- SURNAME
Inglis
- FORENAME
John Andrew
- UNIT
4 (V) Para
- RANK
Private
- NUMBER
24219567
- AWARD
British Empire Medal
- PLACE
Salisbury Plain, England (London Gazette 20.2.1973)
- ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
London Gazette 45917, 26th February 1973, Page 2677
CITATION:
British Empire Medal : On 1st July 1972 Private Inglis, a member of the T.A.V.R., was parachuting with his Battalion, 4th (Volunteer) Bn., The Parachute Regiment, in an area of Salisbury Plain. On jumping from an aircraft he became entangled with another soldier also a member of the T.A.V.R. This soldier passed through the rigging lines of Private Inglis's parachute and became suspended beneath Inglis some 700 feet from the ground.
With complete presence of mind Private Inglis shouted to the soldier to pull the strap to operate his reserve parachute. It appears ithe soldier failed to hear Private Inglis as he did not pull the strap for the reserve parachute. At this time both parachutists were some 400 feet from the ground. Realising how close to the ground they were Private Inglis decided that the only course of action that would prevent a very serious accident, possibly death, to the soldier suspended below him was for Private Inglis to hold on to the soldier's deflated parachute, so causing his own parachute to serve for them both. This he did. Private Inglis also at this stage courageously decided not to release his own weapons container. Had he done so he would undoubtedly have injured the soldier who was directly beneath him.
Private Inglis showed great presence of mind and by a complete disregard of his own personal safety prevented what could have been a fatal accident to the other soldier involved in the incident.
With complete presence of mind Private Inglis shouted to the soldier to pull the strap to operate his reserve parachute. It appears ithe soldier failed to hear Private Inglis as he did not pull the strap for the reserve parachute. At this time both parachutists were some 400 feet from the ground. Realising how close to the ground they were Private Inglis decided that the only course of action that would prevent a very serious accident, possibly death, to the soldier suspended below him was for Private Inglis to hold on to the soldier's deflated parachute, so causing his own parachute to serve for them both. This he did. Private Inglis also at this stage courageously decided not to release his own weapons container. Had he done so he would undoubtedly have injured the soldier who was directly beneath him.
Private Inglis showed great presence of mind and by a complete disregard of his own personal safety prevented what could have been a fatal accident to the other soldier involved in the incident.
WEB LINKS:
https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45917/supplement/2677https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7637098
NATIONAL ARCHIVES:
https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/D7637098
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