The 5th Parachute Brigade was an

airborne forces Airborne forces are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in airborne units are also known as paratroopers. The main ...

formation of

brigade A brigade is a major tactical military unit, military formation that typically comprises three to six battalions plus supporting elements. It is roughly equivalent to an enlarged or reinforced regiment. Two or more brigades may constitute ...

strength, raised by the

British Army during the Second World War At the start of 1939, the British Army was, as it traditionally always had been, a small volunteer professional army. At the beginning of the Second World War on 1 September 1939, the British Army was small in comparison with those of its en ...

. Created during 1943, the brigade was assigned to the

6th Airborne Division The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry Infantry, or infantryman are a type of soldier who specialize in ground combat, typically fighting dismounted. Historically the term was used to describe foot soldiers, i.e. those who m ...

, serving alongside the 3rd Parachute Brigade and the 6th Airlanding Brigade. The brigade first saw action in the British airborne landings on

D-Day The Normandy landings were the landing operations and associated airborne operations on 6 June 1944 of the Allied invasion of Normandy in Operation Overlord during the Second World War. Codenamed Operation Neptune and often referred to as ...

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 D-Day landings during the Second World War. The paratro ...

, where it was responsible for capturing the Caen canal and Orne river bridges. The brigade remained in Normandy until September 1944, by which time it had advanced to the mouth of the

River Seine The Seine ( , ) is a river in northern France. Its drainage basin is in the Paris Basin (a geological relative lowland) covering most of northern France. It rises at Source-Seine, northwest of Dijon in northeastern France in the Langres p ...

. Its next engagement was in reaction to the surprise German offensive in the Ardennes, the

Battle of the Bulge The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive or Unternehmen Die Wacht am Rhein, Wacht am Rhein, was the last major German Offensive (military), offensive Military campaign, campaign on the Western Front (World War II), Western ...

. This was followed by Operation Varsity, the last Allied airborne mission of the war. After this, the brigade advanced across Germany, reaching the

Baltic Sea The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by the countries of Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden, and the North European Plain, North and Central European Plain regions. It is the ...

by the end of fighting in the

European theatre The European theatre of World War II was one of the two main theatres of combat during World War II, taking place from September 1939 to May 1945. The Allied powers (including the United Kingdom, the United States, the Soviet Union and Franc ...

. The brigade was then sent to

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

as the division's advance party, but the war ended before it could begin operations. Instead the brigade became involved in disarming the Japanese forces in Malaya and

Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...

, to restore British sovereignty. Its last operation was in

Java Java is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea (a part of Pacific Ocean) to the north. With a population of 156.9 million people (including Madura) in mid 2024, proje ...

, where it remained until a Dutch force arrived to take over. The brigade then rejoined the 6th Airborne Division, which was serving in Palestine, but was disbanded almost immediately afterwards.

Background

Impressed by the success of German airborne operations during the

Battle of France The Battle of France (; 10 May – 25 June 1940), also known as the Western Campaign (), the French Campaign (, ) and the Fall of France, during the Second World War was the Nazi Germany, German invasion of the Low Countries (Belgium, Luxembour ...

in May–June 1940, the

British Prime Minister The prime minister of the United Kingdom is the head of government of the United Kingdom. The prime minister advises the sovereign on the exercise of much of the royal prerogative, chairs the Cabinet, and selects its ministers. Modern pri ...

Winston Churchill Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 – 24 January 1965) was a British statesman, military officer, and writer who was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1940 to 1945 (Winston Churchill in the Second World War, ...

, directed the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

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. This later became the 1st Parachute Battalion. On 21 June 1940 the Central Landing Establishment was formed at Ringway airfield near

Manchester Manchester () is a city and the metropolitan borough of Greater Manchester, England. It had an estimated population of in . Greater Manchester is the third-most populous metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.92&nbs ...

. Although tasked primarily with training parachute troops, it was also directed to investigate the use of gliders to transport troops into battle.Smith, p.7 At the same time, the Ministry of Aircraft Production contracted General Aircraft Ltd to design and produce a glider for this purpose.Flint, p.73 The result was the

General Aircraft Hotspur The General Aircraft GAL.48 Hotspur was a military glider designed and built by the British company General Aircraft Limited, General Aircraft Ltd during World War II. When the British airborne forces, airborne establishment was formed in 1940 ...

, 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 An army, ground force or land force is an armed force that fights primarily on land. In the broadest sense, it is the land-based military branch, service branch or armed service of a nation or country. It may also include aviation assets by ...

and RAF 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 The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...

, and that a glider force of 10,000 men should be created.

Formation

On 23 April 1943 the War Office authorised the formation of a second airborne division, which would be numbered the

. Under its command the division would have the existing 3rd Parachute Brigade, along with two airlanding battalions transferred from the 1st Airborne Division to form the nucleus of the new 6th Airlanding Brigade. To fill out the division, a new parachute brigade was raised on 1 July by the redesignation of the 72nd Independent Infantry Brigade. Numbered the 5th Parachute Brigade, it was initially commanded by

Brigadier Brigadier ( ) is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore (rank), commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several t ...

Edwin Flavell, but on 5 July he was given command of the Airborne Forces Depot, and Brigadier

Nigel Poett General Sir Joseph Howard Nigel Poett, (20 August 1907 – 29 October 1991) was a British Army officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade during the Second World War. Early life Poett was born on 20 August 1907, at a rented family house i ...

took over the brigade. In 1945, while the brigade was serving in the Far East, the brigade's last commander, Brigadier Kenneth Darling, took over from Poett. Parachute training 1944

The parachute battalions in the brigade were the experienced 7th (Light Infantry), which was transferred from the 3rd Parachute Brigade, and two new parachute battalions, the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion and the 13th (Lancashire). These were standard

line infantry Line infantry was the type of infantry that formed the bulk of most European land armies from the mid-17th century to the mid-19th century. Maurice of Nassau and Gustavus Adolphus are generally regarded as its pioneers, while Henri de la Tour d ...

converted to parachute duties, and had to undergo airborne forces selection and training at the Airborne Forces Deport. On formation, each battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle

companies A company, abbreviated as co., is a legal entity representing an association of legal people, whether natural, juridical or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common purpose and unite to achieve specifi ...

; the companies were divided into a small headquarters and three

platoon A platoon is a Military organization, military unit typically composed of two to four squads, Section (military unit), sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the Military branch, branch, but a platoon can ...

s. Each platoon had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per

section Section, Sectioning, or Sectioned may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea * Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents ** Section sig ...

. The only heavy weapons in the battalions were a 3 inch mortar platoon and a

Vickers machine gun The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a Water cooling, water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more me ...

platoon. By 1944 a headquarters or support company was added to the battalion, comprising five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank. This company had eight 3 inch mortars, four Vickers machine guns, and ten

PIAT The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) Mk I was a British man-portable anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapo ...

anti-tank projectors.Guard, p.37 The brigade was supported by the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery from the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

. This battery had three

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Troo ...

s, equipped with four

Ordnance QF 6 pounder The Ordnance quick-firing 6-pounder 7 cwt,British forces traditionally denoted smaller ordnance by the weight of its standard projectile, in this case approximately . The approximate weight of the gun barrel and breech, "7 cwt" (cwt = hundredwe ...

s each, and provided the brigade's only anti-tank guns. Later in the war, the battery was increased to five troops, three of them retaining the 6 pounder, while the other two had four

Ordnance QF 17 pounder The Ordnance Quick-Firing 17-pounder (or just 17-pdr)Under the British standard ordnance weights and measurements the gun's approximate projectile weight is used to denote different guns of the same calibre. Hence this was a 3-inch gun, of which ...

s each. While the 6 pounder could fit inside the Horsa glider, the size and weight of the 17 pounder and its

Morris C8 The Morris Commercial C8 FAT (Field Artillery Tractor), commonly known as a ''(Beetle-back) Quad'', is an artillery tractor used by the British and Commonwealth (including Canadian forces), during the Second World War., first published in Classi ...

tractor unit required the larger Hamilcar glider.Peters and Buist, p.327 The 591st (Antrim) Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers. and the

225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance The 225th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. When raised the Field Ambulance was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, which was part of the 6th Airborne ...

of the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) was a specialist corps in the British Army which provided medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. On 15 November 2024, the corps was amalgamated with the Royal Army De ...

completed the brigade formation.Ferguson, p.16 'D' Company, commanded by

Major Major most commonly refers to: * Major (rank), a military rank * Academic major, an academic discipline to which an undergraduate student formally commits * People named Major, including given names, surnames, nicknames * Major and minor in musi ...

John Howard John Winston Howard (born 26 July 1939) is an Australian former politician who served as the 25th prime minister of Australia from 1996 to 2007. He held office as leader of the Liberal Party of Australia. His eleven-year tenure as prime min ...

, from the 2nd Battalion of the

Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was a light infantry regiment of the British Army that existed from 1881 until 1958, serving in the Second Boer War, World War I and World War II. The regiment was formed as a consequence of th ...

(OBLI), of 6th Airlanding Brigade, also served with the brigade for a one off mission in

Normandy Normandy (; or ) is a geographical and cultural region in northwestern Europe, roughly coextensive with the historical Duchy of Normandy. Normandy comprises Normandy (administrative region), mainland Normandy (a part of France) and insular N ...

. At the end of the war, while serving in the

Far East The Far East is the geographical region that encompasses the easternmost portion of the Asian continent, including North Asia, North, East Asia, East and Southeast Asia. South Asia is sometimes also included in the definition of the term. In mod ...

, the pathfinders of the 22nd Independent Parachute Company, and the Parachute Platoon from the Light Composite Company,

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and do ...

, were attached to the brigade.

Operational history

Major General Gale talking to troops of 5th Parachute Brigade

From June to December 1943, the brigade prepared for operations as part of the 6th Airborne Division, training at every level from

up to division by day and night.Harclerode, p.225 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 A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting. In modern military usage this typically refers to the use of projectile weapons such as an accurized telescopic sight, scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle (or a sniper ri ...

ship and

fieldcraft Fieldcraft comprises the techniques and methods involved in living, traveling, or making military or scientific observations in the field. The term "fieldcraft" is used in a broad range of industries including military, oil and gas, wildlife and ...

.Guard, p.225 A large part of the training consisted of

assault course An assault course (also called a confidence course or obstacle course) is a trail (or course) that combines running and exercising. It is often used in military training. The prime use is to evaluate progress and weaknesses of the individual or ...

s and route marching.

Military exercise A military exercise, training exercise, maneuver (manoeuvre), or war game is the employment of military resources in Military education and training, training for military operations. Military exercises are conducted to explore the effects of ...

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 . An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected; airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of in 24 hours, and battalions . In April 1944, under the command of 1st Airborne Corps, the brigade took part in Exercise Mush, in the counties of

Gloucestershire Gloucestershire ( , ; abbreviated Glos.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Herefordshire to the north-west, Worcestershire to the north, Warwickshire to the north-east, Oxfordshire ...

Oxfordshire Oxfordshire ( ; abbreviated ''Oxon'') is a ceremonial county in South East England. The county is bordered by Northamptonshire and Warwickshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the east, Berkshire to the south, and Wiltshire and Glouceste ...

and

Wiltshire Wiltshire (; abbreviated to Wilts) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It borders Gloucestershire to the north, Oxfordshire to the north-east, Berkshire to the east, Hampshire to the south-east, Dorset to the south, and Somerset to ...

. This was an airborne military exercise spread over three days involving the 1st and 6th Airborne Divisions. Unknown to the men of the 6th Airborne, it was a full-scale rehearsal for the division's involvement in the imminent

Normandy invasion Operation Overlord was the codename for the Battle of Normandy, the Allied operation that launched the successful liberation of German-occupied Western Europe during World War II. The operation was launched on 6 June 1944 ( D-Day) with the ...

. During 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 Orne (; or ) is a département in the northwest of France, named after the river Orne. It had a population of 279,942 in 2019.Dives. For their part in the operation, the 5th Parachute Brigade had to capture intact the

Caen Canal Canal de Caen à la Mer (; , also called the "Caen Canal") is a short canal in the department (préfecture) of Calvados, France, connecting the Port of Caen, in the city of Caen, downstream to the town of Ouistreham and the English Channel. R ...

and the River Orne bridges. To assist the brigade in its mission, 'D' Company from the 2nd Battalion,

was taken under its command to carry out a

coup de main A ''coup de main'' (, : , ) is a swift attack that relies on speed and surprise to accomplish its objectives in a single blow. Definition The United States Department of Defense defines it as "An offensive operation that capitalizes on surprise ...

operation on the bridges.

D-Day

Just after midnight on 6 June 1944, six Halifax bombers towing Horsa gliders, with the reinforced 'D' Company from the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry on board, crossed the French coast. Shortly afterwards, the tow ropes were released and five of the gliders landed in the strip of land between the Caen Canal and the River Orne.

commanded the company for the assault, which in short order captured the Benouville and

Ranville Ranville () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Ranville was the first French village liberated on D-Day. The village was liberated by the British 13th Parachute Battalion, commanded by Lie ...

bridges intact, for the loss of two dead and several wounded. The intention was for this force to hold the bridges until relieved by the 7th Parachute Battalion. Next, Albemarle bombers carrying the 5th Parachute Brigade's pathfinders, a group from each battalion, and the brigade headquarters started to arrive over the

drop zone A drop zone (DZ) is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers and airborne forces, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land ...

(DZ).Harclerode, p.317 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. At 00:50 the brigade started landing at DZ-N, just north of Ranville. Equipment and navigational failures by the RAF pilots and the division's pathfinders resulted in the brigade being scattered all over the countryside. By 02:40 only around 40 per cent of the 7th Parachute Battalion had reached their assembly point. Unable to wait any longer, the battalion headed for the captured bridges, and established a defensive position in Benouville, the division's only position west of the Caen Canal. Most of the 12th Parachute Battalion landed on the eastern edge of the DZ, and only around 60 per cent of the battalion arrived at their assembly point. Their objective was to secure the village of Le Bas de Ranville, which was achieved by 04:00.Harclerode, p.315 The 13th Parachute Battalion could also only muster around 60 per cent of its strength on the DZ. This battalion had two objectives; to secure Ranville and to clear the DZ of obstacles for the division's gliders which were to land next. By daybreak all the brigade's objectives had been secured. To the west of the Caen Canal, the 7th Parachute Battalion was attacked by tanks and armoured vehicles from the

21st Panzer Division The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941 to 1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Deutsches Afrikakorps ...

. With no heavy weapons available, one

Panzer IV The IV (Pz.Kpfw. IV), commonly known as the Panzer IV, is a German medium tank developed in the late 1930s and used extensively during the Second World War. Its ordnance inventory designation was Sd.Kfz. 161. The Panzer IV was the most numer ...

that reached the centre of Benouville had to be destroyed using Gammon bombs. The battalion held out all morning against attacks by German tanks and infantry, and around noon the

commandos A commando is a combatant, or operative of an elite light infantry or special operations force, specially trained for carrying out raids and operating in small teams behind enemy lines. Originally, "a commando" was a type of combat unit, as opp ...

from the 1st Commando Brigade started arriving from

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 Fra ...

. The battalion was still being attacked from the south, but the commandos' arrival meant their northern flank was now relatively secure.Harclerode, p.316 On the eastern side of the bridges, the 12th Parachute Battalion had been under mortar and artillery fire and was then attacked by the 21st Panzer Division's 125th Panzer Grenadier Regiment, which withdrew after losing a tank; several German infantry were taken

prisoner A prisoner, also known as an inmate or detainee, is a person who is deprived of liberty against their will. This can be by confinement or captivity in a prison or physical restraint. The term usually applies to one serving a Sentence (law), se ...

. A second German attack was also stopped, this time assisted by the 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, which destroyed three self propelled guns and a tank. The 13th Parachute Battalion secured Ranville, which had been held by a company from the German 711th Infantry Division, and was the first French village to be liberated during the landings. This battalion was also attacked by infantry and tanks, three of which were destroyed during the day. At 21:00 the 6th Airlanding Brigade arrived at two landing zones, one on each side of the Orne river. By the end of the day the 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions were still holding Le Bas de Ranville and Ranville. The 7th Parachute Battalion, after being relieved by the 3rd Infantry Division, was now in reserve, dug in along the western side of DZ-N. The 3rd Parachute Brigade was holding a ridge of high ground to the east of the 5th Parachute Brigade, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade were moving into position to their south. The north was covered by the 1st Commando Brigade which was now under the 6th Airborne Division's command.Harclerode, p.327

Orne bridgehead

Because of their positioning, the 5th Parachute Brigade was largely protected by the 6th Airborne Division's other units, and did not suffer from the almost constant German attempts to dislodge the division. However, the 12th Parachute Battalion was attacked on 7 June by seven tanks and an infantry company. The attack was beaten off for the loss of three tanks, but caused several casualties amongst 'A' Company, including the crew of their only supporting 6 pounder anti-tank gun.Harclerode, p.335 Later the same day during an attack on the 13th Parachute Battalion, three German self-propelled guns were destroyed, and the next day the battalion destroyed another six attacking tanks. The 12th Battalion,

Devonshire Regiment The Devonshire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army that served under various titles and served in many wars and conflicts from 1685 to 1958, such as the Second Boer War, the World War I, First World War and the World War II, ...

arrived by sea later in the day, and took over the 12th Parachute Battalion's position. The 7th and 12th Parachute Battalions and the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry now formed the divisional reserve. Elements from three German formations were responsible for the attacks on the division; the 21st Panzer Division and the 346th and 711th Infantry Divisions. 6thbritairborneranville

. On 10 June a large German force assembled to the south west of Breville and at 09:00 attacked across DZ-N towards the bridges and the 13th Parachute Battalion. Waiting until the enemy were only away, the battalion opened fire. Supported by the mortars and Vickers machine guns of the 7th Parachute Battalion, 'C' Company from the 13th Parachute Battalion started a counterattack which drove the Germans away. The attack had cost the Germans 400 dead and 100 captured. Major-General Richard Nelson Gale, commander of the 6th Airborne Division, decided to try to drive the Germans out of the large woods at Le Mariquet, which were occupied by the 857th Grenadier Regiment, part of the 346th Infantry Division. The operation would be carried out by the 7th Parachute Battalion, supported by

Sherman tank The M4 Sherman, officially medium tank, M4, was the medium tank most widely used by the United States and Western Allies in World War II. The M4 Sherman proved to be reliable, relatively cheap to produce, and available in great numbers. I ...

s from 'B' Squadron

13th/18th Royal Hussars The 13th/18th Royal Hussars (Queen Mary's Own) was a cavalry regiment of the British Army. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 13th Hussars and the 18th Royal Hussars in 1922 and, after service in the Second World War, it amalgamated wit ...

. Two companies from the battalion entered the woods, while the tanks remained outside giving covering fire. By that evening the woods had been cleared. The cost to the 7th Parachute Battalion was only 10 men wounded, but the Hussars lost seven tanks, with 10 dead and five wounded. The German defenders had 20 men killed, and 100 prisoners were taken. At the same time, the 3rd Parachute Brigade, supported by the 5th Battalion,

Black Watch The Black Watch, 3rd Battalion, Royal Regiment of Scotland (3 SCOTS) is an infantry battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland. The regiment was created as part of the Childers Reforms in 1881, when the 42nd (Royal Highland) Regiment ...

from the

51st (Highland) Division The 51st (Highland) Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army that fought on the Western Front (World War I), Western Front in France during the World War I, First World War from 1915 to 1918. The division was ra ...

, were attempting to capture Breville, the only German held village on the high ground overlooking the British positions. By 12 June Breville was still in German hands, and Gale decided on one more attack, this time at night. This would be carried out by his only reserves; the 12th Parachute Battalion, now only 350 men strong, supported by the pathfinder company, a company from the 12th Devonshire Regiment, and a squadron of tanks from the 13th/18th Hussars. The attack would be supported by artillery fire from five regiments of artillery. The assault started at 22:00, and after fighting throughout the night the village was eventually captured. British casualties were heavy; the 12th Parachute Battalion lost 141 men, the Devons another 35. The 12th Parachute Battalion was now reduced to only 55 men in its three rifle companies, plus the Headquarters Company. Some casualties were victims of the British artillery falling short. These included the 12th Parachute Battalion's commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Johnson, who was killed. The same shell wounded Brigadiers Hugh Kindersley of the airlanding brigade and

Lord Lovat Lord Lovat () is a title of the rank Lord of Parliament in the Peerage of Scotland. It was created in 1458 for Hugh Fraser by summoning him to the Scottish Parliament as Lord Fraser of Lovat, although the holder is referred to simply as Lo ...

of the commandos. The next day, 13 June, the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division crossed the waterways and took over the defence of the southern sector from the airlanding brigade. This, and the assignment of the 4th Special Service Brigade to the division, allowed one brigade at a time to go into reserve to rest. The first brigade withdrawn was the 3rd, and the 5th Parachute Brigade took over their positions on the ridge of high ground, between the 1st Special Service Brigade in the north and the Highland Division in the south.Harclerode, p.348

Advance to the Seine

After 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, when the

49th (West Riding) Infantry Division The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army. The division fought in the World War I, First World War in the Trench warfare, trenches of the Western Front (World War I), Western Front ...

moved into the line between the 6th Airborne and the 51st (Highland) Division. On 7 August Gale was ordered to prepare the division to move over to the offensive, with its objective being the mouth of the

. The three divisions east of the Orne together became I Corps; its commander,

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the battlefield, who was norma ...

John Crocker General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker, (4 January 1896 – 9 March 1963) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both world wars. He served as both a private soldier and a junior officer in the First World War. During the Second World ...

, knowing that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect it to advance very quickly. To reach the Seine, the division would have to cross three major rivers. There were two main lines of advance, the road running along the coast and another road further inland from Troarn to Pont Audemer. The commando brigade and the two parachute brigades would use the inland route, with the 3rd Parachute Brigade being responsible for the breakout when the time was right.Harclerode, p.351 On 17 August the Germans began to withdraw, and the 3rd Parachute Brigade started their attack at 03:00. By 18 August the brigade had crossed the River Dives and reached the outskirts of Goustranville. Here they halted, and the 5th Parachute Brigade took over the attack, their first objective being the village of Putot en Auge. The 7th Parachute Battalion were to secure the ground to the east of the village. Delayed on the way, they ambushed a column of Germans advancing on them, before securing their objective. The 13th Parachute Battalion, which had been under fire for three hours, dashed across of open land into cover at the base of Hill 13. Then 'A' and 'B' Companies fixed

bayonet A bayonet (from Old French , now spelt ) is a -4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to talk of the beginnings of French, that is, when it wa ... , now spelt ) is a knife, dagger">knife">-4; we might wonder whethe ...

s and charged up the hill. Simultaneously, a German battalion, which had just arrived to reinforce the defenders, counterattacked causing several casualties. The two companies were forced to withdraw, closely followed by the enemy. The German counter-attack was halted by an artillery barrage, and Putot en Auge was captured by the combined forces of the 7th and 12th Parachute Battalions. They also took 120 German prisoners. The 3rd Parachute Brigade then resumed the advance towards Pont-l'Évêque on the River Touques. They were held up capturing

Annebault Annebault () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France. Geography Annebault is located in the pays d'Auge, 17 kilometers from Lisieux. Toponymy The village Annebault was first mentioned as ''O ...

, and the 5th Parachute Brigade moved to the front again, reaching Pont-l'Évêque at 12:00 on 22 August.Harclerode, p.356 The River Touques has two branches running through the town, and the 13th Parachute Battalion were given the objective of establishing a bridgehead across the river. The battalion reached and safely crossed the westernmost branch, but heavy German resistance prevented them from securing the main part of the town.Harclerode, p.358 Overnight a patrol managed to cross the eastern branch, using a girder that had been left spanning the river when the bridge had been blown up. The patrol was then reinforced by 'A' and 'B' Companies, and fought a three-hour battle trying to form a bridgehead. They were then withdrawn back across the river, where the 7th Parachute Battalion had dug in to form a defensive position. At the same time, the 12th Parachute Battalion had tried to cross the river using fords to secure Saint Julien and the nearby railway embankment. They, too, were stopped by heavy German fire, which pinned them down on the embankment, inflicting significant casualties; 16 dead and 50 wounded. As they were unable to proceed, brigade headquarters called off their attack, but the battalion had to wait until dark to pull back. The next day, 24 August, a patrol from the 7th Parachute Battalion discovered that the Germans had withdrawn during the night. The whole brigade crossed the river and advanced unopposed to Bourg, which was secured after a brief fight. The brigade was halted again and the commandos of 1st Special Service Brigade took over the lead. On 26 August, to provide some mobility, the

Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade During the Second World War, the Royal Netherlands Motorized Infantry Brigade, later known as the Princess Irene Brigade () was a Dutch military unit initially formed from approximately 1,500 troops, including a small group guarding German prison ...

was placed under the brigade's command. Together with the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, they headed for Pont Audmer, which was the brigade's final objective. The Dutch were ordered to move with all speed, but arrived 20 minutes after the retreating Germans had blown up the bridge across the River Seine, and just before the 7th Parachute Battalion arrived by foot. In nine days of fighting the 6th Airborne Division had advanced ,Otway, p.191 despite, as the divisional commander Major-General Gale put it, his infantry units being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit,". They had captured of enemy held territory, and taken over 1,000 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 5th Parachute Brigade had 268 killed during the campaign. The division was withdrawn from France, and embarked for England at the beginning of September.

Ardennes

In England the division went into a period of recruitment and training, concentrating on house-to-house street fighting in the bombed areas of

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

and

Birmingham Birmingham ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in the metropolitan county of West Midlands (county), West Midlands, within the wider West Midlands (region), West Midlands region, in England. It is the Lis ...

. The training programme culminated in Exercise Eve, an assault on the

River Thames The River Thames ( ), known alternatively in parts as the The Isis, River Isis, is a river that flows through southern England including London. At , it is the longest river entirely in England and the Longest rivers of the United Kingdom, s ...

, which was intended to simulate the

River Rhine The Rhine ( ) is one of the major rivers in Europe. The river begins in the Swiss canton of Graubünden in the southeastern Swiss Alps. It forms part of the Swiss-Liechtenstein border, then part of the Swiss-Austrian border. From Lake Const ...

in Germany.Saunders, p.279 By December 1944 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 The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allies of World War II, Allied Military organization, formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General of the Army (United States), General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Headquarters Allied Exped ...

, 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 The 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) ("Screaming Eagles") is a light infantry division (military), division of the United States Army that specializes in air assault military operation, operations. The 101st is designed to plan, coordinat ...

, were already at

Rheims Reims ( ; ; also spelled Rheims in English) is the most populous city in the French department of Marne, and the 12th most populous city in France. The city lies northeast of Paris on the Vesle river, a tributary of the Aisne. Founded by ...

in northern France, and the 6th Airborne was sent by sea to Belgium to assist the defence. With 29

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

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 Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world. A liturgical feast central to Christianity, Chri ...

the division moved up to take position in front of the spearhead of the German advance; by

Boxing Day Boxing Day, also called as Offering Day is a holiday celebrated after Christmas Day, occurring on the second day of Christmastide (26 December). Boxing Day was once a day to donate gifts to those in need, but it has evolved to become a part ...

they had reached their allocated places in the defensive line between

Dinant Dinant () is a City status in Belgium, city and Municipalities in Belgium, municipality of Wallonia located in the Namur Province, province of Namur, Belgium. On the shores of river Meuse, in the Ardennes, it lies south-east of Brussels, south ...

and

Namur Namur (; ; ) is a city and municipality in Wallonia, Belgium. It is the capital both of the province of Namur and of Wallonia, hosting the Parliament of Wallonia, the Government of Wallonia and its administration. Namur stands at the confl ...

. The 3rd Parachute Brigade were on the left, 5th Parachute Brigade on the right, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade in reserve.Harclerode, p.549 By the time they arrived in position the German advance had faltered. 6th Airborne Division sniper

The 5th Parachute Brigade was ordered towards Grupont, south of

Rochefort Rochefort () may refer to: Places France * Rochefort, Charente-Maritime, in the Charente-Maritime department ** Arsenal de Rochefort, a former naval base and dockyard * Rochefort, Savoie in the Savoie department * Rochefort-du-Gard, in the G ...

, and on 3 January became involved in the division's only fighting in the Ardennes. By 13:30 the 13th Parachute Battalion had covered and was in position to assault the village of

Bure Bure may refer to: Places Belgium * Bure, Wallonia, Belgium, a small village in the Tellin municipality * Battle of Bure, a World War II battle during the Battle of the Bulge Eritrea and Ethiopia * Bure (disputed zone), on the border between Eri ...

. The battalion had been observed by the Germans, and was met with heavy fire as their attack started. The battalion's 'A' Company made for the village, while 'B' Company attempted to secure the heights overlooking it. 'B' Company, faced with infantry supported by tanks and artillery, suffered heavy casualties, and was reduced to 21 men by nightfall. By 17:00 'A' Company had secured around half the village, and were joined by 'C' Company. Over the following day the Germans launched fifteen separate assaults to try to retake the village, but the battalion held out. With reinforcements from 'C' Company of the 2nd Ox and Bucks, the remainder of the village was captured. The battalion was then ordered to withdraw; the battle had cost them 68 dead and 121 wounded. At the same time, the 7th Parachute Battalion was attacking the village of Wavreille, which was defended by around a hundred infantry with tank and artillery support. The village was captured with minimal casualties. Over the next days the German advance was halted and forced back, until at the end of January 1945, the brigade moved into the Netherlands. Here the division was made responsible for the area along the

River Maas The Meuse or Maas is a major European river, rising in France and flowing through Belgium and the Netherlands before draining into the North Sea from the Rhine–Meuse–Scheldt delta. It has a total length of . History From 1301, the upper ...

, between

Venlo Venlo () is a List of cities in the Netherlands by province, city and List of municipalities of the Netherlands, municipality in southeastern Netherlands, close to the border with Germany. It is situated in the province of Limburg (Netherlands), ...

and

Roermond Roermond (; or ) is a city, municipality, and diocese in the Limburg (Netherlands), Limburg province of the Netherlands. Roermond is a historically important town on the lower Roer on the east bank of the river Meuse. It received City rights i ...

. The brigade carried out patrols, on both sides of the river, against their opponents from the 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.

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 Plunder Operation Plunder was a military operation to cross the Rhine on the night of 23 March 1945, launched by the 21st Army Group under Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery. The crossing of the river was at Rees, Wesel, and south of the river Lippe b ...

, an assault river crossing of the Rhine by the

21st Army Group The 21st Army Group was a British headquarters formation formed during the Second World War. It controlled two field armies and other supporting units, consisting primarily of the British Second Army and the First Canadian Army. Established ...

, began. For their part in Operation Varsity, the 6th Airborne Division was assigned to the American

XVIII Airborne Corps The XVIII Airborne Corps is a corps of the United States Army that has been in existence since 1942 and saw extensive service during World War II. The corps is designed for Rapid deployment force, rapid deployment anywhere in the world and is r ...

alongside the US 17th Airborne Division. Both airborne divisions began landing at the same time, 10:00 on 24 March 1945. The 6th Airborne were to protect the northern part of the landing area; they had six drop zones around the town of Hamminkeln. The plan was for them to secure the town, the high ground east of the village of

Bergen Bergen (, ) is a city and municipalities of Norway, municipality in Vestland county on the Western Norway, west coast of Norway. Bergen is the list of towns and cities in Norway, second-largest city in Norway after the capital Oslo. By May 20 ...

, and bridges across the river

IJssel The IJssel (; ) is a Dutch distributary of the river Rhine that flows northward and ultimately discharges into the IJsselmeer (before the 1932 completion of the Afsluitdijk known as the Zuiderzee), a North Sea natural harbour. It more immediatel ...

. The 5th Parachute Brigade would land on the northernmost DZ, DZ-B, and hold the area east of the

Wesel Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, in western Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel (district), Wesel district. Geography Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine. Division of the city Suburbs of Wesel i ...

railway line. The brigade arrived in the second wave of aircraft, after the 3rd Parachute Brigade, and the German anti-aircraft gunners were waiting for them. The parachute descent was made under fire, and the DZ itself was also subjected to artillery and mortar fire. The 7th Parachute Battalion suffered casualties from

air burst An air burst or airburst is the detonation of an explosive device such as an anti-personnel artillery shell or a nuclear weapon in the air instead of on contact with the ground or target. The principal military advantage of an air burst over ...

artillery shells. Their section of the DZ was only from a battery of German 88 mm guns, which also targeted the brigade headquarters and the assembly areas of the 12th Parachute Battalion. The 7th Parachute Battalion secured the DZ, while the 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions headed for the brigade objective, the road from the DZ to Hamminkeln. By 15:00, despite fierce opposition, the brigade had secured its objectives, with a large number of prisoners taken, but had suffered around 700 casualties. Casualties for the division as a whole were 347 dead and 731 wounded. That night, the division was ordered to prepare to advance east into Germany from 26 March, when they were to be relieved by troops from the

52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division The 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army that was originally formed as the Lowland Division, in 1908 as part of the Territorial Force. It later became the 52nd (Lowland) Division in 1915. The 52nd (Lowlan ...

On 27 March the brigade led the division's advance. Their first objective, the village of Brünen, was unoccupied, so they pressed on to the next village, Erle, by that evening. The 7th Parachute Battalion was ordered to attack what was believed to be three self-propelled guns on the village outskirts, while the 13th Parachute Battalion captured the nearby high ground. As the 7th Parachute Battalion's leading platoon approached the guns, they were met with heavy fire from anti-aircraft and anti-tank guns. The battalion was forced to take cover and was unable to move forward; but when darkness came, they advanced and seized the position, capturing 60 prisoners, one anti-tank gun, 11 anti-aircraft guns and several light machine guns. Elsewhere, the 13th Parachute Battalion had captured the high ground and the 12th Parachute Battalion had moved across country, and were ready to assault Erle once daylight came. They attacked at dawn, and captured the village after a 15-minute fight. The brigade held these positions while the rest of the division passed through them to continue the advance. They then resumed the lead after the division crossed the

Dortmund–Ems Canal The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund () and the seaport of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after at Herbrum lock near Meppen. The route then takes the r ...

towards

Osnabrück Osnabrück (; ; archaic English: ''Osnaburg'') is a city in Lower Saxony in western Germany. It is situated on the river Hase in a valley penned between the Wiehen Hills and the northern tip of the Teutoburg Forest. With a population of 168 ...

, fighting several small engagements on the way. After the

River Weser The Weser () is a river of Lower Saxony in north-west Germany. It begins at Hannoversch Münden through the confluence of the Werra and Fulda. It passes through the Hanseatic city of Bremen. Its mouth is further north against the ports of Br ...

, the brigade again assumed the lead towards

Leine The Leine (; Old Saxon ''Lagina'') is a river in Thuringia and Lower Saxony, Germany. It is a left tributary of the Aller and the Weser and is long. The river's source is located close to the town of Leinefelde in Thuringia. About downriver ...

. Supported by tanks from the 4th Armoured Battalion,

Grenadier Guards The Grenadier Guards (GREN GDS) is the most senior infantry regiment of the British Army, being at the top of the Infantry Order of Precedence. It can trace its lineage back to 1656 when Lord Wentworth's Regiment was raised in Bruges to protect ...

, they captured two bridges at Bordenau and Neustadt, and fought a small battle at Wunstorf airfield. On 7 April the brigade was informed that they were the lead formation of

, having advanced further into Germany than any of its other units. The

15th (Scottish) Infantry Division The 15th (Scottish) Infantry Division was an infantry Division (military), division of the British Army that served during the World War II, Second World War. It was raised on 2 September 1939, the day before war was declared, as part of the Ar ...

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 The Elbe ( ; ; or ''Elv''; Upper Sorbian, Upper and , ) is one of the major rivers of Central Europe. It rises in the Giant Mountains of the northern Czech Republic before traversing much of Bohemia (western half of the Czech Republic), then Ge ...

over a bridge captured by the Scottish.Saunders, p.299 The division's objective was

Wismar Wismar (; ), officially the Hanseatic City of Wismar () is, with around 43,000 inhabitants, the sixth-largest city of the northeastern German state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, and the fourth-largest city of Mecklenburg after Rostock, Schwerin and ...

on the

; 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 The Workers' and Peasants' Red Army, often shortened to the Red Army, was the army and air force of the Russian Soviet Republic and, from 1922, the Soviet Union. The army was established in January 1918 by a decree of the Council of People ...

advancing from the east. While the rest of the brigade remained at Wismar, 'B' Company of the 13th Parachute Battalion were sent to Denmark to liberate

Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...

, arriving on 5 May. They remained in Copenhagen until the 1st Parachute Brigade arrived from England to relieve them.

Far East

Now that the war in Europe was over, plans were made to form an airborne corps comprising the 6th Airborne Division and 44th Indian Airborne Division for service against Japanese forces in the

. The corps would be used in operations to recapture Malaya and

. The division's advance party, based partly on the 5th Parachute Brigade, arrived in

in July 1945. The brigade travelled ahead of the rest of the division as it had been intended to use them for Operation Zipper, an independent mission in

Burma Myanmar, officially the Republic of the Union of Myanmar; and also referred to as Burma (the official English name until 1989), is a country in northwest Southeast Asia. It is the largest country by area in Mainland Southeast Asia and ha ...

. They would have landed in Malaya, between Singapore and the Japanese forces in Burma. Reinforcements would then arrive by sea and attack northwards and southwards, while the brigade carried out another airborne landing on Singapore itself. However, following the Japanese surrender, all these plans changed, and the remainder of the 6th Airborne Division were sent to Palestine. Instead of carrying out an airborne landing, the 5th Parachute Brigade travelled by sea, leaving

Bombay Mumbai ( ; ), also known as Bombay ( ; its official name until 1995), is the capital city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of Maharashtra. Mumbai is the financial centre, financial capital and the list of cities i ...

on 9 September and arriving at

Morib Morib is a mukim in Kuala Langat District, Selangor, Malaysia, under the administration of Zone 18 of Kuala Langat Municipal Council. Morib Beach is a quiet seaside tourist attraction. It was one of the first landing points on the west coast ...

in Malaya on 17 September. Only the 7th and 12th Parachute battalions landed, and they re-embarked the next day to sail for Singapore as part of Operation Tiderace; they arrived on 21 September. The brigade, now part of XV Corps, became the island's garrison. In December the

23rd Indian Infantry Division The 23rd Infantry Division is an infantry Division (military), division of the Indian Army. It was raised as a part of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign. History The division was raised on 1 January 1942, at J ...

was sent from

Seremban Seremban (Negeri Sembilan Malay: ''Somban'') is a city in the Seremban District and the capital of the state of Negeri Sembilan in Peninsular Malaysia. The city's administration is run by the Seremban Municipal Council, Seremban City Council. ...

, and the brigade was moved to replace them. 12th Parachute Battalion in Java

By 17 December the situation in Java had worsened, and the brigade was moved again, sent as reinforcements to assist the Indian division. They arrived at Batavia three days later.Cole, p.198 The brigade's mission was to restore law and order and disarm the Japanese military forces in the area. They were told to expect to remain in Java until relieved by units of the

Royal Netherlands Army The Royal Netherlands Army (, KL) is the Ground warfare, land branch of the Netherlands Armed Forces. Though the Royal Netherlands Army was raised on 9 January 1814, its origins date back to 1572, when the was raised making the Dutch standing a ...

. Under the command of the 23rd Indian Infantry Division, the brigade carried out Operation Pounce, clearing the town and surrounding region of dissidents. In January 1946 they were moved to garrison

Semarang Semarang (Javanese script, Javanese: , ''Kutha Semarang'') is the capital and largest city of Central Java province in Indonesia. It was a major port during the Netherlands, Dutch Dutch East Indies, colonial era, and is still an important regio ...

. At the time Semarang had a population of around 210,000, a mixture of Indonesians, Chinese, Koreans, Dutch and Japanese. During the fighting before the brigade's arrival considerable damage had been caused to the town's infrastructure. There were no public utilities or medical services, food or water, so the brigade's engineers and medics were tasked to rectify the situation. To protect the inhabitants, the brigade's three battalions established a defensive perimeter around the outskirts of the town. Their main concern was

Indonesian nationalists Indonesian is anything of, from, or related to Indonesia, an archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. It may refer to: * Indonesians, citizens of Indonesia ** Native Indonesians, diverse groups of local inhabitants of the archipelago ** Indonesian ...

whose stated aim was to "slaughter all the Dutch and Chinese". To assist with security, a Japanese battalion was rearmed and given a sector of the defences to man. The 4th Anti-Tank Battery carried out patrols inside the town limits, while the

platoon distributed food supplies.Cole, pp.198–199 The brigade remained in Semarang until relieved by the Dutch T-Brigade on 26 April 1946, and then returned to Singapore.Chant, p.196

Mutiny and disbandment

On their return from Java, the 13th Parachute Battalion was stationed at Muar Camp in Malaya. The camp consisted of tents with no electricity, and no facilities for washing, cooking or recreation. Unhappy with the conditions, at 07:00 on 14 May around 260 privates grouped together and refused to disperse when ordered to do so by the orderly officer. The commanding officer then spoke to the men and ordered them to return to duty, which they again refused to do. That afternoon the commanding general arrived and spoke to them. They were then ordered to fall in and when they failed to comply, 258 men were taken into military custody. A Court of Inquiry was held which decided the 258 men were to stand trial for mutiny. In the trial, three men were acquitted, eight were sentenced to five years'

penal servitude Penal labour is a term for various kinds of forced labour that prisoners are required to perform, typically manual labour. The work may be light or hard, depending on the context. Forms of sentence involving penal labour have included inv ...

and discharged from the army, and the rest were given two years imprisonment with

hard labour Penal labour is a term for various kinds of forced labour that prisoners are required to perform, typically manual labour. The work may be light or hard, depending on the context. Forms of sentence involving penal labour have included inv ...

and discharged. Two days after sentencing, the

Secretary of State for War The secretary of state for war, commonly called the war secretary, was a secretary of state in the Government of the United Kingdom, which existed from 1794 to 1801 and from 1854 to 1964. The secretary of state for war headed the War Offic ...

quashed all the convictions, stating that the Judge Advocate-General had advised him that there were, "a number of irregularities of a substantial nature which may well have prejudiced the accused individually. These irregularities in his opinion rendered the trial as a whole so unsatisfactory that the convictions ought not to be allowed to stand." The brigade spent two months in Malaya, before being ordered to rejoin the

6th Airborne Division in Palestine The 6th Airborne Division in Palestine was initially posted to the region as the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was envisioned as a mobile peace keeping force, positioned to be able to respond quickly to any area of the British Empire. In fact the ...

. The 13th Parachute Battalion was disbanded before leaving Malaya, and the remainder of the brigade arrived at

Nathanya Netanya () () or Natanya (), is a city in the "Planet Bekasi" Setanyahu of Israel BAB ih, and is the capital of the surrounding Sharon plain. It is north of Tel Aviv, and south of Haifa, between the Poleg stream and the Wingate Institute in ...

in Palestine on 5 August 1946. Shortly after disembarking, orders were received that the brigade was to be disbanded. Of the two remaining parachute battalions, the 7th was amalgamated with the 17th Parachute Battalion, retaining the number of the senior battalion, and the 12th Parachute Battalion was disbanded. Any men not immediately demobbed were distributed among the other battalions in the division. On 13 September, the 22nd Independent Parachute Company, no longer part of the brigade by this time, was also disbanded.

Territorial Army

In 1947, a new 5th Parachute Brigade (Territorial) was raised as part of the Territorial Army and assigned to the 16th Airborne Division. It comprised the 12th Battalion Parachute Regiment, the 17th Battalion Parachute Regiment and the 18th Battalion, Parachute Regiment. In 1950, the brigade was renumbered the 45th Parachute Brigade (TA).

Order of battle

;Commanders *

Edwin Flavell * Brigadier

* Brigadier Kenneth Darling ;Units – Europe * 7th Parachute Battalion * 12th Parachute Battalion * 13th Parachute Battalion * 'D' Company, 2nd Battalion,

* 225th Parachute Field Ambulance,

* 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery,

* 591st (Antrim) Parachute Squadron,

Royal Engineers The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually called the Royal Engineers (RE), and commonly known as the ''Sappers'', is the engineering arm of the British Army. It provides military engineering and other technical support to the British Armed Forces ...

;Units – Far East * 7th Parachute Battalion * 12th Parachute Battalion * 13th Parachute Battalion * 225th Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps * 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery * 22nd Independent Parachute Company, Army Air Corps * 591st (Antrim) Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers * Parachute Platoon, Light Composite Company,

Notes

;Footnotes ;Citations

References

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:5 Parachute Brigade Parachute Regiment (United Kingdom) Airborne infantry brigades of the British Army in World War II UK Parachute Brigade Parachute Brigade UK 5 Parachute Brigade UK 5 Parachute Brigade 05 Parachute Brigade UK 5 Parachute Brigade UK 5