France Det
Sharing memories of my first France det. We set off one Sunday to Centre De Air Porte (CAP) part of the DGA at Toulouse. Took our own minibus. Finding parking outside the hotel was fun. I now know what bumpers are for. For some reason we had to share rooms. top to tail in a double bed. I think Colonel Robin had his own room. After a day of exchange technological briefings the following day we were bussed out to the DZ overlooked by some Grande house where we were served all sorts of niceties. Over the radio came a shout that the Transal was on the run in. So off we set to the patio. Load gone. The French used lots of timex troop chutes in clusters for stores. they all got tangled and the load piled in. A big cheer and sumptuous applause and back in for some more shampoo. half and hour of small talk, the radio bust into life. Out we all went for the C130 drop. Exactly the same result with a bigger load a bigger bang and much more applause. After the obligatory exchange of gifts, framed pictures, and the like we set off via the supermarket for our flight back to Brize. with all the booze it took two trips in the minibus.
Some will know that most of the JATE team lived in the east wing of the mess. My overriding memory is having to put up with the stink of rotting cheese for the rest of the week. The cleaning lady had complained to Mr P. but the owner of the cheese refused to throw away his cache. he was not going home for a few weeks. I went home for the weekend and came back the following week to find the smell lingering.
The JATE team provided MALDROP cover. I certainly recall the discussion over the MSPs into the hillside mentioned above. Capt PG telling me how luck he was to still be alive. I think one landed either side of him in the dark.
I had several more dets to France doing airdrop stuff. Perhaps that's where MJ coined the phrase you are not allowed to smoke 8 hrs prior to flying or drink within 50 yds of the aircraft.