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#1
07-12-12, 08:45 PM
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Parachute Jump Instructor half wing
Found this in "Jumping Beans" (Personal reminiscences of an 'oddball' Royal Air Force Unit - No.1 Parachute Training School (PTS) by Edward Carter:
Ron Smith, while serving at No3 PTS, Chaklala in India, recalled preparations to receive the newly-authorised half-wing parachute brevet in December 1945: The date of the parade was fast approaching but no brevets had arrived from the UK, so arrangements were implemented for a sufficient number to be made by a badge maker in Delhi ... proved to be of the highest quality being embroidered with silk thread and padded ... An impressive [presentation] parade duly took place ... on the following day the question arose as to who was to pay for them? ... the instructors were told that they would have to cover the cost ... not at all popular ... the problem was solved by a benevolent Station Commander footing the bill from his Station Fund ... Later the issue brevets arrived from UK and were such poor quality that those who wanted additional brevets purchased them from the local bazaar . . As late as 1966 padded brevets could still be seen, and 60 years after that parade Ron still had a handful of those superb badges. Rgds, Thomas. 
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#2
11-12-12, 09:01 AM
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In 1961 Ron Smith, AFM arrived in Rhodesian to become the first OC of No 1 Parachute Training School, New Sarum, Rhodesia. He was seconded from the RAF.
I believe that he passed away at the end of last year.
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#3
11-12-12, 08:15 PM
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The book doesn't go into career details, but I'm quite confident it must be the same Ron Smith.
The reason for posting was that usually Indian made badges are inferior in quality to British made ones, apparently not so with these. Rgds, Thomas.
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#4
27-12-12, 05:23 PM
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I was fortunate to lunch with Ron in the UK many years ago while we were busy with our book SAS Rhodesia.. An immaculate gentleman and legend.. He gave us one of these wings which we used in our book,superbly made and rare.. As mentioned he started the Parachute School in Rhodesia and later handed it over to my old friend Boet Swart end 1963.. Both sadly now gone to better places.
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