The Parker arrived in Belfast, Ireland. January 8, 1944, and the regiment settled into Nissen huts at Port Stewart. The men of Hq1 were oriented on local customs, and for the first time experienced candy and cigarette rationing, and living under "blackout" conditions.
The long trip from Camp Mackall ended on March 10 when the 508th PIR settled into a tent camp in Nottingham England. The tent camp met everyone’s approval. It was a ten-minute walk into the City of Nottingham with a population of 250,000 friendly people - pleasant pubs, delightful dance halls, pretty girls, and a marvelous history. For many 508th PIR men, Nottingham became a second home.
Life at Nottingham was not all pubs, dance halls, and friendly people; it included dangerous night jumps and many field exercises. Jim Lutton's experience demonstrates the danger of night jumps and field exercises.
Near the end of April 1944, after a week of pouring rain, the regiment made a night jump, near the town of Grantham, England.
Jim Lutton landed in the swiftly flowing water of the Chatham Canal. He managed by walking and swimming to reach the canal bank and to grab a young sapling. However, the strong current dragged him under with the tree clutched in his hands.– It had come out of the canal bank.
The webbing of Jim’s parachute harness had tightened due to shrinkage and he could not standup or unsnap the shoulder and leg straps.
When he tried to cut the web straps, he dropped his knife in the water. Meanwhile, his parachute had filled with air and water and was dragging him downstream.
A 508th PIR trooper threw Jim an end of his jump rope and tried to pull him to the canal bank. The current was too swift and the rescuer was being dragged along the canal bank.
Without regard to how deep the water was or the danger to himself the trooper leapt into the canal and swam to Jim. With his knife, the trooper freed Jim of his chute and helped him out of the canal. It was then that Jim Lutton recognized his Hq1 tent mate – Garfield Wilkinson.
After two night jumps and many field exercises, the 508th PIR was in a high state of readiness - prepared for the invasion of the continent In late May, Hq1 moved to the Folkingham airport in the Midlands of England. | 
