Ww2 - Parachutist Refusing To Jump

[VHG]

Just read a book about Operation Market Garden, the huge allied campaign after D Day to try to finish the war quickly.

The book says that a large number of parachutists jumped, but a small number refused to once they were over Holland or wherever they had to jump.

Assuming they were not pushed out the plane but taken back to England, what would have happened to them after that?

Would they face a court martial, and would they have served a prison sentence?

Or would they have been quietly moved to another regiment, those doing a safer and quieter job?

Or what?

[chris1957au]

Shot maybe, after a quick court-martial cowardice's in face of the enemy would have been a very serious offence.

[heathfield]

With the UK forces it would mean a courtmartial, loss of para 'wings'. and a transfer to an infantry unit.
There's a discussion here from the American prespective. Towards the end it mentioning 50 years hard labour, (later rescinded). and loss of US citizenship...

http://www.ww2f.com/topic/20655-paratroopers-that-refuse-before-or-over-the-dz/

[jno]

court martial; but I don't think anyone (at least from Britain) was shot for cowardice in WW2. One American deserter was

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eddie_Slovik

[Peter Pedant]

In peace time - and I understand the Operation MG was not in peace time - you are flown back to base ( a para told me) taken to your quarters, pack and leave without a word spoken and go to another unit ( unit from which you came I suppose = RTU'd )

You have / had to do two jumps a month.

He didnt say what the attrition rate was - low I think

Operation MG stands out in a lot of ways - typical British failure etc.
One is, the fella - doctor I think - who predicts inevitable failure, is sectioned and carted off to a mad-house - as an inmate.

The film is I think relatively true to life - in that at release there were squawks of protest at the treatment of various suspects. Gen 'Boy' Brown played by Dirk Bogarde was unfairly treated, and lots replied no he is fairly treated as he portrayed as a BF (bloody fool)

[derekpara]

Once you qualify as a military parachutist a refusal to jump is a court martial offence followed by RTU (Returned To (original) Unit).

A rare event, because after jumping from a balloon a couple of times during training, jumping from an aeroplane is a comparative doddle - apart from the enemy trying to kill you in the air !

D

[derekpara]

I would just add that in training (before you gain your 'wings') you can baulk at the order 'Stand-by, Go!' three times during the balloon jump phase, before being pulled out and RTU'd. You have to complete two balloon jumps followed by six from an aircraft. It's less now, due to the shortage of aircraft.

It's more difficult to 'freeze in the door' in an aircraft (unless you are number one ) because you are in a rapidly moving stick, and I've seen several blokes pushed out because they've hesitated, which is not good for a clean exit but gets everyone on the ground together rather than being spread miles apart.

So, refusing to jump after you've got your wings is classified as disobeying an order and therefore a Court Martial offence.