Reg hack insults the Parachute Regiment

Sheesh you military types are high-strung

Relatively humdrum = not all-female

How hard is that to understand?

El Reg standards are falling

That would never have been considered for even a brief mention in the Flame of the Week. There were not even any block capitals!

In defence of the Paras

Knowing a few whom are still in and a few who still wish they were, I can fairly say that they are actually a very humourous and friendly bunch, as long as you're not doing something stupid like shooting at them. And if I was in a nasty spot, neck-deep in the brown stuff, the Paras would be one-off top of my list for the people I'd like to be coming to give the bad guys a serious case of lead poisioning. Having said all that, I must also say that I'm a bit shocked that one of them is reading The Reg, and I bet he doesn't admit to it too loudly in the mess!

Heh heh!

Never nark a para - you never know when you might need them :)

Ive always wondered...

Why the supposed "best" paratroopers in britain are sitting at home doing airshows and not off fighting in the hot spots of afghanistan and iraq with the "regular" para's? Ditto for the airforce aerobatics teams.

Surely you want your best to be in the frontline killing people and hopefully shortening the wars through there skills? Or is that just me?

And I thought...

that only two things fell from the sky.

@F**k me, a computer-literate Para

'Twas my post, so I guess I should point out that I actually have great admiration for them (even if I think they're a significant bit loopy given their habit of jumping out of perfectly servicable aircraft - leaving Nimrods I could understand, Fat Alberts[1] not so sure).

Still think Italian women look better in skirts or skintight jumpsuits though, sorry guys....

[1]Fat Albert, also known as the C-130 Hercules.

Headline "The Register looses Respect"

You are only as good as your last story.

The Paras need no defence and they do not need to defend themselves either.

If you have met the Red Devils they are big guys, I don't mean tall I mean big as in "Don't walk into one in the dark you will think you have hit a door". And they could parachute right down the chimney of your fart factory. There would be no escape.

I would say "Resistance is futile" but that would give the wrong impression altogether.

Sounds like the Para's

Touchy lot the Para's but then they are likened to wild dogs by some in the forces. But they are trained and conditioned to be that way.

My personal favourite is a friend of mine who went for a job at the MGS, (Ministry of Defence Guard Service,) that guards the gates at the Aldershot Garrison. (Where the Para's used to be based.) This was not long after the Para's had moved to Colchester.

Interviewer: So how do you feel about working with animals.

Friend: Absolutely fine, looking forward to it, but I'd heard that the Para's had all moved out.

Interviewer: **Dumbstruck silence as brain filters the joke**

I should note that said friend is a former Commando, and they do have a rather "healthy" rivalry with the Para's ;)

Can we stop calling them Paras?

Because all I can see is comments about Paris doing naked skydiving.

Paris, for obvious reasons.

Paras or Itallian babes?..

Well I know which I'd rather watch going down quickly.. mmm, nevermind.

Humdrum \Hum"drum`\, a.

Monotonous; dull; commonplace. [1913 Webster]

I've seen the Red Devils (and a good few other bunches of blokes skydiving and doing cool things on parachutes) on many occasions and yes, the Red Devils are the best at what they do - no doubt there in my mind.

However, I've *never* seen a team of scantily clad Itallian ladies falling out the sky towards me.

Saying the Red Devils were 'more humdrum', then, is accurate (if a bit dismissive); it's just like saying that the flame the author got in response was 'more considered, good-humored, polite, reserved and literate' than the usual examples El Reg gets.

Re:F**k me, a computer-literate Para!

Did my CS degree with an ex Para, bloke was frighteningly clever and worked harder than anyone. He also had a face that said "mess with me and die". He got a 1st, one of only 5 or 6 that graduated that year ('98).

Horses for courses

I think we should agree, just like our pointless arguments about operating systems or whatever, in the real world we need different skills for different jobs. For example:

Jumping out of a plane and looking really nice: Italian chicks.

Jumping out of a plane and killing everything that moves: Paras.

Writing flames: Fat spotty computer nerds.

How about that?

@ Steen Hive

Its apparent that you were very much for the IRA and your ridicule of the UDR is because more often than not, you and your friends usually tried to be the big dick and go and attack them.

Inter force rivalry i agree with. Tossers on an IT comments page who only have balls when playing Quake 3 are frankly full of shite.

Well Said.....Aaron Giuntini

I think most of the dimwits on here slagging off the Reg (and military in general) forget how much hard work these lads do, and have no idea of what goes on outside of their nice comfy life through rose tinted glasses.

They have a right to be proud of what they do and that includes standing up to a slap dash comment by a Register author sat in his nice comfy office while our boys are being shot at and risking life and limb.

and as for "Craig - How hard can falling out of a plane be?". I'm guessing you've never done it, nor had the balls to try. Go back to your Star Trek re-runs and x10 home installation project.

Have some respect.

@Aaron Giuntini

"..all this crapioca about Paras and former paras being thick is a load of crap... i now work happily in IT and am not thick....

really? - let's read on..

..If there is one thing that N.I taught me is that if you let utter bollocks like religion drive you to kill other people and think that you are right then you are an IDIOT...

true, but i'd contend that killing someone to help the career of a politician who's falling behind in the opinion polls is an even more contemptuous reason

"...why don't you actually try to be an individual and break from the dogmas that strangle your country?..."

'be an individual' eh? hmmm.... maybe a career in the military would help? that's famed for encouraging individuality and free thought; 'yes sir! no sir! three bags full sir! must kill paddies/argentinians/iraquis/afghanis/iranians* [delete as appropriate] because some cunt in no.10 downing street says so.'

i broke many a dogma i have been... [in] ..the Paras and have been a committed Scottish Nationalist for the past 10 years. albeit i have served in the British Army as a Para these days i consider myself Scottish and NOT British.

er... might i refer you back to your earlier 'i am not thick' remark? so you're a scottish nationalist but you serve[d] in the army that's occupying your country. OK. let's just draw our own conclusions there, shall we?

[paris/paras = similar IQ]

Hmmm, irony not on the syllabus at Para school

I don't think he is a real para, most of them are convinced they are the greatest and don;t feel the need to get defensive like the last guy.

They also have a sense of humour; a former member extolled the virtues of being both scottish and a para, and put forth the question "if we weren't the greatest, why are 2/3 of the SAS former paras?", to which I replied "an IQ ceiling in the selection exam?".

@Aaron Giuntini

Have you any idea how hypocritical your post is?

1. To start with, you are criticising people on the via reg comments for doing exactly that. (Granted so am I but it takes one to know one. So there.)

2. You criticise office workers for being "petty dicks who make big issues out of trivial nonsense." and yet you become an office worker who writes 17 lines whining about a blog comment.

3. You accuse blog commenters of being nadless.. in a blog comment.

4. You served with the British Army but you refuse to be recognised as British, yeah Scotland has an independant goverment but as I understand it, they are just as British as the part of Ulster unlucky enough to be north-east of the border. That's like not recognising that you need air to breathe, its true wether you recognise it or not.

5. It was only your job to go because you joined the British Army, you were not forced to join, you chose to. Deal with it.

I agree that the para's were big enough not to take the abuse of the childish seriously but you assume that you are criticising a republican, how do you think the loyalists felt about their beloved government sending in para's against them?

I'm with you on the sentiment of braking free from strangling dogmas.

One other thought: Is it more foolish to put your life on the line for the sake of your soul (even if your faith is misplaced) or to risk your life for the materialistic goals of H.M. Government?

@Ouldbob

Decent comment, liked that one.

For all of you others, I didn't like the use of there instead of their.

Ahem.

Mine's the one with 'nit-picker' on the back.

@David

Bollocks. The treatment of law-abiding civilians on the ground by Para and the UDR as compared to say professionals like 1st Bat. Gordon Highlanders is like comparing chalk and cheese. Of the innumerable stops over 2 decades on the Westlink or heading towards Auchnacloy at 3am and having been pulled over by world+dog, including a republican gang in South Armagh, the most grief, physical abuse and general unpleasantness was invariably served up by the UDR with Para running close second. And that to a British citizen and passport holder. God knows what they did to Irish citizens or Catholics.

Sensitivity

Whoa! Touchy som-bitch ain't he.

RE: Meh, navy gits...

Paris because, well, she's a big fan of seamen.

@AC(s) who wants respect

"You need to get some bloody respect. These troops risk their lives every day and have to deal with some incredible horrors that we cannot even begin to comprehend."

"Anyone who has the courage to put their lives on the line on daily basis should be treated with respect."

Not necessarily, and not always. Only if the reason behind is respect-worthy. Say, like firefighters or honest policemen. Or real defense of your people against an invader's military. Testosterone-filled drones who just go kill some people to advance the economical interests of the corporations that control their country's government don't deserve any respect, and I won't give them any, no matter how many temper tantrums blockheads who believe in something as stupid as "national pride" will throw. After all, what was last time the British Isles were militarily attacked again? Oh, that's right...

Flames for firefighters, who are the ones who always deserve a priori respect (as far as I can tell so far...)

@Lee

Pedant Alert:

Actually Lee, Northern Ireland, just like the remainder of Ireland, is actually British. The British Isles refers to the collection of islands off the north west coast of Europe (including both of the largest islands. Great Britain is the name of the largest of those islands. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland refers to the country consisting of both this 1 big island and part of the next biggest.

Nevertheless, this naming is all highly disputed. Have a read of something like http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminology_of_the_British_Isles although you can get similar treaties from most major encyclopedias.

Of course, as a final point, it can often be best to avoid the term British or British Isles since in many contexts it can cause offence. Expect to have to tread carefully amongst any nationalists or unionists from Northern Ireland (or the 6 counties), although I have had this discussion with a number of my friends from both Northern and Southern Ireland, including both Catholics and Protestants.

There Are Some Problems With Your Comment. A Title Is Required.

Love threads like this. But what happened to the template responses that so often crop up on dear old El Reg, viz:

1) What does any of this have to do with over-clocking?

2) You can moan about Bill Gates all you bloody want but that wanker Jobs is in a different league.

3) And your eBay-related question is?

4) Don't fuckin' blame me, I never voted for them.

5) There's nothing wrong with Ladas.

6) Of course Alf Ramsey was no bleedin' use, coming on here to even ask the question shows what a moron you really are.

7) So, what, you really, really believe the shadows are where they should be in that Buzz Aldrin picture? Yeah, right!

8) And I still say The Dome was OK.

9) All I'm saying is, Formula One was never the same after Pete Murray retired.

10) If you'd been at Sebastopol you'd know what hell is really like, so shut the fuck up.

11) My grandad was a fireman and the salt of the earth.

12) Please God, don't tell us you actually bought a DAB radio?

13) OK, so he's from Egypt, but that doesn't mean he's wrong about Prince Philip.

14) You've only got to climb down the subway access hatch to find The Twin Towers completely intact.

15) Well I blame it on Dell.

16) So what price yer Barratt Home now, eh?

17) And you're sure he told your sister he was a paratrooper?

18) It's pissing it down yet you keep coming on here, banging on about global warming.

19) Well if you read TFM you don't need to ask here what TFM means, do you?

20) It was you who said you had that Cherie Blair in the back of your cab, not me.

Etc.

Hmmm

Having meet the red devils I can say they are a bunch of intelligent, well humored and friendly blokes, and it has to be said far from thick!

Everyone has the right to vent when a comment is made that they find insulting about something they are proud off and proud to be, so give the guy a break!

I am sure if you made a bad comment about the fire service they would be quick enough to answer back.

I have the upmost respect for any person who puts their life on the line for others but having said that you can not deny that the military do have it harder. Oh and step in when the fire service decide to go on strike for yet more pay!

The comment "I don't think he is a real para, most of them are convinced they are the greatest and don;t feel the need to get defensive like the last guy" Do you know any reg blokes ? With a comment like that I think not!!

So to all of you with the poisonous tongue's - take yourselves outside and have a word with yourselves!!!!

IT'S THE RED DEVIL!!!

Hold on boys and girls, I didn't really mean to start World War 3, it seems that some of the comments have gone off on a wee tangent!

Firstly, my comment "cheeky little f**ker" was for the author and I did not expect it to be posted on the internet and certainly did not expect it to cause so much debate. Especially as a lot of the debate has nothing to do with the original comment. It's just as well it was posted on a "relatively humdrum" website or I could be in real trouble (tongue in cheek)! Seems some people have real issues and need to let go of the past.

Secondly, I was already in a mood when I read the original article written by Lewis, which only incensed me further. Admittedly I failed to see the tongue in cheek humour, and in true marine style, I'll hold my hands up! As I said it was written in the heat of the moment and maybe I should have written a more intelligent reply not using bad language. Also I could have done a spelling/grammar check as not to upset the geeks.

I'd also like to respond to some of the comments:

To Lupus- A nude female Parachute Regiment team? I doubt it seeing as females have tried and unfortunately failed P Coy. Maybe a nude marine team in the near future? (tongue in cheek/light hearted banter)

To Aimee- "the Paras are dimwitted, ignorant unproffesional c**ts, second only to the room temp IQ of the UDR." Thats not very nice is it?

To Adam White- We do love gay fans, we love all fans!

To David Gosnett- It was not really a throw down was it? Didn't even sound like one, and honestly I did not get shot down by one of the shooting stars.

To a few people- I agree, I probably would rather look at 4 Italian chicks once they were one the ground stood next to us, so no offense taken.

To Anonymous Cowards- Yes you really are! "I fancy a job with lots of travel, fun and fresh air. Where do I apply?" Well, put your money where your mouth is, www.armyjobs.mod.uk. By the way what were you doing sat in front of your computer at 0154 on a Saturday night/Sunday morning, really sad!

Also my comment was not having a go at Farnborough Airshow, on the contrary I think Farnborough is awesome. By larger I meant the crowds, they do seem larger in the States after all I have sat above many of them. By more interesting I meant the variety of performers we see over the pond including airbourne and seabourne assualts onto airfields and beaches, pretty damn impressive with all the pyro invovled.

To James- Every member of The Red Devils has served at least 3 years in a regular Parachute Battalion and would have done numerous tours of N.I, Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Iraq and Afghan putting their lives on the line. The Red Devils exist to recruit for the Army and in particular The Parachute Regiment. As with all large companies we need to recruit surely even you can understand that? Though reading your last comment, "Surely you want your best to be in the frontline killing people and hopefully shortening the wars through there (thats their by the way) skills?" Do you really believe killing more people will shorten the wars? What planet do you live on!!? Thats way above my pay scale mate, try ministerial/presidential/oil executive level, you maybe a little nearer the mark!

There were some comments that really hurt me, saying I was stoopid, arrogant and a self obsessed tosspot was particularly hurtful. However I was informed today by our website designers, Gencon, that our website has had an irregular number of hits through the above link, almost 1000. Maybe not so stoopid after all eh? All you need to do now is follow the link to our website, click on "jump with us", come see why we are proud of who we are and what we do, and raise some money for worthy charities such as Help For Heroes. Time spent much better I think you'd all agree rather than posting ridiculous comments on a website.

One last thing- to Lewis, thanks for the email explaining yourself, I will take it as light hearted banter as I should have done in the first place, so no need to F**k me! Should have guessed you were a SEAHAT though ( tongue in cheek/light hearted banter)! Take care and good luck with all you do.

Danny

Red Devils Free Fall Team

Enough!

I have followed the ebb and flow of 'debate' concerning the armed forces and female paras, and fully subscribe to the consensus that favours Italian girls doing it for fun and the Paras doing it for real.

But enough already! Insults don't sound half as effective when misspelt and it is not necessary for our armed forces - the envy of the world - to pour scorn on the civilian elements, they should save their hostilities for the enemy - so should our civvys.

We, as a nation, only ever seem to stop cussing each other when there is a war on and - STOP PRESS - There are two (and a half) going on just now, so stow it!

I was a soldier with a bad attitude once but now I am a mature gentile civilian expecting civilised behaviour from our finest.

Kiss and make up and we'll all grab a pint and go watch the girls strutting their stuff. Much better that arguing about it.

@Frank Sheridan

Totally agree, berets or hats (No blinkin's frog talk round 'ere) off to all of them.

Amazing people but the all female display team sounds rather nice too.

I wonder if they have any good lookin' ladies in the paras?