British 3rd Parachute Brigade
Encyclopedia
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was an airborne
formation raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The brigade was initially part of the 1st Airborne Division, but remained in Britain when that division was sent overseas, and became part of the 6th Airborne Division.
The brigade first went into action in June 1944 during Operation Tonga
, part of the Normandy landings. The objective was to destroy the Merville Gun Battery
and the bridges over the River Dives. The brigade achieved all its objectives, and remained defending the left flank of the invasion zone until mid August. They then crossed the River Dives and advanced as far as the River Seine before they were withdrawn. While recovering in England, the brigade was moved to Belgium in December 1944, to counter the German attack in the Ardennes
. The brigade remained on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands carrying out patrols until March 1945. Their next airborne mission was Operation Varsity
, the assault crossing of the River Rhine in Germany. After this, the brigade advanced towards the Baltic Sea
, arriving just ahead of the Red Army
.
Still part of the 6th Airborne Division, the brigade was sent to the British mandate of Palestine
in October 1945 after the end of the war. Carrying out an internal security
role, it remained in Palestine until it was disbanded in 1947.
, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a force of 5,000 parachute troops. As a result, on 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando
assumed parachute duties, and on 21 November was re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing.
On 21 June 1940 the Central Landing Establishment
was formed at Ringway airfield
near Manchester
. Although tasked primarily with training parachute troops, it was also directed to investigate the use of gliders to transport troops into battle. At the same time, the Ministry of Aircraft Production contracted General Aircraft Ltd to design and produce a glider for this purpose. The result was the General Aircraft Hotspur, an aircraft capable of transporting eight soldiers, that was used for both assault and training purposes.
The success of the first British airborne raid, Operation Colossus
, prompted the War Office to expand the airborne force through the creation of the Parachute Regiment, and to develop plans to convert several infantry battalions into parachute and glider battalions. On 31 May 1941, a joint army
and air force
memorandum was approved by the Chiefs-of-Staff
and Winston Churchill; it recommended that the British airborne forces should consist of two parachute brigades, one based in England and the other in the Middle East, and that a glider force of 10,000 men should be created.
Sir Alexander Stanier
Bart
. Stanier was soon replaced by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury
, who in turn was replaced in May 1943 by Brigadier James Hill, previously of the 1st Parachute Brigade. Hill remained in command through the remaining war years until July 1945, when Lathbury once again assumed command. The last commander of the brigade was Brigadier Francis Rome
, who took over on 15 November 1946.
The brigade was initially composed of the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
, the 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion
and the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
. On 11 August 1943 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
arrived in England and was assigned to the brigade, and the 7th Battalion was transferred to the 5th Parachute Brigade which was in the process of forming. At the end of the Second World War, the 1st Canadian Battalion returned to Canada, and was replaced in the brigade by the 3rd Parachute Battalion, which had previously been part of the 1st Parachute Brigade.
The brigade's other units were the 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery from the Royal Artillery
, the 3rd Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers
and the 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
from the Royal Army Medical Corps
. During operations the artillery
support available to the brigade would also include a battery
of howitzer
s from the 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, although it was not part of the brigade.
On formation the brigade was assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, and as such had to supply reinforcements to make the 1st Parachute Brigade up to strength before they left to take part in Operation Torch
. When the 1st Airborne Division left England for operations in the Mediterranean, the 3rd Parachute Brigade remained behind, and was assigned as the first unit of the newly raised 6th Airborne Division. The brigade would remain part of the 6th Airborne Division until 1947, when it was disbanded.
up to division by day and night. Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, who would be equipped with artillery and tanks. Training was therefore designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness, with emphasis given to physical fitness, marksman
ship and fieldcraft
. A large part of the training consisted of assault course
s and route marching. Military exercise
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises, the troops would march back to their barracks, usually a distance of around 20 miles (32.2 km). An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected; airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
In April 1944, under the command of 1st Airborne Corps, the brigade took part in Exercise Mush, in the counties of Gloucestershire
, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire
. This was an airborne military exercise
spread over three days involving the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions. Unknown to the 6th Airborne, it was a full scale rehearsal for the division's involvement in the imminent Normandy invasion. In the invasion, the division's two parachute brigades would land just after midnight on 6 June, while the 6th Airlanding Brigade
arrived later in the day just before dark. The division's objective was to secure the left flank of the invasion area by dominating the high ground in the area between the rivers Orne and Dives. For their part in the operation, the 3rd Parachute Brigade had to destroy the Merville Gun Battery
, whose guns were in range of the Sword beach
landings, and to demolish bridges across the River Dives to hamper the arrival of German reinforcements from the east.
aircraft arrived, carrying the brigade's pathfinders, a company from the 1st Canadian Battalion to clear the drop zone
(DZ) of obstructions, a group from each battalion, and brigade headquarters. Some planes got lost and failed to reach the DZ or arrived late. Others were damaged before dropping all their paratroops and turned back, and one returned to base after failing to find the drop zone at all.
From around 00:50 the rest of the brigade arrived in Normandy after crossing the English Channel
, transported in 108 C-47 Dakotas, along with 17 Horsa gliders
carrying their heavy equipment. The 8th Parachute Battalion, landing on DZ-K along with the brigade headquarters, was tasked with destroying the bridges over the River Dives at Bures
and Troarn
. The 1st Canadian Battalion, landing on DZ-V, was required to destroy the bridges at Varaville and Robehomme. The 9th Battalion, also landing on DZ-V, had arguably the hardest task; neutralising the Merville Gun Battery
. Due to a combination of poor navigation, heavy cloud cover, and several of the drop zones not being marked correctly, the parachute drop was widely scattered. One group of paratroops landed 10 miles (16.1 km) away, and another landed on the wrong side of the River Orne, only 1200 yards (1,097.3 m) from the invasion beaches. Less than half of each battalion gathered at their individual assembly areas.
In the south, at DZ-K, only 141 men of the 8th Parachute Battalion had assembled. Divided into two groups, they headed for their objectives. One group demolished the two bridges at Bures without opposition. The other group, while on their way to Troarn, intercepted and ambushed a convoy of six armoured vehicles belonging to the 21st Panzer Division. When they reached Troarn, they discovered it was defended by the Germans. A platoon, including engineers, managed to fight their way to the bridge. They found that it had already been damaged, so the engineers planted their explosives and enlarged the gap to around 70 feet (21.3 m).
The 1st Canadian Battalion successfully destroyed the bridges at Varaville and Robehomme after landing on the northern DZ. They then withdrew to defend Le Mesnil, where the brigade headquarters and the field ambulance were located. Meanwhile, by 02:50 only 150 men of the 9th Parachute Battalion had gathered at their assembly area, with virtually no heavy weapons or supplies. Unable to wait any longer, they headed for the Merville Gun Battery. The battalion captured the battery, but without explosives, could only damage two of its four guns. The battle had been costly, and only 85 men were left to head for their secondary objective, the village of Le Plein. The village was defended in strength by the Germans, and the weakened battalion could only dig in and wait the arrival of commandos
from the 1st Special Service Brigade
later that day. By nightfall the brigade was deployed facing east, along the ridge of high ground from Le Plein in the north to the Bois de Bavent in the south.
, shortening the front held by the 3rd Parachute Brigade. The 6th Airborne Division's deployments now had the 6th Airlanding Brigade
in the south, holding a line between Longueval
and Herourvillette, the 5th Parachute Brigade to the rear just to the east of the River Orne bridge
, the attached 1st Special Service Brigade to the north with troops in Sallenelles
and Franceville-Plage
, and finally the 3rd Parachute Brigade holding the ridge of high ground to the east.
The Germans still held the village of Bréville
, between the 3rd Parachute and 1st Special Service Brigades, which gave them a vantage point to observe the airborne division's positions. On 8 June the Germans launched a two pronged attack from Bréville, against the commandos and against the 9th Parachute Battalion. The German force, comprising elements of the 857th Grenadier Regiment, 346th Infantry Division
, were only driven back by a counter attack led by the 9th Parachute Battalion's Regimental Sergeant Major
. The next morning the 9th Parachute Battalion was the target for a heavy mortar bombardment, followed by two further infantry attacks. Later the same morning, the 3rd Parachute Brigade's headquarters was attacked by German troops who had infiltrated the lines. The brigade defence platoon managed to hold out until a counter attack by the 9th Parachute Battalion cleared the enemy away. On 10 June, 31 men who had landed in the wrong locations joined the battalion, bringing their numbers up to 270 all ranks. The fighting was now concentrated around the Château Saint Come, which was occupied by a German infantry company supported by two self propelled guns. One of the self propelled guns was blown up by Vickers machine gun
fire, but the Germans then mounted a determined infantry assault, and the battalion had to call for support from HMS Arethusa
. The leading German troops were undaunted by the naval bombardment, and reached the battalion's lines before they were stopped. One of the German prisoners was a battalion commander, who informed his captors that the 875th Grenadier Regiment had been virtually destroyed in the previous day's fighting. That evening the 9th Parachute Battalion captured the Château Saint Come, and was involved in skirmishes throughout the night. The following day, 11 June, the 5th Battalion Black Watch
was attached to the brigade to assist in their attempt to capture Bréville, but their attacks were repulsed by the Germans with heavy losses. They tried again on the 12th, and the German response was an attack by infantry supported by armour, which not only drove the Black Watch back, but almost overran the 9th Parachute Battalion's position. The situation was only saved by a counter attack by 'A' Company 1st Canadian Battalion under the command of Brigadier Hill.
During this time the 8th Battalion, located in the thick forest of the Bois de Bavant, were under an almost constant mortar bombardment. Not being directly attacked, the battalion concentrated on night time patrols to harass the Germans, some going as far as the German occupied villages of Troan and Bures.
On 7 June the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion at Le Mesnil was attacked by units from the 857th and 858th Grenadier Regiments, supported by tanks and self propelled guns. The battalion inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, but only managed to drive them back with a bayonet
charge by 'B' Company. The next day the battalion was involved in several small battles, and on the 9 June sent a reconnaissance patrol to check if the Germans were still occupying Bavent
. The patrol was driven back by a strong German force, but that night another patrol entered the village and planted explosive charges on weapons and in buildings. Attacks by German infantry and armour continued until the night of the 12/13 June, when Bréville was finally captured by the division's only reserves, a mixed force from the 12th Parachute Battalion and 12th Devonshire Battalion supported by a troop of tanks from the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. On 13 June the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division crossed the River Orne from the west, and took over responsibility for the southern sector of the Orne bridgehead. At the same time the 4th Special Service Brigade
was attached to the 6th Airborne Division, which gave them the ability to rotate one brigade at a time out of the front line to allow them to rest. The 3rd Parachute Brigade, having suffered more casualties than the division's other brigades, was the first formation relieved.
, aware that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect them to advance very quickly. To reach the Seine the division would have to cross three major rivers, and there were only two main lines of advance; one road running along the coast and another further inland from Troarn to Pont Audemer.
On 17 August the Germans started to withdraw northwards. The divisional commander had already decided that the 3rd Parachute Brigade would lead the advance along the interior road. Their objective was to capture Bures, cross the River Dives and secure the area between there and Dozulé
. At 03:00 the brigade attacked the retreating Germans. By 08:00 the 8th and 9th Battalions had captured Bures, and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion moved through the Bois de Bavant. The bridges in Bures had been blown up previously, and it took the brigade's engineers until the afternoon to build a crossing. By 21:00 the brigade had crossed the Dives and halted with the 8th Parachute Battalion out in front at Goustranville. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was behind them, and the 9th Parachute Battalion in reserve. The next day the brigade met heavy resistance just beyond Goustranville, on the Dives Canal and at Dozulé train station. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion had taken over the advance and were ordered to seize four bridges crossing the canal. The assault began at 22:00; at 22:35 the railway bridge in the north had been captured, and by midnight all four bridges were secured with 150 prisoners
taken. The 9th Parachute Battalion then passed through the Canadians and crossed the next water obstacle without boats, as they found the water was only 4 feet (1.2 m) deep. At 01:00 on 19 August they reached Dozulé. It was not until 07:00 on 21 August that the advance restarted, with the objective of Pont-l'Evêque
on the River Touques. After a hard battle the 8th Parachute Battalion captured Annebault
, and the 5th Parachute Brigade then took over as the division's lead unit. On 24 August the 3rd Parachute Brigade and 4th Special Service Brigade captured Beuzeville
, and the 5th Parachute Brigade reached Pont Audemer, which was the division's last objective. On 27 August the division was ordered to concentrate in the area between Honfleur
and Pont Audemer and prepare to return to England.
In nine days of fighting the 6th Airborne Division had advanced 45 miles (72.4 km), despite, as the divisional commander Major-General
Richard Gale
put it, his infantry units being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit". They had captured 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of territory and taken over 1,000 German prisoners. Since landing on 6 June, the division's casualties were 4,457, of which 821 were killed, 2,709 wounded and 927 missing. The 3rd Parachute Brigade had 207 killed. The division was withdrawn from France and embarked for England at the beginning of September.
and Birmingham
. The training programme culminated in Exercise Eve, an assault on the River Thames
, which was intended to simulate the River Rhine in Germany.
By December the brigade was preparing for Christmas leave, when news of the German offensive in the Ardennes
broke. As part of the First Allied Airborne Army
, 6th Airborne Division was available as a component of the strategic reserve for the Allied forces in northwest Europe. The other two divisions available in reserve, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne
, were already at Rheims in northern France, and the 6th Airborne was sent by sea to Belgium to assist the defence. With 29 German and 33 Allied divisions involved, the Battle of the Bulge was the largest single battle on the Western Front
during the war. On Christmas Day the division moved up to take position in front of the spearhead of the German advance; by Boxing Day
they had reached their allocated places in the defensive line between Dinant
and Namur
. The 3rd Parachute Brigade were on the left, 5th Parachute Brigade on the right, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade in reserve. Over the next days the German advance was halted and forced back, until at the end of January 1945, the brigade crossed into Holland. Here the division was made responsible for the area along the River Maas, between Venlo
and Roermond
. The brigade carried out patrols, on both sides of the river, against their opponents from the German 7th Parachute Division
. Near the end of February the division returned to England to prepare for another airborne mission, to cross the River Rhine into Germany.
, an assault river crossing of the Rhine by the 21st Army Group, began. For their part in Operation Varsity, the 6th Airborne Division was assigned to the American XVIII Airborne Corps alongside the United States 17th Airborne Division.
In the British sector the 3rd Parachute Brigade would be the first unit to arrive in Germany. Their initial objective was to secure the western edge of the Schneppenberg woods. Brigade headquarters was fully aware of the expected opposition to the landings, and the commander of the 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was warned to prepare for around 600 casualties; almost a third of the brigade's manpower. On 24 March 1945 at 07:00 the 122 C-47 Dakotas transporting the brigade took off from England in three waves. The first wave carried brigade headquarters and the 8th Parachute Battalion, the second carried the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, and the 9th Parachute Battalion came last. The gliders carrying the brigade's heavy equipment were scheduled to arrive 40 minutes after the third wave. Nine minutes ahead of schedule, the brigade started landing at their DZs. Their premature arrival stopped the Allied artillery and fighter bombers which were engaging targets in the area, especially anti-aircraft gun emplacements. The descending parachutists were met with heavy fire from the German defenders, causing several casualties. One of the dead was the commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. It was during the landing that one of the Canadian medics, Corporal Frederick Topham
, won a Victoria Cross
, becoming the division's only recipient of the award during the war. By 11:00 the 8th Parachute Battalion had secured the DZ, and the other two battalions headed for the Schneppenberg woods, which were secured by 14:00. The 9th Parachute Battalion dug in within the woods, and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion on the outskirts. At 15:00 the first troops of the Royal Scots arrived after completing their assault crossing of the Rhine. The day's fighting had cost the brigade 80 dead and 190 wounded, however they had taken around 700 prisoners.
On 27 March the division started advancing further into Germany. The 8th Parachute Battalion was the first to reach Lembeck, which was defended by two Panzer Grenadier companies. A hand-to-hand battle ensued, lasting 18 hours and eventually drawing in all three battalions; by midnight the town was secured, with around 300 prisoners taken. The brigade's next objective was Greven
and the bridge across the River Ems. At 21:30 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were about 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the town. Leaving what vehicles they had behind, they attempted to approach the bridge unseen on foot, and by 23:00 had successfully secured the town and bridge. The 9th Parachute Battalion was called forward to continue the advance, but just as they approached the bridge it was blown up by the Germans. In the early hours of the morning, a footbridge across the river was discovered, and the 9th Battalion prepared to carry out an assault. 'A' Company crossed the footbridge under fire just before dawn, and after a short fight had secured the crossing. After a few hours' rest the advance continued with the 8th Battalion in the lead, and by nightfall they had reached their next objective, the Dortmund–Ems Canal. Resting overnight, the battalion crossed the half-empty canal at 10:30 the next day. Over the next 36 hours the brigade advanced 70 miles (112.7 km) to Minden
.
The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division then took over from the 6th Airborne Division as the lead formation until 30 April when the Airborne Division once more resumed the advance, crossing the River Elbe over a bridge captured by the Scottish division. The division's objective was Wismar
on the Baltic Sea
; the two parachute brigades advanced on separate routes to Gadebusch
, aware that the brigade to arrive first would continue as the division's lead formation. By this stage of the war the advance was hampered more by refugees fleeing westwards than by any organised opposition. The 3rd Parachute Brigade won the race and led the division to Wismar, arriving on 1 May only 30 minutes before the lead troops of the Soviet Red Army
advancing from the east.
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was the first unit of the Airborne Division to arrive in Palestine, disembarking at Haifa
on 3 October 1945. The brigade then moved to Gaza
to acclimatise and regain their fitness after the voyage from England. On 21 October the brigade was deployed around the Lydda
district, with responsibility for Tel Aviv
and Jaffa
. The first incident involving the brigade came on 14 November 1945, when the Jewish National Council called for a 12-hour strike, which resulted in rioting in Tel Aviv. By 18:15 the Palestine Police Force
was unable to cope and sent for reinforcements from the 8th Parachute Battalion. The complete battalion was deployed and the riot was under control by 21:40 and a curfew imposed for the rest of the night. Early the following day the curfew was broken by large crowds gathering to loot and burn buildings, so the remainder of the brigade was deployed to the city under the codename Operation Bellicose. Night time curfews remained in place until 05:20 on 20 November, when all troops returned to their barracks. All was quiet in the brigade area until the night of 26/27 December, when police stations in Jaffa and Tel Aviv, the railway at Lydda and an armoury at Tel Aviv were attacked. The brigade again imposed a curfew around Tel Aviv. This was followed by cordon and search
operations: Pintail on 29 December, Heron on 8 January, and Pigeon on 30 January.
Over the night of 2/3 April 1946, there were several attacks on railway installations around the country. One at Yibna
occurred at the same time as a patrol from the 9th Parachute Battalion was entering the village. The patrol's leading two vehicles exploded mines that had been laid on a bridge, wounding three men. At daylight the tracks of around 30 men were found, and a section from the 8th Parachute Battalion eventually cornered 24 armed men. In the firefight that followed, 14 of them were wounded and the remainder surrendered, with no British casualties. On 29 June Operation Agatha started; the brigade had been rotated to cover the south of Palestine, and were to search for arms and arrest any members of the Palmach
in Givat Brenner
and No'ar Oved. On 22 July the King David Hotel
in Jerusalem was bombed, which was the catalyst for Operation Shark, the searching of every house and property in Tel Aviv. For this operation the brigade had all the divisional artillery and the 3rd The King's Own Hussars
under their command. The brigade's next tasks were Operations Bream and Eel between 28 August and 4 September, which entailed the search of Dorot
and Ruhama
in the Negev
. For the first time army dogs trained in metal detecting were used during the operations, and they located a large arms cache in both settlements.
In January 1947, the 6th Airborne Division was moved to northern Palestine, swapping locations with the 1st Infantry Division. The 3rd Parachute Brigade took over responsibility for Haifa
, which was considered a problem area. The brigade had to guard the docks and port of Haifa, which were the main entry point for immigrants arriving in the country. In addition, the many oil pipelines and installations in the region were a potential target for sabotage. The brigade's first operation was imposing a curfew on the Jewish quarter after the kidnapping of two Britons in retaliation for the death sentence imposed on Dov Gruner
. The next major operation was in July, when an indefinite night time curfew was imposed, in response to several attacks in and around the city. The curfew lasted until the end of the month.
In October 1947, the War Office announced its intention to reduce the division's strength by one brigade. The 3rd Parachute Brigade, being more recently established than the other units, was selected to be disbanded. However, instead of disbanding its battalions, it was decided to amalgamate them. The 3rd Parachute Battalion joined with the 2nd Parachute Battalion and was renumbered the 2nd/3rd Parachute Battalion, and the brigade's other two battalions were amalgamated to become the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. Both of these new units would serve in the 1st Parachute Brigade. The amalgamation of the 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions was completed in December, and the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalions in early January. Finally, the brigade headquarters was disbanded at the end of January. During their service in Palestine, nine men from the brigade had been killed.
Units
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
formation raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The brigade was initially part of the 1st Airborne Division, but remained in Britain when that division was sent overseas, and became part of the 6th Airborne Division.
The brigade first went into action in June 1944 during Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
, part of the Normandy landings. The objective was to destroy the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
and the bridges over the River Dives. The brigade achieved all its objectives, and remained defending the left flank of the invasion zone until mid August. They then crossed the River Dives and advanced as far as the River Seine before they were withdrawn. While recovering in England, the brigade was moved to Belgium in December 1944, to counter the German attack in the Ardennes
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
. The brigade remained on the border between Belgium and the Netherlands carrying out patrols until March 1945. Their next airborne mission was Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, the assault crossing of the River Rhine in Germany. After this, the brigade advanced towards the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
, arriving just ahead of the Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
.
Still part of the 6th Airborne Division, the brigade was sent to the British mandate of Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
in October 1945 after the end of the war. Carrying out an internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
role, it remained in Palestine until it was disbanded in 1947.
Background
Impressed by the success of German airborne operations during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, directed the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to investigate the possibility of creating a force of 5,000 parachute troops. As a result, on 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The No. 2 Commando unit was reformed three times during the Second World War. The original No. 2 Commando, unlike the other commando units, was formed from volunteers from across the United...
assumed parachute duties, and on 21 November was re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing.
On 21 June 1940 the Central Landing Establishment
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF is a Royal Air Force training unit that was initially based at RAF Ringway, now Manchester Airport and is currently based at RAF Brize Norton. It was formed at Ringway on 21 June 1940 as the Central Landing School and from 1 October 1940 it was designated as the...
was formed at Ringway airfield
RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway, was a Royal Air Force station near Manchester, UK, in the parish of Ringway, then in Cheshire. It was operational from 1939 until 1957.-Prewar years:...
near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Although tasked primarily with training parachute troops, it was also directed to investigate the use of gliders to transport troops into battle. At the same time, the Ministry of Aircraft Production contracted General Aircraft Ltd to design and produce a glider for this purpose. The result was the General Aircraft Hotspur, an aircraft capable of transporting eight soldiers, that was used for both assault and training purposes.
The success of the first British airborne raid, Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus was the codename given to the first airborne operation undertaken by the British military, which occurred on 10 February 1941 during World War II...
, prompted the War Office to expand the airborne force through the creation of the Parachute Regiment, and to develop plans to convert several infantry battalions into parachute and glider battalions. On 31 May 1941, a joint army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and air force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
memorandum was approved by the Chiefs-of-Staff
Chiefs of Staff Committee
The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces.-History:The Chiefs of Staff Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence in 1923. It remained as such until the abolition of the CID upon the...
and Winston Churchill; it recommended that the British airborne forces should consist of two parachute brigades, one based in England and the other in the Middle East, and that a glider force of 10,000 men should be created.
Formation
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was raised on 7 November 1942, under the command of BrigadierBrigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Sir Alexander Stanier
Stanier Baronets
The Stanier Baronetcy, of Peplow Hall in Hodnet in the County of Shropshire, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 16 July 1917 for Beville Stanier, Conservative Member of Parliament for Newport and Ludlow...
Bart
Baronet
A baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown...
. Stanier was soon replaced by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury
Gerald Lathbury
General Sir Gerald William Lathbury, GCB, DSO, MBE was a British Army officer during the Second World War and later became Governor of Gibraltar-Military career:...
, who in turn was replaced in May 1943 by Brigadier James Hill, previously of the 1st Parachute Brigade. Hill remained in command through the remaining war years until July 1945, when Lathbury once again assumed command. The last commander of the brigade was Brigadier Francis Rome
Francis Rome
Major-General Francis David Rome CB CMG CBE DSO was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.-Military career:Rome was commissioned into the British Army in 1925...
, who took over on 15 November 1946.
The brigade was initially composed of the 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
The 7th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, formed by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was raised by the conversion of the 10th Somerset Light Infantry to parachute duties...
, the 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion
8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion
The 8th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War....
and the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
The 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment to parachute duties...
. On 11 August 1943 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
arrived in England and was assigned to the brigade, and the 7th Battalion was transferred to the 5th Parachute Brigade which was in the process of forming. At the end of the Second World War, the 1st Canadian Battalion returned to Canada, and was replaced in the brigade by the 3rd Parachute Battalion, which had previously been part of the 1st Parachute Brigade.
The brigade's other units were the 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery from the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, the 3rd Parachute Squadron of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
and the 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance
The 224th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 224th Field Ambulance was converted to an airborne unit in 1942, and assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division...
from the Royal Army Medical Corps
Royal Army Medical Corps
The Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
. During operations the artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
support available to the brigade would also include a battery
Artillery battery
In military organizations, an artillery battery is a unit of guns, mortars, rockets or missiles so grouped in order to facilitate better battlefield communication and command and control, as well as to provide dispersion for its constituent gunnery crews and their systems...
of howitzer
Howitzer
A howitzer is a type of artillery piece characterized by a relatively short barrel and the use of comparatively small propellant charges to propel projectiles at relatively high trajectories, with a steep angle of descent...
s from the 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, although it was not part of the brigade.
On formation the brigade was assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, and as such had to supply reinforcements to make the 1st Parachute Brigade up to strength before they left to take part in Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
. When the 1st Airborne Division left England for operations in the Mediterranean, the 3rd Parachute Brigade remained behind, and was assigned as the first unit of the newly raised 6th Airborne Division. The brigade would remain part of the 6th Airborne Division until 1947, when it was disbanded.
Operational history
From June to December 1943, the brigade prepared for operations as part of the 6th Airborne Division, training at every level from sectionSection (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
up to division by day and night. Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, who would be equipped with artillery and tanks. Training was therefore designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness, with emphasis given to physical fitness, marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
ship and fieldcraft
Fieldcraft
Fieldcraft is a term used especially in American, Canadian and British military circles to describe the basic military skills required to operate stealthily and the methods used to do so, which can differ during day or night and due to weather or terrain...
. A large part of the training consisted of assault course
Assault course
An assault course is a special sort of trail that combines running and exercising. It was more popular in the 1970s than it is now. It is heavily used in military training...
s and route marching. Military exercise
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises, the troops would march back to their barracks, usually a distance of around 20 miles (32.2 km). An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected; airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
In April 1944, under the command of 1st Airborne Corps, the brigade took part in Exercise Mush, in the counties of Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire
Gloucestershire is a county in South West England. The county comprises part of the Cotswold Hills, part of the flat fertile valley of the River Severn, and the entire Forest of Dean....
, Oxfordshire and Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. This was an airborne military exercise
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
spread over three days involving the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions. Unknown to the 6th Airborne, it was a full scale rehearsal for the division's involvement in the imminent Normandy invasion. In the invasion, the division's two parachute brigades would land just after midnight on 6 June, while the 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
arrived later in the day just before dark. The division's objective was to secure the left flank of the invasion area by dominating the high ground in the area between the rivers Orne and Dives. For their part in the operation, the 3rd Parachute Brigade had to destroy the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
, whose guns were in range of the Sword beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
landings, and to demolish bridges across the River Dives to hamper the arrival of German reinforcements from the east.
D-Day
Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, AlbermarleArmstrong Whitworth Albemarle
The Armstrong Whitworth A.W.41 Albemarle was a British twin-engine transport aircraft that entered service during the Second World War.Originally designed as a medium bomber that could be built by non-aviation companies without using light alloys, the Albemarle never served in that role, instead...
aircraft arrived, carrying the brigade's pathfinders, a company from the 1st Canadian Battalion to clear the drop zone
Drop zone
A drop zone is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes...
(DZ) of obstructions, a group from each battalion, and brigade headquarters. Some planes got lost and failed to reach the DZ or arrived late. Others were damaged before dropping all their paratroops and turned back, and one returned to base after failing to find the drop zone at all.
From around 00:50 the rest of the brigade arrived in Normandy after crossing the English Channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
, transported in 108 C-47 Dakotas, along with 17 Horsa gliders
Airspeed Horsa
The Airspeed AS.51 Horsa was a British World War II troop-carrying glider built by Airspeed Limited and subcontractors and used for air assault by British and Allied armed forces...
carrying their heavy equipment. The 8th Parachute Battalion, landing on DZ-K along with the brigade headquarters, was tasked with destroying the bridges over the River Dives at Bures
Bures-les-Monts
Bures-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-References:*...
and Troarn
Troarn
-References:*...
. The 1st Canadian Battalion, landing on DZ-V, was required to destroy the bridges at Varaville and Robehomme. The 9th Battalion, also landing on DZ-V, had arguably the hardest task; neutralising the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
. Due to a combination of poor navigation, heavy cloud cover, and several of the drop zones not being marked correctly, the parachute drop was widely scattered. One group of paratroops landed 10 miles (16.1 km) away, and another landed on the wrong side of the River Orne, only 1200 yards (1,097.3 m) from the invasion beaches. Less than half of each battalion gathered at their individual assembly areas.
In the south, at DZ-K, only 141 men of the 8th Parachute Battalion had assembled. Divided into two groups, they headed for their objectives. One group demolished the two bridges at Bures without opposition. The other group, while on their way to Troarn, intercepted and ambushed a convoy of six armoured vehicles belonging to the 21st Panzer Division. When they reached Troarn, they discovered it was defended by the Germans. A platoon, including engineers, managed to fight their way to the bridge. They found that it had already been damaged, so the engineers planted their explosives and enlarged the gap to around 70 feet (21.3 m).
The 1st Canadian Battalion successfully destroyed the bridges at Varaville and Robehomme after landing on the northern DZ. They then withdrew to defend Le Mesnil, where the brigade headquarters and the field ambulance were located. Meanwhile, by 02:50 only 150 men of the 9th Parachute Battalion had gathered at their assembly area, with virtually no heavy weapons or supplies. Unable to wait any longer, they headed for the Merville Gun Battery. The battalion captured the battery, but without explosives, could only damage two of its four guns. The battle had been costly, and only 85 men were left to head for their secondary objective, the village of Le Plein. The village was defended in strength by the Germans, and the weakened battalion could only dig in and wait the arrival of commandos
British Commandos
The British Commandos were formed during the Second World War in June 1940, following a request from the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, for a force that could carry out raids against German-occupied Europe...
from the 1st Special Service Brigade
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
later that day. By nightfall the brigade was deployed facing east, along the ridge of high ground from Le Plein in the north to the Bois de Bavent in the south.
Orne bridgehead
On 7 June the 9th Parachute Battalion, relieved by the Special Service Brigade commandos, moved southwards to the Bois de Mont near BrévilleBréville-les-Monts
Bréville-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It was the location for the Battle of Breville fought by the 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War.-History:...
, shortening the front held by the 3rd Parachute Brigade. The 6th Airborne Division's deployments now had the 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
in the south, holding a line between Longueval
Longueval
Longueval is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Longueval is located 24 miles northwest of Amiens on the D919 road, at the junction with the D8....
and Herourvillette, the 5th Parachute Brigade to the rear just to the east of the River Orne bridge
Horsa Bridge
Horsa Bridge, also known as Ranville bridge, over the Orne River, was, with Pegasus Bridge, captured during Operation Deadstick by gliderborne troops of the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in a coup de main operation in the opening minutes of D Day, 6 June 1944, before the main...
, the attached 1st Special Service Brigade to the north with troops in Sallenelles
Sallenelles
Sallenelles is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:-Tourism:Most visitors to Sallenelles come to see the Orne estuary, to walk, cycle, or hunt the local water-fowl, or the Maison de la Nature, a permanent exhibition on the local...
and Franceville-Plage
Merville-Franceville-Plage
Merville-Franceville-Plage is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Geography:Merville-Franceville-Plage, more usually called Franceville, is situated on the Côte Fleurie, 6 km from Cabourg and from Caen...
, and finally the 3rd Parachute Brigade holding the ridge of high ground to the east.
The Germans still held the village of Bréville
Bréville-les-Monts
Bréville-les-Monts is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It was the location for the Battle of Breville fought by the 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War.-History:...
, between the 3rd Parachute and 1st Special Service Brigades, which gave them a vantage point to observe the airborne division's positions. On 8 June the Germans launched a two pronged attack from Bréville, against the commandos and against the 9th Parachute Battalion. The German force, comprising elements of the 857th Grenadier Regiment, 346th Infantry Division
346th Infantry Division (Germany)
The 346th Infantry Division was a division of the German Army during the Second World War.It was formed on 21 September 1942, at Bad Hersfeld. The majority of its manpower transferred from formations serving in France on occupation duties. In November 1942, the division was sent to France as a...
, were only driven back by a counter attack led by the 9th Parachute Battalion's Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major
Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment held by warrant officers class 1 in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many Commonwealth nations, including Australia and New Zealand; and by chief warrant officers in the Canadian Forces...
. The next morning the 9th Parachute Battalion was the target for a heavy mortar bombardment, followed by two further infantry attacks. Later the same morning, the 3rd Parachute Brigade's headquarters was attacked by German troops who had infiltrated the lines. The brigade defence platoon managed to hold out until a counter attack by the 9th Parachute Battalion cleared the enemy away. On 10 June, 31 men who had landed in the wrong locations joined the battalion, bringing their numbers up to 270 all ranks. The fighting was now concentrated around the Château Saint Come, which was occupied by a German infantry company supported by two self propelled guns. One of the self propelled guns was blown up by Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
fire, but the Germans then mounted a determined infantry assault, and the battalion had to call for support from HMS Arethusa
HMS Arethusa (26)
HMS Arethusa was the name ship of her class of light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. She was built by Chatham Dockyard , with the keel being laid down on 25 January 1933...
. The leading German troops were undaunted by the naval bombardment, and reached the battalion's lines before they were stopped. One of the German prisoners was a battalion commander, who informed his captors that the 875th Grenadier Regiment had been virtually destroyed in the previous day's fighting. That evening the 9th Parachute Battalion captured the Château Saint Come, and was involved in skirmishes throughout the night. The following day, 11 June, the 5th Battalion Black Watch
Black Watch
The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The unit's traditional colours were retired in 2011 in a ceremony led by Queen Elizabeth II....
was attached to the brigade to assist in their attempt to capture Bréville, but their attacks were repulsed by the Germans with heavy losses. They tried again on the 12th, and the German response was an attack by infantry supported by armour, which not only drove the Black Watch back, but almost overran the 9th Parachute Battalion's position. The situation was only saved by a counter attack by 'A' Company 1st Canadian Battalion under the command of Brigadier Hill.
During this time the 8th Battalion, located in the thick forest of the Bois de Bavant, were under an almost constant mortar bombardment. Not being directly attacked, the battalion concentrated on night time patrols to harass the Germans, some going as far as the German occupied villages of Troan and Bures.
On 7 June the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion at Le Mesnil was attacked by units from the 857th and 858th Grenadier Regiments, supported by tanks and self propelled guns. The battalion inflicted heavy casualties on the Germans, but only managed to drive them back with a bayonet
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit in, on, over or underneath the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar weapon, effectively turning the gun into a spear...
charge by 'B' Company. The next day the battalion was involved in several small battles, and on the 9 June sent a reconnaissance patrol to check if the Germans were still occupying Bavent
Bavent
Bavent is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
. The patrol was driven back by a strong German force, but that night another patrol entered the village and planted explosive charges on weapons and in buildings. Attacks by German infantry and armour continued until the night of the 12/13 June, when Bréville was finally captured by the division's only reserves, a mixed force from the 12th Parachute Battalion and 12th Devonshire Battalion supported by a troop of tanks from the 13th/18th Royal Hussars. On 13 June the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division crossed the River Orne from the west, and took over responsibility for the southern sector of the Orne bridgehead. At the same time the 4th Special Service Brigade
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
was attached to the 6th Airborne Division, which gave them the ability to rotate one brigade at a time out of the front line to allow them to rest. The 3rd Parachute Brigade, having suffered more casualties than the division's other brigades, was the first formation relieved.
Advance to the Seine
With the capture of Breville the division was not attacked in force again, apart from an almost continuous artillery bombardment between 18 and 20 June. Further reinforcements arrived east of the River Orne on 20 July; the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division moved into the line between the 6th Airborne and the Highland Division. Then on 7 August, the 6th Airborne Division was ordered to prepare to move over to the offensive, with its objective being the mouth of the River Seine. The three divisions east of the Orne now became I Corps, and when issuing his orders Lieutenant General John CrockerJohn Crocker
General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and corps commander during the Second World War.- First World War :...
, aware that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect them to advance very quickly. To reach the Seine the division would have to cross three major rivers, and there were only two main lines of advance; one road running along the coast and another further inland from Troarn to Pont Audemer.
On 17 August the Germans started to withdraw northwards. The divisional commander had already decided that the 3rd Parachute Brigade would lead the advance along the interior road. Their objective was to capture Bures, cross the River Dives and secure the area between there and Dozulé
Dozulé
-See also:* Cross of Dozulé* Movement of Love Saint Juan Diego*Communes of the Calvados department-References:*...
. At 03:00 the brigade attacked the retreating Germans. By 08:00 the 8th and 9th Battalions had captured Bures, and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion moved through the Bois de Bavant. The bridges in Bures had been blown up previously, and it took the brigade's engineers until the afternoon to build a crossing. By 21:00 the brigade had crossed the Dives and halted with the 8th Parachute Battalion out in front at Goustranville. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was behind them, and the 9th Parachute Battalion in reserve. The next day the brigade met heavy resistance just beyond Goustranville, on the Dives Canal and at Dozulé train station. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion had taken over the advance and were ordered to seize four bridges crossing the canal. The assault began at 22:00; at 22:35 the railway bridge in the north had been captured, and by midnight all four bridges were secured with 150 prisoners
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
taken. The 9th Parachute Battalion then passed through the Canadians and crossed the next water obstacle without boats, as they found the water was only 4 feet (1.2 m) deep. At 01:00 on 19 August they reached Dozulé. It was not until 07:00 on 21 August that the advance restarted, with the objective of Pont-l'Evêque
Pont-l'Évêque, Calvados
Pont-l'Évêque is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France. It has given its name to a type of soft cheese .-Population:-Transport:* A13 autoroute* A132 autoroute...
on the River Touques. After a hard battle the 8th Parachute Battalion captured Annebault
Annebault
Annebault is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
, and the 5th Parachute Brigade then took over as the division's lead unit. On 24 August the 3rd Parachute Brigade and 4th Special Service Brigade captured Beuzeville
Beuzeville
Beuzeville is a commune in the north-western part of the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.Located on the Lieuvin plateau, it is adjacent to the communes of Pont-l'Évêque, Honfleur and Deauville...
, and the 5th Parachute Brigade reached Pont Audemer, which was the division's last objective. On 27 August the division was ordered to concentrate in the area between Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
and Pont Audemer and prepare to return to England.
In nine days of fighting the 6th Airborne Division had advanced 45 miles (72.4 km), despite, as the divisional commander Major-General
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Richard Gale
Richard Nelson Gale
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
put it, his infantry units being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit". They had captured 400 square miles (1,036 km²) of territory and taken over 1,000 German prisoners. Since landing on 6 June, the division's casualties were 4,457, of which 821 were killed, 2,709 wounded and 927 missing. The 3rd Parachute Brigade had 207 killed. The division was withdrawn from France and embarked for England at the beginning of September.
Ardennes
In England the brigade went into a period of recruitment and training, concentrating on house-to-house street fighting in the bombed areas of SouthamptonSouthampton
Southampton is the largest city in the county of Hampshire on the south coast of England, and is situated south-west of London and north-west of Portsmouth. Southampton is a major port and the closest city to the New Forest...
and Birmingham
Birmingham
Birmingham is a city and metropolitan borough in the West Midlands of England. It is the most populous British city outside the capital London, with a population of 1,036,900 , and lies at the heart of the West Midlands conurbation, the second most populous urban area in the United Kingdom with a...
. The training programme culminated in Exercise Eve, an assault on the River Thames
River Thames
The River Thames flows through southern England. It is the longest river entirely in England and the second longest in the United Kingdom. While it is best known because its lower reaches flow through central London, the river flows alongside several other towns and cities, including Oxford,...
, which was intended to simulate the River Rhine in Germany.
By December the brigade was preparing for Christmas leave, when news of the German offensive in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
broke. As part of the First Allied Airborne Army
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and controlled all Allied airborne forces in Western...
, 6th Airborne Division was available as a component of the strategic reserve for the Allied forces in northwest Europe. The other two divisions available in reserve, the American 82nd and 101st Airborne
101st Airborne Division
The 101st Airborne Division—the "Screaming Eagles"—is a U.S. Army modular light infantry division trained for air assault operations. During World War II, it was renowned for its role in Operation Overlord, the D-Day landings on 6 June 1944, in Normandy, France, Operation Market Garden, the...
, were already at Rheims in northern France, and the 6th Airborne was sent by sea to Belgium to assist the defence. With 29 German and 33 Allied divisions involved, the Battle of the Bulge was the largest single battle on the Western Front
Western Front (World War II)
The Western Front of the European Theatre of World War II encompassed, Denmark, Norway, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, France, and West Germany. The Western Front was marked by two phases of large-scale ground combat operations...
during the war. On Christmas Day the division moved up to take position in front of the spearhead of the German advance; by Boxing Day
Boxing Day
Boxing Day is a bank or public holiday that occurs on 26 December, or the first or second weekday after Christmas Day, depending on national or regional laws. It is observed in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and some other Commonwealth nations. In Ireland, it is recognized as...
they had reached their allocated places in the defensive line between Dinant
Dinant
Dinant is a Walloon city and municipality located on the River Meuse in the Belgian province of Namur, Belgium. The Dinant municipality includes the old communes of Anseremme, Bouvignes-sur-Meuse, Dréhance, Falmagne, Falmignoul, Foy-Notre-Dame, Furfooz, Lisogne, Sorinnes, and Thynes.-Origins to...
and Namur
Namur (city)
Namur is a city and municipality in Wallonia, in southern Belgium. It is both the capital of the province of Namur and of Wallonia....
. The 3rd Parachute Brigade were on the left, 5th Parachute Brigade on the right, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade in reserve. Over the next days the German advance was halted and forced back, until at the end of January 1945, the brigade crossed into Holland. Here the division was made responsible for the area along the River Maas, between Venlo
Venlo
Venlo is a municipality and a city in the southeastern Netherlands, next to the German border. It is situated in the province of Limburg.In 2001, the municipalities of Belfeld and Tegelen were merged into the municipality of Venlo. Tegelen was originally part of the Duchy of Jülich centuries ago,...
and Roermond
Roermond
Roermond is a city, a municipality, and a diocese in the southeastern part of the Netherlands.The city of Roermond is a historically important town, on the lower Roer at the east bank of the Meuse river. It received city rights in 1231...
. The brigade carried out patrols, on both sides of the river, against their opponents from the German 7th Parachute Division
7th Parachute Division (Germany)
The 7. Fallschirmjäger-Division was a fallschirmjäger division of the German military during the Second World War, active from 1944 to 1945....
. Near the end of February the division returned to England to prepare for another airborne mission, to cross the River Rhine into Germany.
Germany
Whereas all other Allied airborne landings had been a surprise for the Germans, the Rhine crossing was expected, and their defences were reinforced in anticipation. The airborne operation was preceded by a two day round-the-clock bombing mission by the Allied air forces. Then on 23 March, 3,500 artillery guns targeted the German positions. At dusk Operation PlunderOperation Plunder
Commencing on the night of 23 March 1945 during World War II, Operation Plunder was the crossing of the River Rhine at Rees, Wesel, and south of the Lippe River by the British 2nd Army, under Lieutenant-General Sir Miles Dempsey , and the U.S. Ninth Army , under Lieutenant General William Simpson...
, an assault river crossing of the Rhine by the 21st Army Group, began. For their part in Operation Varsity, the 6th Airborne Division was assigned to the American XVIII Airborne Corps alongside the United States 17th Airborne Division.
In the British sector the 3rd Parachute Brigade would be the first unit to arrive in Germany. Their initial objective was to secure the western edge of the Schneppenberg woods. Brigade headquarters was fully aware of the expected opposition to the landings, and the commander of the 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was warned to prepare for around 600 casualties; almost a third of the brigade's manpower. On 24 March 1945 at 07:00 the 122 C-47 Dakotas transporting the brigade took off from England in three waves. The first wave carried brigade headquarters and the 8th Parachute Battalion, the second carried the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, and the 9th Parachute Battalion came last. The gliders carrying the brigade's heavy equipment were scheduled to arrive 40 minutes after the third wave. Nine minutes ahead of schedule, the brigade started landing at their DZs. Their premature arrival stopped the Allied artillery and fighter bombers which were engaging targets in the area, especially anti-aircraft gun emplacements. The descending parachutists were met with heavy fire from the German defenders, causing several casualties. One of the dead was the commanding officer of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. It was during the landing that one of the Canadian medics, Corporal Frederick Topham
Frederick George Topham
Frederick George Topham, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.-Details:...
, won a Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, becoming the division's only recipient of the award during the war. By 11:00 the 8th Parachute Battalion had secured the DZ, and the other two battalions headed for the Schneppenberg woods, which were secured by 14:00. The 9th Parachute Battalion dug in within the woods, and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion on the outskirts. At 15:00 the first troops of the Royal Scots arrived after completing their assault crossing of the Rhine. The day's fighting had cost the brigade 80 dead and 190 wounded, however they had taken around 700 prisoners.
On 27 March the division started advancing further into Germany. The 8th Parachute Battalion was the first to reach Lembeck, which was defended by two Panzer Grenadier companies. A hand-to-hand battle ensued, lasting 18 hours and eventually drawing in all three battalions; by midnight the town was secured, with around 300 prisoners taken. The brigade's next objective was Greven
Greven
Greven is a medium-sized town in the district of Steinfurt, in Germany's most populous state of North Rhine-Westphalia and close to the city of Münster.-Geography:Greven is situated on the river Ems, approx...
and the bridge across the River Ems. At 21:30 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were about 3 miles (4.8 km) away from the town. Leaving what vehicles they had behind, they attempted to approach the bridge unseen on foot, and by 23:00 had successfully secured the town and bridge. The 9th Parachute Battalion was called forward to continue the advance, but just as they approached the bridge it was blown up by the Germans. In the early hours of the morning, a footbridge across the river was discovered, and the 9th Battalion prepared to carry out an assault. 'A' Company crossed the footbridge under fire just before dawn, and after a short fight had secured the crossing. After a few hours' rest the advance continued with the 8th Battalion in the lead, and by nightfall they had reached their next objective, the Dortmund–Ems Canal. Resting overnight, the battalion crossed the half-empty canal at 10:30 the next day. Over the next 36 hours the brigade advanced 70 miles (112.7 km) to Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
.
The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division then took over from the 6th Airborne Division as the lead formation until 30 April when the Airborne Division once more resumed the advance, crossing the River Elbe over a bridge captured by the Scottish division. The division's objective was Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
; the two parachute brigades advanced on separate routes to Gadebusch
Gadebusch
Gadebusch is a town in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, in the district Nordwestmecklenburg, half-way between Lübeck and Schwerin.The town is known for two notable monuments: the Stadtkirche , built in 1220, considered the oldest brick church in Mecklenburg, and the Schloss , built in 1580-1583...
, aware that the brigade to arrive first would continue as the division's lead formation. By this stage of the war the advance was hampered more by refugees fleeing westwards than by any organised opposition. The 3rd Parachute Brigade won the race and led the division to Wismar, arriving on 1 May only 30 minutes before the lead troops of the Soviet Red Army
Red Army
The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army started out as the Soviet Union's revolutionary communist combat groups during the Russian Civil War of 1918-1922. It grew into the national army of the Soviet Union. By the 1930s the Red Army was among the largest armies in history.The "Red Army" name refers to...
advancing from the east.
Palestine
At the end of May 1945, the division was pulled out of Germany and returned to England. It was initially intended to send them to India to form an airborne corps with the 44th Indian Airborne Division. The division’s advance party, formed around the 5th Parachute Brigade, had already arrived in India. Following the Japanese surrender, all these plans changed. The post-war British Army only needed one airborne division, and the 6th Airborne was chosen to remain on strength. Reinforced by the 2nd Parachute Brigade, the division was sent to the Middle East as the Imperial Strategic Reserve.The 3rd Parachute Brigade was the first unit of the Airborne Division to arrive in Palestine, disembarking at Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
on 3 October 1945. The brigade then moved to Gaza
Gaza
Gaza , also referred to as Gaza City, is a Palestinian city in the Gaza Strip, with a population of about 450,000, making it the largest city in the Palestinian territories.Inhabited since at least the 15th century BC,...
to acclimatise and regain their fitness after the voyage from England. On 21 October the brigade was deployed around the Lydda
Lod
Lod is a city located on the Sharon Plain southeast of Tel Aviv in the Center District of Israel. At the end of 2010, it had a population of 70,000, roughly 75 percent Jewish and 25 percent Arab.The name is derived from the Biblical city of Lod...
district, with responsibility for Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
and Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
. The first incident involving the brigade came on 14 November 1945, when the Jewish National Council called for a 12-hour strike, which resulted in rioting in Tel Aviv. By 18:15 the Palestine Police Force
Palestine Police Force
The Palestine Police Force was a British colonial police service established in the British Mandate for Palestine on 1 July 1920, when High Commissioner Herbert Samuel's civil administration took over responsibility for security from General Allenby's Occupied Enemy Territory Administration...
was unable to cope and sent for reinforcements from the 8th Parachute Battalion. The complete battalion was deployed and the riot was under control by 21:40 and a curfew imposed for the rest of the night. Early the following day the curfew was broken by large crowds gathering to loot and burn buildings, so the remainder of the brigade was deployed to the city under the codename Operation Bellicose. Night time curfews remained in place until 05:20 on 20 November, when all troops returned to their barracks. All was quiet in the brigade area until the night of 26/27 December, when police stations in Jaffa and Tel Aviv, the railway at Lydda and an armoury at Tel Aviv were attacked. The brigade again imposed a curfew around Tel Aviv. This was followed by cordon and search
Cordon and search
Cordon and search is a military tactic to cordon off an area and search the premises for weapons or insurgents. It is one of the basic counter insurgency operation. Other related operations are Cordon and knock and Cordon and kick....
operations: Pintail on 29 December, Heron on 8 January, and Pigeon on 30 January.
Over the night of 2/3 April 1946, there were several attacks on railway installations around the country. One at Yibna
Yibna
Yibna was a Palestinian village of 5,420 inhabitants, located 15 kilometers southwest of Ramla. Yibna was occupied by Israeli forces on June 4, 1948, and was depopulated during the military assault and expulsion.-History:...
occurred at the same time as a patrol from the 9th Parachute Battalion was entering the village. The patrol's leading two vehicles exploded mines that had been laid on a bridge, wounding three men. At daylight the tracks of around 30 men were found, and a section from the 8th Parachute Battalion eventually cornered 24 armed men. In the firefight that followed, 14 of them were wounded and the remainder surrendered, with no British casualties. On 29 June Operation Agatha started; the brigade had been rotated to cover the south of Palestine, and were to search for arms and arrest any members of the Palmach
Palmach
The Palmach was the elite fighting force of the Haganah, the underground army of the Yishuv during the period of the British Mandate of Palestine. The Palmach was established on May 15, 1941...
in Givat Brenner
Givat Brenner
Givat Brenner , also written Giv'at Brener, is a kibbutz in the Center District of Israel. Located around two kilometres south of Rehovot, it falls under the jurisdiction of Brenner Regional Council...
and No'ar Oved. On 22 July the King David Hotel
King David Hotel bombing
The King David Hotel bombing was an attack carried out by themilitant right-wing Zionist underground organization Irgun on the King David Hotel in Jerusalem on 22 July 1946...
in Jerusalem was bombed, which was the catalyst for Operation Shark, the searching of every house and property in Tel Aviv. For this operation the brigade had all the divisional artillery and the 3rd The King's Own Hussars
3rd The King's Own Hussars
The 3rd Hussars was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into The Queen's Own Hussars in 1958.-The Glorious Revolution:...
under their command. The brigade's next tasks were Operations Bream and Eel between 28 August and 4 September, which entailed the search of Dorot
Dorot
Dorot is a kibbutz in southern Israel. Located on Route 334 near Sderot, it falls under the municipal jurisdiction of the Sha'ar HaNegev Regional Council. In 2008, it had a population of 454....
and Ruhama
Ruhama
Ruhama is a kibbutz in the Negev desert in southern Israel. The original settlement established in 1911, is considered the first modern Jewish settlement in the Negev....
in the Negev
Negev
The Negev is a desert and semidesert region of southern Israel. The Arabs, including the native Bedouin population of the region, refer to the desert as al-Naqab. The origin of the word Neghebh is from the Hebrew root denoting 'dry'...
. For the first time army dogs trained in metal detecting were used during the operations, and they located a large arms cache in both settlements.
In January 1947, the 6th Airborne Division was moved to northern Palestine, swapping locations with the 1st Infantry Division. The 3rd Parachute Brigade took over responsibility for Haifa
Haifa
Haifa is the largest city in northern Israel, and the third-largest city in the country, with a population of over 268,000. Another 300,000 people live in towns directly adjacent to the city including the cities of the Krayot, as well as, Tirat Carmel, Daliyat al-Karmel and Nesher...
, which was considered a problem area. The brigade had to guard the docks and port of Haifa, which were the main entry point for immigrants arriving in the country. In addition, the many oil pipelines and installations in the region were a potential target for sabotage. The brigade's first operation was imposing a curfew on the Jewish quarter after the kidnapping of two Britons in retaliation for the death sentence imposed on Dov Gruner
Dov Gruner
Dov Gruner was a Jewish Zionist leader born in Kisvárda, Hungary on December 6, 1912. On April 19, 1947, he was executed by the British Mandatory authorities in Palestine on the charge of "firing on policemen, and setting explosive charges with the intent of killing personnel on His Majesty's...
. The next major operation was in July, when an indefinite night time curfew was imposed, in response to several attacks in and around the city. The curfew lasted until the end of the month.
In October 1947, the War Office announced its intention to reduce the division's strength by one brigade. The 3rd Parachute Brigade, being more recently established than the other units, was selected to be disbanded. However, instead of disbanding its battalions, it was decided to amalgamate them. The 3rd Parachute Battalion joined with the 2nd Parachute Battalion and was renumbered the 2nd/3rd Parachute Battalion, and the brigade's other two battalions were amalgamated to become the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. Both of these new units would serve in the 1st Parachute Brigade. The amalgamation of the 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions was completed in December, and the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalions in early January. Finally, the brigade headquarters was disbanded at the end of January. During their service in Palestine, nine men from the brigade had been killed.
Order of battle
Commanding officers- BrigadierBrigadierBrigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Sir Alexander StanierStanier BaronetsThe Stanier Baronetcy, of Peplow Hall in Hodnet in the County of Shropshire, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 16 July 1917 for Beville Stanier, Conservative Member of Parliament for Newport and Ludlow...
, BtBaronetA baronet or the rare female equivalent, a baronetess , is the holder of a hereditary baronetcy awarded by the British Crown... - Brigadier Gerald LathburyGerald LathburyGeneral Sir Gerald William Lathbury, GCB, DSO, MBE was a British Army officer during the Second World War and later became Governor of Gibraltar-Military career:...
- Brigadier James Hill
- Brigadier Francis RomeFrancis RomeMajor-General Francis David Rome CB CMG CBE DSO was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.-Military career:Rome was commissioned into the British Army in 1925...
Units
- 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion7th (Light Infantry) Parachute BattalionThe 7th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, formed by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was raised by the conversion of the 10th Somerset Light Infantry to parachute duties...
- 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion8th (Midlands) Parachute BattalionThe 8th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War....
- 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute BattalionThe 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment to parachute duties...
- 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion1st Canadian Parachute BattalionThe 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
- 3rd Parachute Battalion
- 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field AmbulanceThe 224th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 224th Field Ambulance was converted to an airborne unit in 1942, and assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division...
–Royal Army Medical CorpsRoyal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace... - 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery–Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 3rd Parachute Squadron–Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....