Members of the East Anglian branch of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces have added their voice to the call for a Paras museum in Colchester.

Colchester will greet 2 Para next month from Aldershot and 3 Para will move to their new home at the Garrison in August. Colchester mayor Martin Hunt told veteran Paras he is backing calls for a town-based museum.

Mr Hunt told them at a reception at Colchester Town Hall: "Colchester must have a parachute museum but I'm coming up against a little bit of a brick wall. They say it will be when they remodel the Garrison. I say that's not soon enough."

Many members of the organisation who had seen service spanning from Arnhem in 1944 to the Falklands and the present day said they, too, would like a Paras' museum in the town.

John Fletcher, 83, who joined the 1st Battalion in 1944 just after Arnhem from an artillery unit and left in November 1945 before moving to Colchester said: "There is plenty of room for a Paras' museum in Colchester."

Mr Fletcher of Norman Way, Prettygate, added: "I'm all for 2 Para coming here."

Mal Adams, who joined in 1977 and left in October 1981 just before the Falklands conflict, works for the Maldon-based Cirdan Trust which teaches youngsters to sail.

He also trains members of the Suffolk Army Cadet Force and takes them to visit the Paras' museum in Aldershot.

He said he thought it would be unfair for a regular soldier who had just joined up to have to travel a long distance to visit the museum.

Steve Thayer, who saw 24 years' service with the Paras, said: "If this is going to be the home for Paras then I think the museum should move with them. They are going to be here for a very long time."

An Army spokesman said trustees of the Airborne Forces Museum, which is based at Aldershot, were due to meet at the end of April.

He said they would look at several options for the future home of the museum, but added no concrete decisions had been made.

The chairman of the East Anglian branch of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces, Colonel Alan Munro, presented Mr Hunt with a signed print of 2 Para at Arnhem for the borough to commemorate links between the town and the Paras.

The picture was signed by John Frost, who commanded the 2nd battalion at the infamous battle at Arnhem in Holland in 1944, which was immortalised in the film A Bridge Too Far and made the Paras reputation.

The East Anglian branch of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces welcomes new members, who should contact Ron Hill on 01206 543589. Members can be serving or veteran Paras.

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