Sloppy Link;
Early on in the formation of the Parachute Regiment, as whole Battalions were re-roled, Para Wings were worn on the left breast, before anyone calls "utter tosh" I have a phot of my father, Royal Sussex, who was re-roled in this form of dress.
The problem with saying things such as that ...;
The 10th (Sussex) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War.
The battalion was raised around volunteers from the Royal Sussex Regiment at Kibrit in the Middle East. Assigned to the 4th Parachute Brigade, they joined the 1st Airborne Division in Tunisia. The battalion fought their first action in Operation Slapstick part of the Allied invasion of Italy. They were then withdrawn to England at the end of 1943. Being held in reserve during the Normandy landings, their second action was in Operation Market Garden (Sept 1944) in the Netherlands.
The battalion landed on the second day of the Battle of Arnhem and unable to reach their assigned objective, it was gradually destroyed over two days of fighting. The surviving men managed to withdraw into the divisional position at Oosterbeek. After holding a position in the perimeter, the handful of men left were evacuated south of the River Rhine. The battalion never recovered from the heavy casualties, sustained during the battle and was disbanded. The surviving men being posted to the battalions of the 1st Parachute Brigade.
note: The 1st Airborne Division were carried to Italy by sea
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operat...British_forces
It would seem that your old man might have been misled in the sewing department SL as everyone in these pictures have their wings on their shoulders;
No 10 Platoon, B Coy, 10th Parachute Battalion, June 1944
B Coy, 10th Para Bn, June 1944
Larger versions available on page 2 of
https://paradata.org.uk/media/6670?m...n=Group+photos
You'll be telling us next that your father was always the only one in step 