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On 22 June 1940 Prime Minister Winston Churchill wrote a minute to the British Chiefs of Staff directing the setting up of a Corps of Parachute soldiers. Number 2 Commando began parachute training at Ringway near Manchester the following month.

Events

Formation and Early Airborne Forces

On the 22nd June 1940, Winston Churchill sent a letter to General Ismay requesting a corps of at least 5000 troops. He had been impressed by the successes of German parachute and glider-borne troops who had secured vital objectives ahead of the armou...

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Articles

Early Parachuting and Airborne Forces

The concept of human flight is a relatively new art, while a safe descent from the air has followed closely behind. One of the earliest conceptions of a version of paragliding came in a detailed sketch by Leonardo Da Vinci. Pioneering theorists experime...

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Churchill's Letter

Following Churchill's wishes for "a corps of at least 5,000 parachute troops, suitably organised and equipped" a Parachute Training School was established at Ringway Airport near Manchester, and No 2 Commando was chosen for the first training in parachu...

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