This chap flew above my head at 40mph on his way down. Another member of the team was so low that as he swooped in I swore if I hadn’t have ducked I’d be wearing his boot print in my forehead. Of course, in retrospect it can’t really have been that low, but having said that, one poor chap missed the arena entirely and collided with the commentary booth. Ouch…
As the men approached the ground, they used their parachutes like inflatable wings, able to control their descent with the use of handles on either side.
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And for the most part, their touchdown was as gentle as could be.
Once they hit the ground, the men immediately gathered their parachutes. With the drop split into two, other members of the team would be on the way down imminently, thus it was vital to keep the arena as clear as possible in case someone else should get snagged on their way in.
And within moments, they were all safely on the ground.
With the entire team down and safe, it was time to head for parade inspection and a meeting with local officials.
Just one more drop in the life and career of the Red Devils.
* * *
As a local celebration of the military connections with Aldershot, the show met all expectations. It’s good to know that the British military maintains such links with the towns that host its presence, and that they are also building for the future.
To view the complete set of images from my visit, go to the ACG image gallery here.
A J Summersgill
andrew@armchairgeneral.com
