Parachute Jumps In Rhodesia

[Rhodesian Militaria]

Without trying to sound like an expert, which I'm not, there has been stuff written about in regard to the military parachuting in Rhodesia, both in books and on google, that is incorrect or partially correct. The reason for the writing of this book is simple.

• The surviving PJI's, including the 1st OC, 2nd OC, 3rd and longest serving OC, sadly the 4th and last OC has passed away, want to see the true story of the PTS told. The war ended 27 years ago and very little has ever been written about them and what they accomplished. A fair bit of what has been written is very basic and some has serious incaccuracies. There were never anymore than 50 PJI's in the 19 years of it's existence and a large number of these men came from distinguished military careers, not only in the Rhodesian Army but also from the British SAS, Parachute Regiment and the French Foreign Legion. While books have been written about the Rhodesian SAS, Selous Scouts, RLI and the RAR (Rhodesian African Rifles), nothing has been written about the people that taught these units parachuting and despatched them on the many internal 'fireforce' or external missions.
  
  
• Some of what has been written is incorrect and contains inaccuracies. The stories of former US Special Forces personnel being involved in teaching HALO and LALO techniques is incorrect. Only one Rhodesian PJI was a former US Special Forces soldier. In fact as the book will point out, the Rhodie technique training paratroopers was and is considered of a higher calibre than the Americans were using at that time.
  
  
• Also I think the book will be of interest to people who are interested in military parachuting. The fact that the Rhodesians were so informal in the uniform they sometimes wore, wearing shorts and veldskoens or vellies and in some cases basketball shoes on parachute jumps into combat. I don't know of any military in the world that has allowed this. Even though they jumped in small numbers, the total amount of parachute jumps into combat is higher than the world's total combination in history. The techniques and changes they had to make to equipment or invent, due to sanctions by the world and the UN. All of this and more I would think would make good reading.

Well it's turned into a bit of a plug for my book, but it was originally designed to show that a fair bit of what is written on this subject is not factually correct.

 

[pardus]

I would definatly like to read your book when It comes out.

 

[Rhodesian Militaria]

Hello pardus762,

Should be published by this time next year. Large coffee-table size book with lots of photos never before published, including photos of some of the boys freefalling from 10,000 ft at Busselton, Western Australia earlier this year. This was at the first PJI reunion since the end of the war in 1980. Also missions, history, insignia, wings, technical breakdown of chutes used etc. At least seven of the PJI's are writing chapters themselves from a personal point of view. Possibly two of the Dak pilot's will write chapters, but I have yet to arrange this.
About 45-50 Leather bound limited editions will be also be released. These will have the signatures of at least ten former PJI's.

Cheers,
Peter

Photo:

Former PJI and Rhodesian SAS soldier jumping at Busselton, Western Australia 2008 from 10,000ft with Rhodesian flag.

 

[Kurt V]

It's not just the chute fully opening, you still have to have some room to slow down! At 250 feet I would think you would be hitting the ground at over 30 mph!

 

[pardus]

Spoke with a mate last night, ex 44 para, SADF.
He said their jumps were all at 500ft anything lower caused broken bones etc... the jumps at 250ft were normally mistakes he said.
The SADF jumped with a T10 'similar' cute.

 

[Royal]

Should be published by this time next year.

Definitely be interested in a look...

 

[uitlander]

Rhodesia Para jumps

I served in the RLI & was was part of the Fireforce Pare drops. I knew some of the guys from Spt CDO who were dropped from 250 to 300 ft on a combat Fireforce drop. Guys were banged up but continued the mission.
1 Commando did 3 para call outs in one day. an RLI trooper had 73 operational jumps in his time in the RLI.
As a Vietnam vet I thought the use of para troops in the Fireforce actions worked well to our advantage & helped in the terrs killed.
Cheers for now mates,
Uitlander

 

[Torch]

Pardus, you ever hear of anything like this? Stolen from http://www.dropzone.com/cgi-bin/for...view=forum_view_collapsed;;page=unread#unread

In the mid 1980s the Germans were practicing at 250-300 AGL. IIRC the configuration was 3 smaller chutes replaced the main and no reserve. They cancelled the program after several fatalities to include their senior ranking NCO.

 

[AWP]

In the mid 1980s the Germans were practicing at 250-300 AGL. IIRC the configuration was 3 smaller chutes replaced the main and no reserve. They cancelled the program after several fatalities to include their senior ranking NCO.

The UK did some low altitude work in the late 90's with exits around 300'. I don't recall of any fatalities.

Realistically you could get combat loaded troops out the door at altitudes slightly lower than that, but the training and gear required would be extensive and quite different than what most are used to. So the KISS principle applies when dealing with less than perfect environments. Still, an exit at 300'/ 100m with a round chute and no reserve wearing a metric shit-ton of equipment is quite possible with a properly designed and rigged parachute. I wouldn't do it with a T-10 series though. The gear is out there.

 

[pardus]

In the mid 1980s the Germans were practicing at 250-300 AGL. IIRC the configuration was 3 smaller chutes replaced the main and no reserve. They cancelled the program after several fatalities to include their senior ranking NCO.

The Fallschirmjager were jumping at 90m (300') during WWII IIRC.