Moray man's role in WWII commemoration
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A FORMER paratrooper from Moray has taken part in a mass jump over Holland as part of commemorations of a WWII operation.
Ray Treadwell, from Mosstodloch, joined current and former military personnel from Britain, Norway, Sweden and the US for the Operation Amherst event.
The 62-year-old was among 60 members and former members of the Swedish, British, Norwegian and US Airborne and Special Forces who took part, with 155 jumps completed over three days.
He said: "It is truly special, jumping into areas with former UK military colleagues and other nations where our airborne brothers dropped previously over 70 years ago to free Europe, sometimes under fire.
"Even now this isn't without risk. Following operation Amherst I was delighted and proud to receive my Dutch Parachute Wings at the age of 62, despite having already earned my British Operational Wings at the age of 21 and my Instructors Brevet at the age of 29."
Operation Amherst played out in April 1945 and was a Free French and British SAS attack designed to capture intact Dutch canals, bridges and airfields.
It is not the first commemorative jump in which Mr Treadwell has played a part.
Last autumn, he leapt from a Douglas Dakota into the Victory Show at Cosby in Leicestershire.
The plane flew during WWII moving members of the US 101st Airborne into theatre, with drops at both Normandy and Arnhem.
Mr Treadwell was in the military for 15 years and served with the Parachute Regiment before becoming a parachute jump instructor with the RAF.
He left in 1989 but took the decision to re-train two years ago after a hiatus of more than 25 years.
