New old guy in town

[mikepara]

I've been a constant visitor for about a week now and have just been allowed the right to participate and so here goes.

I'm Mike a British Veteran Parachutist. Served my time in 7 Para RHA I earned my US wings with 3-319 AFAR and Canadian wings with 3 CRHA as well, so "Hello" if there is any members of those units in the Lounge.

Fell in love with this place as soon as I accidently surfed in. All my life I've admired the way everyone looked in the 30's to mid 50's and just thought I was a bit odd! Now I've found a lounge full of like minded soul mates. With 100's more links and threads yet to read and follow, I'm not going anywhere fast. If I could post pictures you'd see the giant grin on my face.

Hero-worship: T.E. Lawrence, Wilfred Thesinger, Marlene Dietrich and all Arnhem Veterans.

There, thats a start. Sure I'll reveal loads more stuff as I join in.

 

[scotrace]

This is Me, Smiling Along

You're going to have fun!

Welcome to The Fedora Lounge.

 

["Doc" Devereux]

Seconded!

Welcome aboard, Mike.

 

[Mr. 'H']

I met a Mike at Lindyhop the other nite in Dublin called Mike, It's not you is it....?

 

[Johnnysan]

Welcome mate! Pull up a chair and enjoy yourself!!

 

[PADDY]

Welcome on board Mike (from Paddy - Northumberland, Scottish Borders)

Hi Mike. I'm on the borders too. Former RIR, UDR, Int Corps and secondments with 45 Cdo. Worked with a few guys from RHA Para out of Pirbright and Aldershot.
Would like to walk around the Operation Market Garden zones at some point. One of our members here was a young boy after the war and said that he and his mates would play on the old discarded ordinance and hardware left rotting by the Brits and Germans. What a childhood!

Good to have a new face on the team!! Welcome on board. Regards, Paddy.

 

[MelissaAnne]

Welcome, Mike! You'll have a great time here.

 

[mikepara]

Hi Mike. I'm on the borders too. Former RIR, UDR, Int Corps and secondments with 45 Cdo. Worked with a few guys from RHA Para out of Pirbright and Aldershot.
Would like to walk around the Operation Market Garden zones at some point. One of our members here was a young boy after the war and said that he and his mates would play on the old discarded ordinance and hardware left rotting by the Brits and Germans. What a childhood!

Good to have a new face on the team!! Welcome on board. Regards, Paddy.

Paddy, Arnhem / Oosterbeek is a pilgrimage site for us Para guys. Never fails to move me. Not sure I'd want my kids playing with all the ordnance left lying around tho!

Glad we're neighbours so to speak. No dought we'll bump into each other. Mike

 

[The Wolf]

Welcome to the Lounge.
I look forward to hearing more from you.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[Clyde R.]

To echo everyone else, welcome aboard!

I'm a military brat; My father was a US Marine officer and I grew up around military men. I have a deep and abiding respect and affection for them. My heroes and role models have largely been men like John Basilone and John Howard. I'm honored to have as a friend a gentleman who was a machine gunner in the 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division during the Okinawa campaign in 1945. He calls my father- who is 72- the "young jarhead!"

Hope you enjoy the lounge.

 

[mikepara]

Here's my one and only..

...time I ever played at being a Paratrooper [parachutist].

I went along with the Scottish Military re-enactment Society, who are the business knowledge wise, to the 60th Anniversary of some Dutch towns liberation. (Sorry I cannot remember which! :eusa_doh: ) We had a drive past with loads of Canadian veterans hanging off the Military Vehicles.

We stopped the weekend at the nearby Fort Veidhuis an old Gun position used as a Military Museum. Well worth a visit.

It was fun, but as I was an actual Para I felt awkward and never tried it again. I don't wish to take anything away from anyones hobby but personally would have felt more comfortable doing an impression which was totally different to my actual Service.

I'm the thin guy with the maroon Beret.

 

[Daisy Buchanan]

Hi Mike and welcom to The Lounge. I hope you enjoy yourself. It's a great place to learn about the by-gone era that we all love so much, and the people are great too.
Have fun, but don't surf too hard, you might get water up your nose
Daisy (my friends call me Spielberg or Spiely for short)