PARAS

Parachute Regiment 1941 - 45

PARAS - Parachute Regiment 1941 - 45

HISTORY
Members of 2 Commando selected for parachute training July 1940.
Formed into 11 Special Air Service Bn (approx 500 men) November 1940
Renamed 1 Parachute Bn September 1941

1 Parachute Brigade (formed 5.9.1941)
1 Bn formed September 1941
2 Bn formed 30.9.1941
3 Bn formed 1.10.1941
2 Independent Parachute Brigade Group (formed July 1942 as 2 Brigade but became Independent 17.11.1942)
4 (Wessex) Bn formed in Derby 1.1.1942,amalgamated into 4/6 Bn Dec.1947 and became new 1 Bn June 1948
5 (Scottish) Bn formed May 1942 from 7 Bn Cameron Highlanders became new 2 Bn July 1948
6 (Royal Welch) Bn formed mid 1942 from 10 Bn Royal Welch Fusiliers amalgamated into 4/6 Bn Dec.1947 and became new 1 Bn June 1948

3 Parachute Brigade (formed 7.11.1942 on conversion 223 Indep.Infantry Brigade)
7 Bn 7.11.1942-8.8.1943 (to 5 Brigade)
8 (Midland Counties) Bn formed November 1942 from volunteers from 13 Bn Royal Warwickshire Reg.,amalgamated as 8/9 Bn 10.1.1948,disbanded June 1948
9 (Eastern and Home Counties) Bn formed November 1942 from volunteers from 10 Bn Essex Regiment),amalgamated and disbanded with 8 Bn 1 Canadian Parachute Bn (see own Category)

4 Parachute Brigade (formed December 1942,disbanded 10.12.1944)
156 Bn formed as 151 Bn(50 Indian Para Bde) 18.10.1941,156 1943,disbanded 10.12.1944
10 Bn formed 1943 from volunteers of 2 Royal Sussex Reg.,disbanded 10.12.1944
11 Bn formed from cadre of 156 Bn + volunteers Middle East,disbanded 10.12.1944

5 Parachute Brigade (formed 1.6.1943)
7 (Light Infantry) Bn formed Nov.1942 from 10 Bn Somerset Light Infantry,3 to 5 Brigade 8.8.1943,1 + 2 Brigade 1946-47,reformed as 3 Para Bn July 1948
12 (Yorkshire) Bn formed June 1943 from 10 Bn Green Howards,disbanded 1946
13 (Lancashire) Bn formed Jun.1943 from 2/4 South Lancashire Regiment, disbanded on return from Java 1946

21 Independent Parachute Company
formed June 1942 from volunteers,some from Glider Pilot Regiment
disbanded September 1946

1 Independent Parachute Platoon
formed November 1943 from 3 Platoon,21 Indep.Para Company (originally 23 Independent Platoon)
disbanded June 1945

22 Independent Parachute Company
formed October 1943
served Java 1945-46 with 5 Parachute Brigade
on arrival Palestine 1946 members absorbed into Parachute Bns

note :- The first 3 parachute training deaths can be found in the Army Commandos section as 2 Commando (R.Evans,S.Watts and H.J. Carter)
Roll Of Honour: 2358Awards: 667Images: 572Links: 4
Web Links:
Arnhem Roll of Honour - Website includes 4200 files in Roll of Honour plus 5000 + photos. Excellent.
Parachute Regiment War Dead - Website created by Bern and Fay Robins showing the war dead of the Parachute Regiment and contains photographs of the graves of those buried in France.
Pegasus Archive - The British Airborne Forces 1940-45
Unit Histories - Details of military officers,etc Contains Airborne section.
2 Para Falklands: The Battalion at War
By Major General John Frost
3 Para
By Patrick Bishop
A Winter in Belfast
By David Ellis
Company Commander
By Russell Lewis
Drop Zone Normandy
By Sir Napier Crookenden
I Was A Stranger
By Sir John Hackett
Regimental
By Steve Brown
Return Ticket
By Anthony Deane-Drummond
SAS Shadow Raiders
By Damien Lewis
The Paras in Afghanistan
By Craig Allen
With 3 Para to the Falklands
By Graham Colbeck
  • Published
    Jun 14, 2020
  • Page views
    3,713

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