Kiel Canal - Germany ... Wednesday 11th September 1974

Aden & Radfan

RAF Hastings aircraft, Call Sign TG 577

131 Independent Parachute Squadron

Northern Ireland

Falkland Islands

Iraq

Afghanistan

Kiel Canal - Germany ... Wednesday 11th September 1974

It was a 15 PARA exercise with a couple of 4 PARA comrades invited / privileged to take part.

15th Battalion (V) and 4th Battalion (V) 
The Parachute Regiment - Exercise Bold Guard

On the night of the 11th September 1974, The 15th Battalion (V) and 4th Battalion ((selected for the exercise) V)) of the Parachute Regiment had the rare privilege of being part of the biggest United Kingdom Joint Airborne Task Force deployment of the year along with the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment as part of 16 Parachute Brigade group, on Exercise Bold Guard. This was a large-scale NATO exercise involving UK, German and Danish Forces. It involved parachuting at night on a drop zone bounded in the north by the Kiel Canal. 

The airlift from the UK comprised of 35 Hercules Aircraft (C130’s) carrying around 600 troops and their heavy drop vehicles. Owing to a freak temperature inversion the winds at between 800feet and 600feet changed direction, causing 16 of the Parachute Regiment soldiers to land in the canal, causing the death by drowning of 6 Paratroopers.
On the 27th June 1975. A large rock with a brass plaque, flanked by six trees was consecrated on the bank of the Kiel Canal in memory of the six soldiers who had died on that tragic night on the 11th September 1974. The young men who died are honoured by the inhabitants of Sehedstedt beside the canal. A memorial stone is guarded by trees specially planted. Members of the Airborne Forces Association Scotland and Central Scotland PRA have often visited the site and have been treated like royally by the villagers.

Ar Dhia, Alba is ar Banrigh!
(is the motto of 15 PARA. It is Scottish Gaelic (pronounced gah-lik) for, "Our God, Scotland and our Queen". Banrigh strictly means "fair king" (ban righ).)

Ted Dalton and his wife took a cruise in the Baltic last June 2007 which took then through the Kiel Canal. He took part in the Exercise Bold Guard in 1974 on which 8 members of the Regiment lost their lives. he thought this would be a great opportunity to remember our fallen comrades who died that day. We had purchased a small wreath prior to the cruise and with the Captain's permission we held a simple remembrance service on the aft deck. A fellow passenger in Holy Orders kindly said some prayers and the Captain ordered the flag to be flown at half mast as we travelled through the canal. 
May they rest in peace

Ted Dalton M.B.E. ((ex 10 PARA (v))
Aylesbury
Bucks

Captain Gerry Muir ... A Coy
15 Para Scotland

Officer Cadet James Cooper ...
Edinburgh and Herriott Watt University OTC

Ocdt James Cooper was a member of Edinburgh and Herriott Watt University OTC on an experience attachment to C Company, 15 PARA. Although he was not a member of 15 PARA, the Parachute Regiment nor the Airborne Forces, he did have the non-airborne forces parachute qualification, the "lightbulb". Nevertheless, paratroopers, rightly honoured him at his funeral where his headdress, his T.O.S (Tam o' Shanter) rested on the flag on his coffin.

Sgt Richard Tompkins ... B Coy
15 Para Scotland

Sgt Elliot Leask ... Sp Coy
15 Para Scotland

L/Cpl Brian Bett ... Sp Coy
15 Para Scotland

Pte Edward Beach ... A Coy
4 Para Liverpool