Captain Charles G P Shea-Simonds

I was born in March 1942 and commissioned into the Parachute Regiment from RMA Sandhusrt in December 1962. Initially I served in 3 PARA with Tony Farrar-Hockley as my CO. I missed out on the Radfan Campaign as I was doing my Hythe & Warminster courses.

In September 1965 I was posted to Depot Para as a Recruit Platoon Commander. with Peter Walter as my Company Commander for most of the time. In September 1967 was posted as 2i/c B Company 1 PARA in Aden with Mike Walsh as CO and Tony Watson as my Company Commander.

In February 1968 I was posted as Adjutant 4 PARA with David Callaghan as my Commanding Officer. During my three years with 4 PARA I formed a battalion Free Fall Parachute Display Team named the Ravens.

Having left the Army in January 1971 I went on to become Chairman of first the British Parachute Association then the Royal Aero Club and then the Historic Aircraft Association. I was Chief Pilot of the Army Parachute Association for 30 years from 1983. In 1982 I was awarded a Royal Aero Club Siver Medal for services to sport parachuting and I was awarded the 1985 Gold Parachuting Medal of the International Aviation Federation. I founded and led the Tiger Moth Diamond 9 Team from 1985 until 2000.