CHAPTER 29 OUR RECORD BREAKING DC7 OPERATIONAL JUMP & A CLOSE CALL

Imagine jumping from an aircraft, immediately falling unconscious and therefore being unable to operate your parachute. This was an ever present danger when dropping from very great heights where lack of oxygen, and the associated dizziness, was an issue.

It was in anticipation of just such an event that I insisted all jumpers, regardless of experience, fit an automatic opening device, (the KAP3AOD) for every single HALO jump. Even PJIs had to use the device every time. This caused a few grumbles from the more macho amongst us but, the decision on what parachuting equipment was used was mine and mine alone and I insisted these things were fitted.

Prior to 1977, the Parachute Training School did not have too many KAP3 Automatic Opening Devices, but a large number were obtained with a consignment of new SAVIAC copy of Tactical Assault Free Fall parachutes. And once they were available I made certain they were used. As will be shown, this decision was quickly vindicated.

The last chapter discussed our experimentation with the DC7 to drop large numbers of troops and equipment. The first operational parachute use of the DC7 was a HALO drop into the Gaza province of Mozambique on October 11, 1977. I believe it to have been a world record Operational HALO jump at the time, and doubt it has been exceeded to this day.It involved dropping three HALO boxes followed by 23 men from a height of 12,000 feet AGL. The original drop called for 24 men, but one paratrooper passed out due to a lack of oxygen on the run in. A second man passed out immediately outside the aircraft, but fortunately his parachute operated automatically when his KAP3AOD fired at 1500 feet AGL. This undoubtedly saved his life.

The above map shows the approximate track of the D.C.7F which flew from New Sarum Air Force Base to F.A.F.7 Air Force Base at Buffalo Range for a navigation check. From there the track took it over Pafure on the border between South Africa and Mozambique. A flare was ignited at Pafure and the aircraft turned left to fly parallel to the South African border, just inside Mozambique for approximately 80 nautical miles. At this point there is a kink in the border which is also the eastern boundary of the Kruger National Park. Here the aircraft turned hard left for 90 degrees and headed straight for the DZ, about 75 nautical miles deep inside the Gaza province of Mozambique. After dropping the stick of 23 SAS HALO parachutists the aircraft continued on the same heading for 10 minutes before turning once more and heading back to New Sarum. 


The story of this first operational use of the DC7F is as follows with reference to my log book and much stirring of the memory cells. By the beginning of 1977, practice jumps took place prior to every HALO operational jump whenever possible as standard operating procedure.

 The first practice jump was from a Dakota over the Seki reserve DZ on the afternoon of October 6, 1977.The jump was to be clean fatigue; in other words, the paratroopers did not carry any loads or weapons. It was classed as a fun jump, but the free fallers fell in a formation and their pull heights were staggered. They were following a HALO box, set to have its parachute open at 1500 feet AGL. The paratroops were briefed to hold the aircraft heading for five seconds, then turn 180 degrees and pick up the men and box which had gone before. The odd numbers in the stick would turn right and track for five seconds, the even numbers would go left and track for five seconds. All would then turn back and look for the box, which would have a flashing strobe light fitted to it.

The leader, and first man in this very large stick of HALO jumpers was Capt. Graham Wilson. He was briefed to pull at 2000 feet, which was lower than the normal training jump pull height of 2500 feet AGL, but we were practicing for an operation. The next four in the stick were briefed to pull at 2200 feet with the following four at 2400 feet and so on up to the last men in the stick who pulled at 3200 feet. This gave a nicely staggered stick which, in theory, would enable the men to land close to the boxes. The whole jump was practiced in the Parachute Training School on the mats until all the PJIs – especially Flt/Sgt Paul Hogan (a senior free fall instructor) –were satisfied that every man knew exactly what to do.

Late in the afternoon we climbed aboard a Dakota, with the box close to the door. I did the spot for this jump, and as usual tagged myself onto the end of the stick to observe how the briefing had gone. Although the stick appeared to be a little strung out, the staggered openings were good and most of the men arrived reasonably close to the box. In order to get a faster stick out of the door, Graham Wilson moved Iain Bowen (a qualified PJI) from the No.2 position in the stick to No.24 and told him to push like hell on the next jump.

The next training jump was at about 8pm in the dark. This was also a clean fatigue jump, but this time every odd numbered parachutist had a red light attached to his helmet and all the even numbers a green light, fitted so they could be seen from above during free fall. In addition, all the altimeter panels were fitted with lights.  These were tested prior to take off but only turned on just before exit. This jump went splendidly and, with Iain Bowen pushing from the back, a nice tight stick was achieved and all landed close to the box.

The last training jump was again carried out over the Seki DZ, but this time it was out of the DC7 and was with full equipment including suspended loads and personal weapons. Three HALO boxes packed up to the full 350lb load, were positioned on rollers so they could easily be pushed out. The problem with this idea was the rollers would get in the way of the troops following and there was a fair chance of them tripping as they went out the door. This was solved by dropping a mat from the hangar floor over the rollers immediately after the boxes went out the door. We practiced this a few times on the ground and it worked, although we smashed a few boxes on the aircraft hard standing.

The following night the final rehearsal took place over the Seki DZ and everything went as planned. The boxes went out without a problem, the mat was dropped into place and the 24 man stick followed nicely. The drop speed of the DC7 was a fair bit higher than the Dakota, and some of the guys became unstable but managed to stabilise once they reached terminal velocity.

On the afternoon of October 10, 1977, the big day had arrived. I went to Photographic Section and obtained a number of aerial photographs of the proposed DZ, as well as the two turning points on the proposed track to the target area. Both turning points were over rivers, the Limpopo and the Shingwedzi – chosen because large river beds were visible even on moonless nights. The final navigation check was also over the Limpopo River, specifically an island in the middle of it. From this final point it was a case of pressing the stopwatch and holding the heading for the final run in of about ten minutes.

 The paratroops fitted their suspended loads to the lower D rings on their parachute harnesses. All the KAP 3 AODs were armed, including the ones on the HALO boxes. We were ready.

Suddenly one of the men fell forward onto the aircraft floor. There was a general rush to fit an oxygen mask to his face. Now we had a problem: was this man carrying any vital equipment needed on the operation?  Yes he was. There was a frantic search of his suspended load for these items, (some vital bits of a 60mm mortar), which were then distributed amongst the rest of the stick whilst the PJIs attended to his medical needs.

 With two minutes to go, the stick stood up, and checked equipment. The panel lights and helmet lights were turned on, and when the red light came on, so were the strobe lights on the boxes. Looking out the door as we approached the drop point, I was unable to see anything.

The skipper Jack Mallock, who also owned the DC 7F, throttled back to the drop speed of 120 knots. Sqn/Ldr George Alexander, the co-pilot and navigator, turned on the green light and we pushed the three HALO boxes out of the door. As the last box went out the mat was dropped over the rollers and the 23-man operational stick ran out of the door with Ian Bowen pushing from the back.

 It was not the smoothest stick ever dispatched because one of the stick stumbled and fell near the door. Mike Wiltshire and I just picked him up and tossed him out. After the stick had gone I suddenly realised we’d thrown a man out who may have been unconscious.  Thank God for the KAP 3 AOD – even if he was out of it, his parachute would open. Later we learned the man had in fact only tripped and although his exit was unusual and he did a number of somersaults, his training kicked in and he was able to stabilise himself and arrive safely on the ground. Great job!

Sergeant Jan Greyling, however, did fall unconscious immediately outside the aircraft door in the slipstream. He did not wake up until he was floating down under his main parachute canopy. The KAP 3 operated perfectly and saved his life – without  it he would have come round too late to do anything productive, but most likely early enough to be aware he was about to smash into the ground.

The KAP 3 was set to operate at 1500 ft AGL which put Sgt Greyling much lower than the rest of the stick. He landed far from the rest of the stick and was completely lost and alone, deep in hostile territory. Fortunately he was able to make contact with the rest of the group late the next day, much to the relief of all concerned.

After the drop the DC 7 returned to New Sarum. As far as the Parachute Training School was concerned our job was complete, and all we had to do was look after the collapsed paratrooper and hope the largest operational HALO stick of men was okay. They were and the operation was a big success.

 The DC 7F was used on many other operations over the borders of Rhodesia, inside Zambia and Mozambique, where it was used to drop troops and fuel for large attacks on enemy base camps. There was one other large HALO drop using this aircraft, Operation Cheese, the attack on the road and rail bridges over the Chambeshi River in Zambia.

However, when this operation took place, I was doing jumps from a desk in Air Force Headquarters, so I will leave the telling of this operation to the man who carried out the drop, Kevin Milligan. He joined PTS in 1974 and rose through the ranks to finally command the PTS after Zimbabwe gained independence.