutists descend on a practice jump A parachutist collapsing his canopy on the ground Paratroopers collapsing their canopies after landing, early 1942

Aircraft Descents

 

Two sticks of presumably apprehensive trainees about to make their first descents from a balloon A balloon rises with a group of trainee jumpers in its cage The underside of a balloon cage A trainee parachutist jumps from the balloon cage Jumping from a balloon at Ringway, 1942

Balloon Descents

 

Paratroopers parading for a mass drop in early 1942 Parading by chalks at Ringway, early 1942 Two paratroopers carrying a fabric container Paratroopers unloading a fabric container during an exercise Paratroopers moving off the drop zone during an exercise

Paratroopers collecting their weapons from containers, early 1942 Men of the 1st Airlanding Light Battery practice firing the 3.7" mountain howitzer in October 1942 Paratroopers undergoing basic tactical training on the moors near The Airborne Forces Depot, Hardwick Hall A Bren gunner during an exercise Men of the 11th SAS on an exercise in June 1941

Paratroopers during an exercise

Exercises

 

Trainee glider pilots undergoing tactical instruction A trainee glider pilot receives instruction on the Hotspur glider Lieutenant-Colonel Rock with the class of a glider pilot course at Kidlington

Glider Training

 

A medical officer tests a trainee for signs of susceptibility to air sickness Major-General Bols receives parachute training Trainees practicing landing technique at Ringway Trainees learning how to jump on a trapeze A trainee learns parachuting technique

CSM Dent instructing at Ringway, 1940-41

Parachute Training

 

Trainee parachutists on an early morning run Trainee parachutists on a run around Ringway Trainees exercising with logs at the Airborne Forces Depot, Hardwick Hall

Physical Training

 

WAAF's packing parachutes Winston Churchill inspects paratroopers at Ringway on the 26th April 1941 Lieutenant-General Browning observing airborne equipment trials The component parts of a Horsa glider A propaganda image introducing Britain's paratroopers to the general public

Pioneers of the British Airborne Forces movement Army Top Brass inspecting the work of the 11th SAS in late 1940 Lieutenant-Colonel Jackson explaining the new paratrooper boot to General Sir John Dill Practicing unarmed combat

General

 

Lieutenant-Colonel C. I. A. Jackson, commander of No.2 Commando CSM Dent in the Far East, 1945 CSM Dent, Palestine, 1946 CSM Dent in fancy dress for a football match, Palestine, 1946 On parade with the 10th (TA) Parachute Battalion, 1949

Checking parachutes for a stick of the 10th (TA) Parachute Battalion, April 1946 CSM Dent with men of the 10th (TA) Parachute Battalion, 1949 CSM Edward Dent, administering his Company during the 1950's CSM Dent being presented with his Long Service and Good Conduct Medal in the 1950's CSM Dent with the newly issued Colours of 3 Para, Moascar, Egypt, 1952-53

CSM Dent at the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, 2nd June 1953 Ted Dent shaking hands with Prince Charles on Airborne Forces Day, July 1990 Brigadier Eric Down, when commander of the 2nd Parachute Brigade Lieutenant-General Eric Down, London, 1950's

Miscellaneous