▁India ▁two ▁months ▁later ▁with ▁the ▁ 1 st ▁Battalion , ▁then ▁commanded ▁by ▁Lieutenant ▁Colonel ▁John ▁Hard ing . ▁After ▁trav elling ▁from ▁Ta un ton ▁to ▁Scotland ▁he ▁sa iled ▁from ▁Britain ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁that ▁Britain ▁declared ▁war ▁on ▁Germany . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁acting , ▁then ▁temporary , ▁captain ▁from ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁substant ive ▁lieutenant ▁on ▁ 3 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁His ▁time ▁in ▁India , ▁however , ▁was ▁mostly ▁spent ▁on ▁exer cis es ▁with ▁little ▁chance ▁of ▁action . ▁Des perate ▁to ▁leave , ▁W addy ▁successfully ▁volunte ered ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁British ▁Par ach ute ▁Battalion ▁when ▁the ▁chance ▁came ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁and ▁in ▁October ▁joined ▁the ▁ 1 5 1 st ▁Par ach ute ▁Battalion ▁as ▁their ▁intelligence ▁officer . ▁ ▁Par ach uting ▁was ▁rud iment ary ▁in ▁India ▁and ▁training ▁j umps ▁were ▁made ▁from ▁V ick ers ▁Valent ia ▁bi plan es . ▁ ▁He ▁qualified ▁for ▁his ▁jump ▁wings ▁on ▁the ▁same ▁day ▁that ▁Japan ▁attacked ▁Pear l ▁Har bor , ▁although ▁only ▁two ▁months ▁later ▁he ▁was ▁nearly ▁killed ▁in ▁a ▁training ▁jump ▁and ▁spent ▁three ▁days ▁in ▁a ▁com a . ▁ ▁In ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁the ▁batt alion ▁was ▁sent ▁to ▁North ▁Africa ▁and ▁re - design ated ▁ 1 5 6 th ▁Par ach ute ▁Battalion , ▁where ▁it ▁became ▁the ▁central ▁unit ▁of ▁the