PEGASUS COMPANY
(P COY)
INFANTRY TRAINING CENTRE, CATTERICK.
Pegasus Company (P Coy) is loacted at the Infantry Training Centre in Catterick, North Yorkshire. From this location, P Coy run Pre-Parachute Selection (PPS) courses for both regular and TA personnel. All Officers and soldiers who wish to serve with Airborne Forces, must attend Pre-Parachute Selection with P Coy. The Pegasus Company mission is as follows:
To test the physical fitness, determination and mental robustness, under conditions of stress, to determine whether an individual has the self discipline and motivation required for service with Airborne Forces.
P Coy run 3 separate PPS courses. These are:
1. Parachute Regiment Recruit PPS (approx 9 per year)
2. All Arm Regular PPS (6 per year)
3. TA Parachute Regiment/TA All-Arms PPS (3 per year)
In addition, P Coy is responsible for the delivery of the TA Combat Infantryman's Course (CIC) PARA to all personnel who wish to serve with 4 PARA(V). 3 of these courses are held annualy. See the 4 PARA website for details of the TA (PARA) CIC.
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Live Firing On Ranges |
A Field Craft Lecture |
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Click the link to watch a video, coutesy of Google Video
This video was not produced by the Parachute Regiment whole or in part.
TEST WEEK
Test Week is common to all 3 PPS courses. Regular Parachute Regiment Recruits and All-Arms officers/soldiers undertake the same basic tests. Parachute Regiment recruits attempt Test Week at week 20 of their CIC Course. All-Arms candidates attempt Test Week after a two and a half week 'build up' phase. Out of necessity (TA Soldiers do not have the same opportunities to prepare that the regulars have), the TA Test Week is slightly different.
During Test Week, candidates will be expected to run, march and carry dead weights over 1-20 miles on undulating terrain. Test Week comprises of 8 separate events over a four and a half day period. 7 events are scored, one(the Trainasium) is a straight pass/fail. Each event is designed to assess a candidates physical fitness, mental robustness and determination. A candidate who fails to display the appropriate level of self discipline and motivation throughout Test week will fail the course. Test week starts on a Wednesday morning and will finish the following Tuesday. The Tests are as follows:
1. 10 Mile March (Wednesday morning). The 10-mile march is conducted as a squad, over undulatiing terrain with each candidate carrying a bergen (Back Pack) weighing 35 pounds.(+ water) and a weapon. The march must be completed in 1 hour and 50 minutes. TA candidates have 2 hours.
2. Trainasium (Wednesday afternoon). The Trainasium is an 'Aerial Confidence Course' which is unique to P Company. In order to assess his suitability for military parachuting, the Trainasium tests a candiates ability to overcome fear and carry out simple activities and instructions at a height above ground level. The event is a straight PASS/FAIL.
3. Log Race (Thursday morning). A team event with 8 individual carrying a 60 kg log over a distance of 1.9 miles over undulatin terrain.
4. 2 Mile March (Thursday afternoon). The 2-mile march is conducted over undulating terrain with each individual carrying a bergen (Back Pack) weighing 35 pounds (+ water) and a weapon. A helmet and combat jacket is also worn. The march must be completed in 18 minutes or under. TA candidates have 19 minutes.
5. Steeplechase (Friday morning). An individual test with candidates running against the clock over a 1.8 mile cross country course. The course features a number of 'water obstacles' and having completed the cross country element, candidates must negociate and 'Assault Course' to complete the test.
6. Milling (Friday afternoon). 60 seconds of 'controlled physical aggression' against an opponent of similar height and weight.
7. Endurance March (Monday). A squadded march conducted over 20 miles of severe terrain. Each individual carries a bergen (Back Pack) weighing 35 pounds (+ water & food) and a weapon. The march must be completed in under 4 and a half hours. TA candidtaes do not undertake this event.
8. Stretcher Race (Tuesday morning). The final event of Test Week. Teams of 16 men carry a 175 pound stretcher over a distance of 5 miles. No more that 4 men carry the stretcher at any given time. Individuals wear webbing and carry a weapon.
ALL ARMS PRE-PARACHUTE SELECTION (AAPPS)
All serving officers and soldiers who wish to join an Airborne unit must attend AAPPS. The course last 3 and a half weeks and is split into the following phases:
1. Phase 1 - Screening: Held on the first Monday of the course.
2. Phase 2- Build Up: This phase lasts 2 and a half weeks and is a progressive physical build up to 'Test Week'. It als includes a military skills revision/instructional package.
3. Phase 3 - Test Week: As described above.
SCREENING DAY
Screening day takes place on the first Monday of the course. Failure to meet the approriate standard for each event will result in failure and the candidate will be returned to his unit (RTU). The screenig events are listed below:
a. 8 mile march. All candidates attempt an 8 Mile squadded march. carryiny 35 pounds (+ water) and a weapon. The march is to be completed in a time of one hour fifty minutes.
b. Trainasium Introduction.
c. 1.5 Mile Run. All candidates conduct a 1.5 mile individual run, preceeded by a warm-up. Candidates MUST complete the run in under 9 minutes and 30 seconds.
BUILD-UP PHASE
The build-up phase aims to prepare a candidate physically and mentally for Test Week. The phase is used to fatigue candidates, thereby creating the conditions of mental and physical stress under which they will be tested during Test Week. The build-up phase comprises of 2.5 weeks of physicall preparation which consists of 2 sessions of development training per day, The build-up phase is a vital part of AAPPS and failure to perform may result in the candidate being RTU'd. Candidates conduct the following types of PT during this phase:
1. Load-Carrying Marches. Carrying a bergan weighing 35 pounds (+ water) and a weapon, a number of theses marches include 'hill repetitions.'
2. Fast Runs. Candidates take part in demanding runs up to a distance od 11 miles dressed in T Shirt, trousers and trainers. Candidates carry a water bottled in 'stripped-down' webbing and also conduct 'hill reps'
3. Circuit Training. Candidtaes attend a number of Circuit Training sessions in the gymnasium. These sessions concentrate on upper-body strength as well as the legs.
4. Military Skills. Candidates take part in a number of basic military skills lessions. these include:
a.Map Reading. After some revision periods candidates sit a basic map-reading test
b First Aid. Revision periods concentrate on basic first aid techniques.
c. Fieldcraft. Exercise PEGASUS DAGGER is a 24 hour exercise during which candidates administer themselves in the filed under tactical condidtions. Candidates also take part in blank-firing attacks up to section level and a day/night navigation exercise.
d. Bayonet Fighting. Candidates carry out bayonet fighting techniques on the Infantry Training Centre bayonet 'run'
e. Military Swim Test. A Basic test which all serving soldiers must attempt.
SUMMARY
PPS is both physically and mentally demanding. Candidates can expect to be pushed to their limits and beyond. The prize, for those who are successful, is the award of the coveted 'maroon beret' and the opportunity to go on to conduct the Basic Parachute Course at RAF Brize Norton.
In 1982 the Parachute Regiment helped the BBC make a highly successful television series on what it takes to be a Para. The seven programmes were shown on BBC1 in Mar / Apr 1983, after the Falklands War. The cameras followed the recruits of 480 Platoon from the day they enlisted in January 1982, through basic training at Aldershot, then P Company, parachuting at Brize Norton, and the passing out parade at Aldershot on 16 July 1982, then on with some of them to Northern Ireland. Most of the 23 who qualified went to 2 and 3 PARA. Author Frank Hilton wrote an equally successful companion book to the series “The Paras”.
Frank Hilton and producer David Harrison are keen to contact former members of 480 Platoon – and the staff who trained them – with a view to making a follow-up programme. Harrison says: “We would like to know what happened to the soldiers we came to know so well in the programmes, about their time long or short spent in the Army, and what sort of career they have followed since. If you are an ex-member of 480 Platoon or know anyone who was – or helped train them – we’d love to hear from you”.
RHQ PARA is assisting Frank Hilton and David Harrison with their project and would like to make first contact to ensure only the details of those happy to participate are released. If you are ex-480 Platoon or were a member of the training staff and are happy for Frank Hilton or David Harrison to contact you, please forward your contact details FAO Mike Edgeley (quoting ‘480 Platoon’) to RHQ PARA at:
Tel: 01206 782102
Email: rhq@parachute-regiment.com
Address: Regimental Headquarters
The Parachute Regiment
Flagstaff House
4 Napier Road
Colchester
CO2 7SW
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