The Parachute Regiment and the MCM
Soldiers of the Parachute Regiment on patrol. Photo: British Army
2011
The Parachute Regiment have announced their team for the 36th Marine Corps Marathon on October 30, which as it stands comprises the following members:
Captain Will Lock, Cpl Bosworth, Cpl Walton, Cpl Brown (1PARA), Cpl Plumb (wounded in action in 2009, GSW to left arm)
We'll be updating this page with futher information as received. In the meantime, we welcome your support:
http://www.active.com/donate/TeamAzalea2011/ParachuteReg
2010
A Parachute Regiment team featuring wounded warriors competed in the prestigious US Marine Corps Marathon in Washington DC, on October 31st, 2010; the 35th time it has been held.
This running of the event through the capital city of the USA is a major international event, attracting military teams from all over the world including US, Denmark and the UK.
The Parachute Regiment Team photo (less McCoombe). l-r: Neathway, Van Gass, Dry, Kerrigan.
CAPT MIKE KERRIGAN: Mike is 28 years old and started his military career at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in January 2005. In December of that year he commissioned into The Parachute Regiment. He has previously tabbed the London Marathon in 2007 and enjoys playing most sports but particularly rugby (badly). A day skipper, the social side of sailing attracts Mike to the water. Operationally Mike has deployed to Afghanistan twice as a platoon commander.
CPL PETE MCCOOMBE (not in photo): 30 years old from Liverpool, Pete McCoombe joined The Parachute Regiment in 2001 and was involved in the invasion and liberation of Iraq. Following this he promoted to Lance Corporal in 2004 and commanded a team in Northern Ireland before deploying for a second time to Iraq. Promoting to Corporal he deployed to Afghanistan. A Physical Training Instructor, Pete enjoys keeping fit and has boxed in heavyweight, middleweight and lightweight categories for the Regiment. He is also an accomplished Thai boxer and represented the Regiment against the Royal Marines. It was on his second tour of Afghanistan – his 5th operational tour – where he lost his eye. Acting as a Platoon Sergeant with his troops in contact, he moved to a position where he could identify the enemy where he detonated an IED.
PTE JACO VAN GASS: Jaco is a 24 year old from Pretoria in South Africa and joined The Parachute Regiment in Feb 2007. He has served in Northern Ireland and twice in Afghanistan. During a fierce contact, a RPG hit the ladder he was carrying and deflected onto his left arm where it detonated on the bone. As a result, Jaco lost his left arm above the elbow with blast wounds down his left hand side. Jaco spent 4 months in Headley Court before starting his rehab. He has completed a half marathon in Kenya and enjoys getting out on his road bike.
L/CPL TOM NEATHWAY: Tom, 26 from Worcester joined The Parachute Regiment in 2001. After a spell in a rifle company, he specialised in communications for his battalion, assimilating complex and new equipment. Having been promoted to L/Cpl, Tom was selected to serve in the Patrols Platoon, the reconnaissance specialists within the battalion. Tom completed tours in Northern Ireland, two in Iraq, and on his 4th operational tour with 2PARA In July 2008, his unit was at Kajaki, in Helmand province, occupying a sandbagged emplacement when an improvised device (IED) exploded beneath him. He said it felt like being hit by a hard rugby tackle. Friends thought he would not survive. His left arm and both legs below the knee were amputated. Since then he has learned to ski and to water ski and is a regular parachutist. Tom now a Corporal is a trained sniper, organises jump training at Brize Norton and supports Chelsea Football Club.
PTE KEIRON DRY: Keiron joined The Parachute Regiment in 2008 having previously played rugby for Loughborough University. He remains an excellent rugby player – both disciplines but predominantly league. Kerion was shot in the back of the head by the Taliban during his first tour of Afghanistan. He was exceptionally lucky as the bullet’s trajectory was altered by his helmet resulting in a grazing to his head leaving it requiring 12 stitches, but no more damage other than the impact to his head. Keiron demonstrated great commitment to his platoon by begging not to be sent home after the incident, despite the medical staff wishing him to be so. It is the mark of the man that he was back on the ground as soon as the side effects subsided. Keiron is due to return to Afghanistan as a newly trained mortar specialist imminently.
Members of the Parachute Regiment team with Stephen Cain, MBE, President and CEO of the AFF
Please help to Carry these Comrades. The door to recognise their courage is never closed.
Marathon Heroes’ story
‘HOO-RA!’
35th U.S. MARINE CORPS MARATHON
By Pte Jaco van Gass
Para Team members on the run. Photo courtesy of Pte. Jaco Van Gass
Sunday 31st October 2010, 0700 in the beautiful city of Washington DC. Watching the sunrise as we wait at the start, our team of five is confident but the inevitable anxiety is making itself known. We have a long way to go and are all desperate to get started. We stand to attention for the US national anthem, the supporting crowd cheers and with a final salute it’s time to start the race.
Our journey began on the previous Thursday at Heathrow Airport, where the team (Capt Mike Kerrigan, Cpl Peter McCoombe, Cpl Tom Neathway, Pte Kierhan Dry and Pte Jaco van Gass) formed up. All but Mike had been wounded in Afghanistan and therefore the team had a special interest in raising awareness and funds for the Parachute Regiment Charity. Already having raised over £5000 and with the story having appeared in the national press, there were expectations to be met. We needed to perform. Being ‘diffy’ 2 arms, 2 legs, and an eye, along with multiple gunshot and shrapnel wounds was, being Paras, insufficient challenge, so each man (less Tom on a hand-bike) also carried a 40lb pack plus Toms legs. It wasn’t all hardship though, since British Airways had contributed a generous upgrade to business class with a couple of bottles of champagne thrown in. We therefore landed in Washington in good order.
Having slept off the long flight and champagne we head to the runners expo to register and collect our goody bags and bib numbers for race day. This massive event, with hundreds of stands selling every conceivable running aid, energy gel and clothing was like an Aladdin’s cave to the team who blagged an obscene amount of shiny new kit whilst enjoying the American support for injured servicemen.
The Washington Marathon demands that all runners must cross the Memorial Bridge (at mile 18) within 4 hours. For anyone who does not make this, the race is over. While this would normally not present a problem, we lost valuable minutes replacing the chain on Tom’s bike which had a habit of coming off when going uphill. Needless to say, we crossed the bridge with more than an hour to spare. The tremendous support from the crowd played an enormous part in spurring us on. ‘Thank you for your service’ rang in our ears and made light work of an otherwise demanding event. The cheerleaders along the route also helped!
After making the bridge our pace had to slow to accommodate injuries that were now causing significant discomfort. With gritted teeth we crossed the finish line, to a standing ovation from the significant crowd. Having received another medal to add to the collection we returned to our hotel to rest before enjoying a tour of the city the following day.
The Parachute Regiment Charity has raised significant funds to ensure that injured Para Reg soldiers are looked after throughout their lives. Our thanks go out to Stephen Cooper – the Director of the Charity who put it all together and Stephen Cain the essential ‘man on the ground’ in the US. Finally, a big thank you to all who donated and supported us, in particular our American cousins at Credit Suisse who paid for our flights and British Airways for making the journey hassle free and comfortable!
