Armed Forces

In 1957 the Company adopted the 10th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (10 PARA), a London based Territorial Army ( TA) Battalion.

In 1999, as a result of a Strategic Defense review, 10 PARA was reduced to a Company which became part of the 4th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (4 PARA). This battalion has its headquarters outside Leeds and has other sub-units in Scotland, the Midlands and London. 4 PARA was adopted by the Dyers’ Company on the reorganization.

Over the past 60  years , the Prime Warden and Clerk have attended many training and social events organized by the two Battalions. Possibly the most notable is the annual memorial weekend at Arnhem when the Dutch residents remember the battle in 1944 which was part of Operation Market Garden.  The attack was initially successful despite many setbacks but a German counter-attack reclaimed the bridge and forced the battalion to retreat to Oosterbeek where it was eventually overcome. Many paratroopers jump onto one of the original dropping zones on the Saturday  of the memorial weekend and veterans and visiting British servicemen and women attend a moving service at the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery on Sunday in Arnhem and Oosterbeek. Captain Lionel Queripel won the VC on 19th September 1944. The Dyers Company paid for a portrait of him that hung in the 10 PARA Officers Mess and is still hung in the Mess at the White City Training Centre today.

Members of 4 PARA are invited to all major dinners given by the Court each year.

Members of the Battalion compete each year for the Dyers’ Trophy, a lovely silver bowl, awarded for military skills and fondly known as “Dyers Delight”.