INTRODUCTION: HOW I CAME TO WRITE THIS BLOG

                                               INTRODUCTION


In January 2008 I was invited to Busselton, West Australia, by Paul Hogan to attend a reunion of parachute jumping instructors (PJI's) from the Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Training School.  Paul, an Australian ex-pat at the time, and also a keen sky-diver, had been recruited from the civilian population into the  Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Training School. After Rhodesia became Zimbabwe, Paul returned to Australia and eventually purchased a skydiving business in Busselton.

It was Paul's great idea to organize a reunion of the PTS.  At this wonderful get together I was introduced to a friend of Paul’s by the name of Peter Garrett, who listened to our stories about the Rhodesian Bush War and to the contribution made by paratroopers during this conflict. Peter volunteered his services as the author of the book if we agreed to furnish him with the necessary information. Unfortunately, circumstances changed for Peter and he passed the task of writing the story on to me.

I hope I’m able to do justice to it , and to the men who both taught and learned military parachuting with us.  In part it is the story of the Rhodesian Bush War. A war against an enemy, fighting for black majority rule, but trained and armed by the communist powers of Russia and China, who were attempting to expand their influence into the heart of Africa. It is also a  part personal memoir, (my own and my fellow PJIs), – our view of the drama and excitement, the danger and the adrenalin rush of the Rhodesian Air Force Parachute Training School in training and combat .