The Man Who Tested Parachutes

The Man Who Tested Parachutes
The world of Charles Agate and his role in the development of Britain's airborne forces in WW2.
Welcome to The Man Who Tested Parachutes
"The Man Who Tested Parachutes" by Andrew Colley and John Neil is a character-driven drama about a handsome, charismatic schoolmaster whose dash masks profound emotional turmoil.
Set against the backdrop of WWII, the book charts Charles Agate's life from his early years as a Surrey schoolteacher, his fall from professional respectability and his subsequent transformation into an unlikely wartime hero at the forefront of the development of British airborne forces and the preparations for D-Day. After the War he is haunted by his experiences, but he rebuilds his life as a charismatic head teacher, until, alone at the end, he is overwhelmed by memories of his past.

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Charles Agate in his own words
This recording of Charles Agate was made during a radio interview conducted by Don Durbridge of Radio Brighton in 1972. In this recording, which takes the form of a "Desert Island Disks" programme, Charles Agate tells (part of) his story in his own words.
(NB: this recording is 30 minutes long).
Every great story starts with a journey
What was the inspiration for this book?
Charles Agate was Andrew Colley's former headteacher. In WW2 Agate served as a parachute tester who performed 1,601 jumps for Britain's nascent airborne forces. Behind his dash lay a quiet emotional collapse, as trauma, guilt, and isolation consumed a man too proud to ask for help.
Who are the authors behind the book?
John Neil is a British author and former senior civil servant at the Home Office. Andrew Colley was a Senior Lecturer in Special Education at the University of East London who was one of Charles Agate;s former pupils.
You can read more about Andrew and John by clicking on About Us.
What can readers expect to learn?
The Man Who Tested Parachutes follows the extraordinary life of Charles Agate. From his fall from grace as a respected schoolteacher in the 1940s to his transformation into a wartime legend at RAF Ringway, Agate's story is one of courage, obsession, and silent suffering.
The Man Who Tested Parachutes
By Andrew Colley and John Neil
Buy now
The Man Who Tested Parachutes
£20.00
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