JPC Para Wings
As stated in the youtube video link junior soldiers were not allowed to do any military parachute training or jumps and to the best of my knowledge no "parachute" wing was ever produced for them. However the JPC had its own Pegasus Gymnastic Team which wore the "silk" like para wing on the chest of their maroon vests. Not sure of the dates of the team but it had been disbanded by 1980.
Attached is my example of the JPC wing taken from one of the vests circa 1980/1 in Aldershot when the Depot Para & AB Forces was in Browning Barracks.
Up until the release of Bragg and Turners 1st book on wings in 1979(?) which showed a JPC wing No. 17 Plate 2, I had not come across any other JPC wings and I believe, but have no proof, that its inclusion in their book initiated the production of the "felt" material varieties which mimiced British operational parachute wings since that there was no mention in the book of the construction of the JPC wing. As far as I know the felt variants have never been worn by the JPC or any other unit and were solely produced for the collectors market.
Hope that helps.
Dean
|