Hi, I believe the men shown boarding the 3 tonner lorries were with 5th Parachute Brigade HQ and the DZ flash seen is theirs. According to the HQ war diary they were flown from Fairford in 7 Stirling aircraft, CNs 165-171. See IWM film in post #52 Capt. Guy Radmore who commanded K Section, 5th Brigade Signals shows up in one of the photos taken at the Harwell transit camp. He describes briefly his experience at the camp and later at RAF Fairford in an IWM interview. At Fairford he was witness to the impressive service given by Padre Parry of the 7th Parachute Battalion before takeoff. The most lorries for this group seen in one scene is 6 from No.170 forward. Apparently Capt. Radmore jumped with a bicycle into Normandy. Interestingly two men with bicycles can been seen near the cab of lorry 170. No idea if either is actually Capt. Radmore? As the 5th Brigade vehicles drive off they pass a line of unnumbered vehicles in the background also loaded with men. Of course having said all that it could turn out to be otherwise. Regards ...
so the insignia in cross are reserved for the HQ brigade, but with inverted colors: 5th para brigade black cross - 3 para brigade withe cross.
Just spotted this online, belonged to Lt Fleming who commanded "Jock" Platoon of 7th Parachute Battalion, this was made up mostly of ex-12th Cameronians men
Hi AB64, A very nice oversmock with DZ flash. Lt. Robert "Haggis" Fleming was Commander of 3 Platoon, 'A' Coy, 7th Parachute Battalion. According to the the book "The Tale Of Two Bridges" Lt. Fleming was seriously injured during street fighting training. His Platoon was taken over by Lt. David Hunter who in his account writes: "I found the mainly English Officers of the 7th Paras very friendly and welcoming. There were 2 other Scots Officers "Mac" Macdonald and "Haggis" Fleming and I became known as "Jock". I was put in a reserve company, but shortly after I arrived poor "Haggis" was injured in a grenade accident. As his platoon contained a number of Scotsmen, the CO asked me to take it over in preference to several other English Officers who had been in the reserve company longer than me. Had it not been for this accident I would have missed D-Day." I'm not sure what became of Lt. Fleming afterwards. He Is not listed on the Varsity Orbat on the Pegasus Archive. Regards ...
Cameronian blog (apps-1and1.net) Looks like the smock may be held by South Lanarkshire Council, but I can't recall seeing it in the Low Parks Museum which incorporates the Cameronians collection (although its a while since I've been). The page is interesting, the letter from the Bruneval casualty is worth a look
In the video, my father Thomas Alfred Smith RCofS is shown holding a container into which a live pigeon is being pushed. Also the IMW has a still from that or taken at the same time .. it looks like a white cross on his back. 12th battalion were 5th Brigade
I con confirm this - My father is in the landing craft video - he has a white cross on his back - RCofS 12th Battalion parachute reg
Thats me in the picture, an Army Cadet about fourteen in my highly desirable Para Smock. My next door neighbour was a Sgt in the Paras. Always wanted to be one until I saw a film of the Tarzan Assault Course. No safety ropes, nets, or parachutes!
