Airsoft Action 07 - Mar 2012 | Page 59

parachutes, they would be showing the general public massed around the DZ an idea of what the original drop looked like in 1944. Waiting for the jumpers on the ground was George Moodie and his wife Hilary. George is a Paratrooper veteran of the original drop and his son Doug, also a former Paratrooper, was somewhere behind Roy in the first stick. They were going to have a lot to talk about once he landed! “Action stations!” Ian called and Roy moved into the door, handing him his static line. It was a nice day for it; it was a bit gusty despite the blue skies, but nothing they couldn’t handle and well within safety parameters. Behind Roy the rest of the stick shuffled forward and bunched up close behind him. It would have to be a fast exit to make sure no one missed the DZ. Roy looked down and could see the blue flashing lights from the French police car blocking the road on the edge of the DZ. Hundreds of people lined the road, their white faces clearly seen looking upwards towards the aircraft. Roy recognised the track marking the leading edge of the DZ from the aerial map they had seen during their briefing at Carpique Airport. This must have been very close to what the original drop had been like, although Pathfinder was not jumping into enemy territory as the spearhead for one of the biggest invasions in human history – and they were not about to get shot at! LIVING HISTORY “Green on! Go!” Ian shouted in Roy’s ear and slapped him on the shoulder. As a drill movement he stepped smartly into the 120mph slipstream and braced as his feet came up level with his shou