an amusing snippet

I thoguht this, posted to a wargaming and military history list recently, was pretty funny:

[I forget exactly how the subject of teddy bears came up, but...]

> I can remember being v. upset about a teddy while in the Army; in extreme
> weather provisions had to be airdropped to the Atlantic outpost of St Kilda in
> the VERY Outer Hebrides, and we had a Signalman Bear, complete with little
> para wings, red beret and his own little 'chute, who used to be tossed
> overboard to test the often extremely turbulent wind. One day his 'chute
> roman-candled and he missed the island completely, hurtling into the surf at
> the bottom of a 100ft+ cliff. Talk about knocking the stuffing out of him! At
> great risk to two of the shore party(literally!), his moist remains were
> recovered and given full military honours, with three rounds from an SLR over
> the grave! Ave Atque Vale, Sig Bear....
> Ian Winterbottom