A message from the Founder of "SOPARA"
written to all who helped
"SUPPORT OUR PARAS"
30 May 2008
Since the 25th I have received a number of letters and e-mails, without
exception they are more than generous in their praise of "SUPPORT OUR PARAS",
with more than a few expressing the hope that the project will continue.
Phone calls continue to be received - again all in the same vein, and the odd
chance meeting with some from our audience inevitably led to a paean of praise
for Committee and supporters.
From my perspective, we had the ideal location - Old Sarum Airfield in my
favourite County of Wiltshire! Later in the day Trina and I stood in the Chalet
garden seeing our very gracious Guest of Honour Mr John Bush, H.M. Lord
Lieutenant of Wiltshire, with friends and supporters around, all enjoying the
sight of Astons & Bentleys to the front, Spitfires & a Hurricane overhead, and
our hosts Matthew Hudson and his charming wife Pamela drinking in the pleasures
of their airfield and, hopefully, realising that they were the bedrock on which
the day was founded.
The Drumhead Service started the day and was (as one PARA veteran said to me)
"a spiritual experience to be remembered" which our Padre conducted in an
exemplary manner; the singing and active participation by all in the hangar
better than any I have heard in any Church service since WW2; the reading of the
Gospel by our Patron absolutely right; and the Ceremonial by 4 PARA, led by RSM
Curt Vines and accompanied by the Band of the Parachute Regiment, of the highest
order, All in all, the Ceremony was a great credit to 4 PARA and the Regiment as
a whole. For the first time in many, many, years I attended a service in the
United Kingdom where all the many children present were continually well-behaved
and with a congregation clearly bonded in their praise of God and appreciation
of the sacrifice made by Members of The Parachute Regiment. I don't believe that
Service could have been bettered anywhere.
The unveiling of the Memorial was arranged by Ian McLeod with the Dedication
Ceremony conducted by our Padre. Yet again Mr Vines was in total control of an
occasion that demonstrated Matthew's desire to commemorate those Allied Airborne
Forces who were based and trained in Wiltshire during WW2, principally in honour
of his Uncle "Mad Alf" - one of our early Commando's turned SAS turned PARA. For
me it was particularly pleasing to see Lieutenant Colonel Bill Woods of US
Airborne and Brigadier General Ray Romses of Canadian Airborne Forces being
joined by Colonel John Waddy (a distinguished Arnhem veteran who stood in for
Major General Tony Deane-Drummond) each laying one of the wreaths. Sadly, I was
told, rigorous adherence by a coach driver to "Elf & Safety" regulations
prevented General Tony from reaching Old Sarum in time to perform that function.
I wonder how we in Britain would have managed in '44 if such rules had existed
when Tony jumped into Arnhem - & the heat of battle - in September, 1944? I
suppose on landing he would have been ordered to rest for an hour before heading
for the Bridge!)
Those amongst us who remembered (exception AC, one-time Chairman of Aston!)
then watched a drive-past by an assembly of historic, fascinating (and
expensive!) Aston's and Bentley's - an ideal lead-in to lunch after which I had
the honour to present the Air Squadron Poignard - and General Sir Mike Jackson
the Golden Lanyards - to members of the Free-fall Team of the Parachute
Regiment, the 'Red Devils'. Beforehand they had clearly demonstrated by the
display they gave how well they deserved such honours.
As for the Chalet, so efficiently controlled and run by Fiona and her Team,
all of us who were fortunate enough to share the food, wine and service provided
by excellent Caterers in the environs of an ideal 'temporary' structure (and who
would have known that from the quality?) can count ourselves blessed. The
company was excellent, the atmosphere ideal and I, for one, have never
experienced the like in any show that I have attended in the past.
And then, to cap it all our President, Matthew Hudson, gave us a well-crafted
introduction to General Mike who spoke to the point and drove home the message
of the day better than anyone could have expected. He then sold his son Mark's
painting for £8,500 and was so persuasive in his efforts to get the bidding to
£10,000 that the Aston Martin Owners Club immediately volunteered to find the
balance & donate to SOPARA!
The Airshow that followed lunch on a suddenly beautiful afternoon was
absolute perfection, thrilling all who watched and adding to the day a special
touch that will help to make it long remembered. Our gratitude goes to the Air
Squadron and Members who made so much possible, and to all other pilots who
performed wondrous aerobatics and other displays. John Davis earned every bit of
praise that was rightly heaped upon him for his design and control of the flying
programme.
Beating Retreat is always an emotional experience. With the backdrop of the
Wiltshire countryside, the Band of The Parachute Regiment, 4 PARA and, amongst
the spectators, PRA Veterans wearing their Red Berets, "every man an Emperor"
(quote - General Montgomery), who could but be moved - and impressed?
As the day wore on, Ross Mallock, our commentator, kept all present fully
briefed on the day's programme in the style which is his hall-mark. Thank you,
Ross. And my especial thanks to 'Mr Fix-it', Ron McAffery. for favours begged
and obtained, miracles performed, and the odd leg pulled un-mercifully; and to
you, too, Tony our Project Leader - always in control, never flapping, and
always appropriately dressed! Thank you.
So the first SOPARA was successfully launched, and all that remained(!) was
at least one very full Monday of hard work by Angus Beal the Airfield Manager,
his team, Committee Members, and other volunteers who cleared away structures,
debris and all the remnants of a day never to be forgotten, and for Lt Col Banks
Middleton, our doughty, never-changing, always-laughing, staunch friend, ally &
Financial Controller, time to count the money, pay the bills and tell us how
much we've made. Latest info as I write is "probably in excess on £110,000, but
don't yet know by how much".
So to conclude.
YOU, Chairman Grenville Hodge, Project Director Tony Higham, and all
Committee Members and Supporters, you made this happen. That the weather
eventually cleared and the sun shone was, as the Rev Paul Abram said to me, an
Act of God, but it was your tremendous and continuous endeavours from start to
finish in the face of early bad weather and many other problems that brought the
rewards, gave the spectators so much pleasure and those in the Chalet the most
memorable occasion of their lives, and gave the Regiment and Country what was
wanted - Support for our PARAS.
It was my luck and privilege to get to know and spend time with you, to watch
the dedication and effort you put into making SOPARA the success it was, and to
be able to bask in the reflected glory of YOUR efforts. I could not have asked
for more, or received a greater reward than that of knowing you were there, not
only SUPPORTING OUR PARAS, but making this old man very happy.
Thank you
Yours ever
P.S. Planning has commenced for SOPARA 2009!
