Dear Airborne Warrior,

Welcome to new member: Mrs Wendy Renton (formerly O’Kane).

Sad News. [Details on attached Sad News Supplement]

The funeral of Pte Edwin John (Ted) Brown, will take place on Thursday 26th January 2017 Stoke on Trent. Ted served with 1st Battalion the Parachute Regiment.

Repatriation Notification. We have been advised by RAF Braze Norton that the Repatriation of Lance Corporal Scott Hetherington, of 2nd Battalion the Duke of Lancaster’s Regiment will take place on Thursday 12th January 2017.

NB the only two years since WW2 when there no British soldiers have been killed in combat. zones: 1968 and 2016.

 

ABN Annual Donation to the AB Charities. Following our Christmas appeal in 2015 we gave a grant to towards the hampers provided for veterans by the Airborne Forces Security. This last year i.e. 2016, the Appeal was directed at the sister AB Charity of Support our PARAs

and, in particular, to help the disabled young PARA who is trying to set up a specially adapted flat in Newcastle which he shares with his disabled wife.

Anyway, as a result of your generous donations and the on-off members’ joining donations received during the year, I am delighted to be able to tell you the ABN has given Support our PARAs £2,500!

While on the subject, there are still a considerable number of ABN members who have never contributed their one-off joining donation (Min £10). This I find disappointing as it is a paltry sum in today’s scheme of things and rather takes the voluntary work undertaken by the few ABN ‘staff’ for granted. However, you have a chance to make amends now if so you wish, so I attach the necessary form-a five-minute job! I have the full list should anyone want to check if they have paid or not. Note we do not have annual subscriptions.

Since it was set up nearly 10 years ago the ABN members have generously donated over £16,000!

 

Index.

1.   PRA Monthly newsletter.

2.   1 PARA Aden Reunion (50 years).

3.   Pegasus Network dates for 2017.

4.   Pegasus Network Lunch 19 Jan 17.

5.   Items you may have missed.

 

Items.

1.   PRA Monthly newsletter. Do look at their excellent new website: http://theparachuteregimentalassociation.com/events/

 

See attached newsletter which includes:

Topics:

A.    Charity Guide

B.    Charity Commission News

C.   Expenses Sheet

D.   Association Webpage

E.    South Tyneside NAAFI Break

F.    Membership Categories and Criteria

G.   Loyal Greetings

H.   Income and Expenditure Statements

I.      Pegasus Submission Dates

J.     Affiliation Fees

 

Events

K.    Reunions

L.    Rhine Crossing

M.   50^th Anniversary of Withdrawal from Aden November 1967

 

 

2.  The 50^th Anniversary 1^st Battalion the Parachute Regiment Withdrawal from Aden November 1967

An event is proposed to be held to commemorate the above Anniversary. It will be held at Aldershot on Saturday 28 October 2017. It is planned to hold a Remembrance Service at the Garrison Church followed by a social at the Conservative Club. Further details will be available in March. All those who served in 1 PARA at the time, together with their wives/partners will be most welcome.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

3. Pegasus Network Dates for 2017

Dear Pegasus Network Members

Happy New Year to you all. I am writing with some updates and a list of dates for this year.
The cost for the lunches remains at £20, including the curry lunch. If notice is given when booking, we can arrange a vegetarian option. For those attending who don’t wish to eat I am having to implement a £10 charge to help towards fees for room bookings.
We will continue to meet at the SF Club and I would remind you to respect the club’s rules about no photographs and no posting on social media about attending events there.
I hope to arrange a fundraising dinner for April or May this year – more details to follow.
The dates are (always the third Thursday of the month):
January 19^th,February 16th, March 16^th, April 20^th, May 18^th, June 22^nd, July 20th
August 17th (If a suitable alternative venue is available as the club is closed)
September 21^st, October 19^th, November 16^th, December – No event
I look forward to catching up with you at one of our events.
Kind Regards
Mike O’Neill

 

4.Pegasus Network Lunch 19 Jan 17

Our next lunch is on Thursday 19th January 2017. The speaker is Tony Long who operated in the Met’s elite specialist firearms units for 25 years and was at the forefront of SO19’s fight against armed crime. Deployed on hundreds of dangerous operations, it was his duty to bring down terrorists, killers, and hostage takers, sometimes with lethal force – with only seconds to decide. Tony has been behind some of the UK’s most controversial police shootings but it was the death of suspected armed robber and drug dealer Azelle Rodney that brought his career to a devastating end. Tried for murder, Tony saw his life crumble around him…simply for doing his job.
Tony’s story raises serious issues about the responsibility that falls on the shoulders of those who risk their lives, and take the lives of others, in our name.
His book Lethal Force is available on amazon and he will be bringing copies with him to sign.
The link to his book is https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01A7YX3XY/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

Venue: Special Forces Club, 8 Herbert Crescent, London SW1X 0EZ
Time: Meet from 1230. Speaker at 1330. Lunch from 1415
Cost: £20. £10 for those not eating.
Cash or cheque made payable to “Pegasus Network”
Dress: Smart casual. RSVP ASAP to Mike O’Neil mike@optimalrisk.com

 

5.   Items you may have missed.

        End of the Ulster witch-hunt? Cap on the age for ‘suspects’ is proposed 

           http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4119060/End-Ulster-witch-hunt-Cap-age-suspects-five-year-limit-inquiries-     proposed.html

 

           British forces assume lead for NATO spearhead force –

http://www.army.mod.uk/news/28881.aspx

 

  ISIS leader dead: US commandos in Syria kill jihadi commander in spec ops      raid http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/577295/ISIS-Leader-Dead-US-Commandos-Warlord-Abu-Anas-al-Iraq-Syria-Iraq-Barack-Obama

 

        ISIS Jihadis WIPED OUT by Brit forces using deadly Reaper drones and fighter jets

        http://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/latest-news/578001/ISIS-news-IS-video-Iraq-Mosul-British-troops-       army-RAF-force-attack-war-fight-terror-jihadi

 

        

  

..and just for general interest:

 

An RAF A400M Atlas lands at RAF Brize Norton last year 2016

The Airbus A400M Atlas^[3][4] is a multi-national, four-engine turboprop military transport aircraft. It was designed by Airbus Military (now Airbus Defence and Space) as a tactical airlifter with strategic capabilities to replace older transport aircraft, such as the Transall C-160 and the Lockheed C-130 Hercules.^[5] The A400M is positioned, in terms of size, between the C-130 and the C-17; it can carry heavier loads than the C-130, while able to use rough landing strips. Along with the transport role, the A400M can perform aerial refuelling and medical evacuation when fitted with appropriate equipment. 122 out of an order of 22 Aircraft have so far been received by the RAF. Max load of 108 paratroopers.

 

With best wishes

Hamish

Links

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Current Members

New Members: We are always looking for new members so please search your address books!

Notices: If you want notices posted please send them to: info@abnetwork.org 

                      Some forthcoming important Airborne & Military Events 2016

                             (For the full list of events see: Forecast of events

 

 

2017

2-5 March              1 PARA Reunion                                               Imperial Hotel, Blackpool

3-5 March               2 PARA Reunion                                                 Hilton Hotel ,Blackpool

4 March                  Airborne Officers’ Ladies’ Night                           Edinburgh

24-26 March           3 PARA Club Reunion                                         Blackpool

6 May (date TBC)    15 PARA 70^th Anniversary                                   Glasgow

6 May                     4 PARA Club Annual Reunion                             Durham

20 May                    ABN 10^th Anniversary Party                                C & G Club London

17-18 June             Falklands 35 Anniversary                                   Aldershot

8 July                      Regt Commemoration Service                            NMA

29 July                    Airborne Alliance Airborne Forces Day                Dunfermline

28 October            1 PARA Aden 50^th Anniversary Reunion              Aldershot