Hi Guys, I have some sad news. A Veteran friend of mine has recently passed away. His name was Sgt Gus Jones. He was aged 93. As we say over here, "he had a good innings". Gus had sadly suffered a bad stroke and was in a nursing home the past two years.
Before the war, he was a member of Territorial Army. I cannot now recall the unit. I seem to think they were an RA unit.
With the formation of the Airborne Forces, Gus volunteered for the Glider Pilot Regt. He very much enjoyed flying gliders. However, Gus failed to join the Regt. He always maintained this was not due to his flying skills or lack of. He was returning from a long route march and was very tired. While crossing the parade ground he failed to notice and salute an Officer. He then got bawled out by the RSM and he made the mistake of answering back... However, Gus' Airborne career was not over. Major John Lander from the XXI Indep Para Coy used to tour the Glider Pilot Regt looking for recruits for his newly formed Pathfinder unit. Major Lander realised that these "failed" Glider Pilots could provide a very high calibre soldier. This was in July 1942. The first 24 members of the Coy, of which Gus was one, all came from the GPR. After doing his training at Hardwick Hall, Gus joined the Coy as a Corporal.
Major Lander pioneered the development of the kit bag method of parachuting with full equipment. He originally tried jumping with suitcases! After testing an idea himself, he would then ask the men to try it. As a result, Gus was the first enlisted man to jump with the new kit bag.
Gus served in North Africa and Italy with the XXI. When it was decided to form a Pathfinder Platoon from the XXI to remain in the Mediterranean, he became a member of the 1st Indep Para Platoon with the rank of Sgt. The unit was charged with training the USAAF air crews with the specialist role of dropping Pathfinders. The unit had a good working relationship with the US Airborne Forces and were granted the right to wear the US Pathfinder wings on their uniforms. Gus later proudly wore these on his Veterans blue blazer. During a training drop in Italy, he injured his foot. As a result he had to miss the unit's combat drop into the South of France in "OP Dragoon". So Gus had to stay in Italy with the unit transport and stores. With the move to Greece in October 1944, the unit took part in the nasty street fighting in Athens he recalled this was a dirty war.
After the war Gus took up gliding. I first met him in 2001. He was quite a character. He was always outspoken, a trait he said often got him into trouble! He had a dry sense of humour. If ever I asked him how he was doing he would reply, well I am going blind, got diabetes, and having trouble walking, but am generally very well. His memory was good despite his advanced years. He would often say, "don't worry if I forget your name while talking to you, I can remember the war OK". He told me that when in Italy he met up with his old TA Regt. They had suffered heavy losses and he was glad that he had volunteered for the Airborne Forces.
Cheers, Ade.
Before the war, he was a member of Territorial Army. I cannot now recall the unit. I seem to think they were an RA unit.
With the formation of the Airborne Forces, Gus volunteered for the Glider Pilot Regt. He very much enjoyed flying gliders. However, Gus failed to join the Regt. He always maintained this was not due to his flying skills or lack of. He was returning from a long route march and was very tired. While crossing the parade ground he failed to notice and salute an Officer. He then got bawled out by the RSM and he made the mistake of answering back... However, Gus' Airborne career was not over. Major John Lander from the XXI Indep Para Coy used to tour the Glider Pilot Regt looking for recruits for his newly formed Pathfinder unit. Major Lander realised that these "failed" Glider Pilots could provide a very high calibre soldier. This was in July 1942. The first 24 members of the Coy, of which Gus was one, all came from the GPR. After doing his training at Hardwick Hall, Gus joined the Coy as a Corporal.
Major Lander pioneered the development of the kit bag method of parachuting with full equipment. He originally tried jumping with suitcases! After testing an idea himself, he would then ask the men to try it. As a result, Gus was the first enlisted man to jump with the new kit bag.
Gus served in North Africa and Italy with the XXI. When it was decided to form a Pathfinder Platoon from the XXI to remain in the Mediterranean, he became a member of the 1st Indep Para Platoon with the rank of Sgt. The unit was charged with training the USAAF air crews with the specialist role of dropping Pathfinders. The unit had a good working relationship with the US Airborne Forces and were granted the right to wear the US Pathfinder wings on their uniforms. Gus later proudly wore these on his Veterans blue blazer. During a training drop in Italy, he injured his foot. As a result he had to miss the unit's combat drop into the South of France in "OP Dragoon". So Gus had to stay in Italy with the unit transport and stores. With the move to Greece in October 1944, the unit took part in the nasty street fighting in Athens he recalled this was a dirty war.
After the war Gus took up gliding. I first met him in 2001. He was quite a character. He was always outspoken, a trait he said often got him into trouble! He had a dry sense of humour. If ever I asked him how he was doing he would reply, well I am going blind, got diabetes, and having trouble walking, but am generally very well. His memory was good despite his advanced years. He would often say, "don't worry if I forget your name while talking to you, I can remember the war OK". He told me that when in Italy he met up with his old TA Regt. They had suffered heavy losses and he was glad that he had volunteered for the Airborne Forces.
Cheers, Ade.
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