RIP red beret

The paras saved me from a life of juvenile delinquency, but now government cuts are threatening the future of the Parachute Regiment

It is the beginning of the end for The Parachute Regiment. They have unfortunately become yet another victim of the brutal cuts brought on by our mighty British government in their ultimate crusade of cutting the savage deficit.

The Parachute Regiment is the youngest of all British Army units and the fiercest.  They have a similar reputation to that of Millwall Fans with their mantra: ‘No Body Likes Us & We Don’t Care’ and this is partly down to the fact that many young men have tried to join the illustrious Parachute Regiment in their youth, but had failed miserably, leaving a brutal personal angst because they ended up employed as a pen pusher at the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall.

I was an 11-year-old kid listening to Madness records and smoking Benson & Hedges en route to Secondary School when the idea of joining the Paras began. The Falklands War had recently happened and we had given the ‘Argies’ a kicking – A BBC1 program called ‘The Paras’ lit our living rooms with young men all keen to earn the red beret and fight for Queen & Country.  So everyone knew who the Paras were from watching the TV.  At Christmas my cousin visited us at home in Alty.  He was with his friend who had just recently passed his Paras training.  No one could get a word in edgeways and my father and Uncle reminisced about their time in the army. “Best years of your life” they said.