Training the 44th Indian Airborne Division 1945

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Guys, these are the photos that I mentioned in an earlier thread. All the pics were kindly given to me by a Veteran. His name is Albert Tudor. Albert was a RAF Parachute jump instructor during WW2. Many of these pics were lifted as "stills" from a training film he helped make for the Indian Airborne in 1945. I suspect this film is now lost? Many of the pics show staged "errors", such as bad stance, static lines incorrectly placed, etc.
I hope you enjoy seeing them?
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Another pic of the same soldier, with a static line error. The aircraft is a fuselage from a C47 "Dakota".

[Adrian Stevenson]

Now wearing KD's. Note the "Indian" pattern Parachute wings with black backing worn on the chest.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Any ideas as to the badge worn by the soldier on his right breast pocket?

[Adrian Stevenson]

Note the wear to the wooden frame from the recruits boots Albert still has the military issue wristwatch that he wears in this photo. He is passing it on to his Grandson.

[Adrian Stevenson]

"Little and Large" a Sikh and a Gurka soldier.

[Adrian Stevenson]

This photo shows the second pattern airborne forces steel helmet (checkout my thread about this on this forum) and the first pattern Denison camoflauge smock. (I will post about this item in the next week ) The trousers are the denim fatigues.
Cheers, Ade.

[DJT]

Nice photos Ade. Especially liked the last one

Des

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Des, glad you liked the pics. Here is another one. Not taken in India, but still part of Albert's photos. Note the former USAAF markings on the C47 "Dakota" have been overpainted with RAF markings.
Cheers, Ade.

[Adrian Stevenson]

Here is another photo taken in the UK.


Cheers, Ade.

[Jim Maclean]

I would imagine the Gurkha would have to jump a couple of minutes before the Sikh if they were to hit the ground at about the same time

[leigh kitchen]

Remember the old joke about Ghurkas being told that they had to jump out of planes & quite happily going along with the idea - before being told that they would be issued parachutes.

[Adrian Stevenson]

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Leigh, I didn't tell all the story about these pics. (I have a large wad of them).

Quite a few years ago the Airborne Museum at Aldershot had the late Major John Howard (Pegasus bridge fame) do a lecture about the action he led. (My mate bootlegged it!) So myself and a group of friends went down to see him. I had just acquired the photos and I had told Albert, the Vet, that I would take them to the Museum and offer to loan them to the Museum so they could copy them for their archives. Guess their reaction? Thanks but "we dare not copy them, as we do not know who holds the copyright" At the time I was shocked but now I know a lot more about how Museums are ran....

Cheers, Ade.