Never Not Ready - The History of RAF Regiment Parachute Units 1942-2012, by Graeme Deeley

Book published by Barny Books, 652 pages. Softback (N4948)

Signed by the author on the title page, and each copy is individually numbered out of 2000 (also on the title page)

From the rear side cover: This book covers the RAF Regiment's involvement with Airborne Forces over the last 70 years and includes:

• The Assyrian Paratroopers of the RAF levies who served alongside the parachute regiment and commando forces in the Middle East, Albania and Greece.
• The Parachute detachment trained by the SOE for sabotage operations in Italy and later conducted raiding and reconaissance operations with the Special Boat Service.
• The Parachute Squadron in the Far East which provided personnel to support specialist units which included a parachute operation to assist POW's held by the Japanese.
• The Parachute Rescue Team in Cyprus who were despatched to look for survivors of a civilian airliner blown up by terrorists over the Mediterranean.
• The Jungle Rescue Team personnel deployed in response to crashed aircraft in the Malaysian and Borneo jungles.
• The defence of Salalah airfield in Oman by II Sqadron who had to call in mortar fire on their own positions to repel assaults by the Adoo insurgents
• The squadron parachute jump into Sierra Leone which disrupted rebel operations and forced them to flee the country
• The defence of British airfields in Iraq and Afghanistan which has ensured the safety of all British personnel arriving in and departing these areas of operations but has resulted in fatalities for II Squadron
• The provision of close air support to 16 Air Assault Brigade units in operations agaisnt the Taliban in Helmand province in Afghanistan
• The resurrection of the parachute deployable CBRN capability originally formed in Cyprus in 1960.

Chapters include:

• Chapter One - No 1 Paratroop Company/Parachute Squadron RAF Levies (Iraq) 1942-1946
• Chapter Two - Special Duties Section 1328 Wing RAF Regiment 1944-45 (SOE and SBS operations)
• Chapter Three - 2810 (Parachute) Squadron RAF Regiment - Burma 1945
• Chapter Four - 2 Wing RAF Regiment 1948-1950, No 1 Parachute Flight 63 (Rifle) Squadron RAF Regiment, Parachute Team 15 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment, Parachute Team 16 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment
• Chapter Five - Parachute Units in the Middle & Near East Air Force 1953-1975, MEAF & NEAF Medical Parachute Team 1953-1964, 3 Wing RAF Regiment Parachute Team 1960-1964, 5 Wing RAF Regiment Parachute Team 1961-1963, NEAF Parachute Rescue Force1964-74, Parachute trained members of the Mountain Rescue Teams 1962-1975
• Chapter Six - Parachute Units in the Far East Air Force 1953-197, Far East Air Force Jungle Rescue Team 1953-1971, ParachuteTeam 1 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment 1962-1966, Parachute Team 15 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment 1964-1969, Parachute Team 26 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment 1964-1967, Parachute Team 63 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment 1962-1971
• Chapter Seven - II (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment, RAF Colerne 1962-1969
• Chapter Eight - II Squadron RAF Regiment, RAF Colerne 1970-1976
• Chapter Nine - II Squadron RAF Regiment, RAF Catterick & RAF Hullavington 1976-1994
• Chapter Ten - II Squadron RAF Regiment, RAF Honington 1994-Present Day
• Chapter Eleven - Specialist Role and Independent Parachute Units1955-2012, 2600 (City of London) Squadron Royal Auxiliary Air Force Regiment 1955-1957, Brigade Air Support Operation Teams HQ 38 Group 1962-1965, Parachute Team 1 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment 1966-1970, Parachute Team 26 (LAA) Squadron RAF Regiment 1967–1970, Parachute Team 15 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment 1969–1976, Parachute Team 51 (Field) Squadron RAF Regiment 1971-1975, RAF Regiment Exchange NCO with the Parachute Regiment 1993-2005, RAF Regiment Officer withthe 5 Airborne Brigade Gurkha Battalion 1993-1997, RAF Regiment Exchange Officer with the USAF Security Police, RAF Regiment Exchange Officer with the French Air Commandos, Tactical Air Control Parties, 5 Airborne & 16 Air Assault Brigades 1998- Present Day, RAF Regiment Personnel with the Special Forces Support Group 2005- Present Day, Light Role Team, 27 Squadron and 26 Squadron RAF Regiment 2006- Present Day, Pathfinder Platoon, 16 Air Assault Brigade 2006- Present Day, The Falling Rocks Free Fall Parachute Display Team 1997- Present
• Several appendices, including Roll of Honour, Honours and Awards, and Unit Nominal Rolls

Condition of the book is generally very good. The covers are clean and bright, the spine is intact and all pages are clean, intact, unblemished and tightly bound. There is a small price sticker on the rear side cover.