Soldiers welcoming really large protective devices (8)

'protective devices' is the definition.
The answer and definition can be both man-made objects as well as being plural nouns.
Perhaps they are linked in a way I don't understand?

'soldiers welcoming really large' is the wordplay.
'soldiers' becomes 'paras' (para is a kind of soldier).
'welcoming' is an insertion indicator (in sense of 'inviting in').
'really' becomes 'so' (both can mean 'extremely').
'large' becomes 'L' (eg in clothes sizes).
'so'+'l'='sol'
'paras' going around 'sol' is 'PARASOLS'.

Can you help me to learn more?