6th Airborne Division order of battle

The emblem of the Second World War British Airborne Forces, Bellerophon riding the flying horse Pegasus.

The 6th Airborne Division order of battle only lists those units assigned to the division, units only attached for short periods of time are not included.

The 6th Airborne Division was the second of two airborne divisions formed by the British Army during the Second World War.[1] Raised in 1943, the division fought in the Normandy landings (Operation Deadstick, Operation Tonga, Operation Mallard, Battle of Breville), the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. The division then participated in Operation Varsity the second airborne assault over the River Rhine during the war. Afterwards the division advanced north to the Baltic sea, reaching Wismar by the end of the war.[2]

In the immediate post war period the 1st Airborne Division was disbanded leaving the 6th as the only airborne division in the British Army.[3] Near the end of 1945, the division was named the Imperial Strategic Reserve and posted to the Middle East and deployed in an internal security role, during unrest in the British mandate of Palestine. By 1948, the British Army numbers had returned to peace time levels and the division was disbanded leaving the independent 2nd Parachute Brigade as the only regular army airborne formation.[4]

Order of battle

Second World War

The Second World War formation, that participated in the Normandy landings,[5] and Rhine Crossing.[6]

1946

This represents the division formation on arrival in the Middle East.[7]

1947

By January 1947, the 6th Airlanding Brigade, the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, the 21st Independent Parachute Company had been disbanded and the 286th Airborne Park Squadron were renumbered the 249th.[8]

1948

The division had been reduced to two parachute brigades and supporting troops, the majority of which served in Palestine, while the 2nd Parachute Brigade was based in England.[9]

Notes

  1. ↑ Ferguson, p.15
  2. ↑ Ferguson, pp.17–30
  3. ↑ Ferguson, p.31
  4. ↑ Ferguson, p.46
  5. ↑ "The British Airborne Assault". Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom). Retrieved 27 July 2011.
  6. ↑ Ferguson, p.16
  7. ↑ Wilson, pp.212–213
  8. ↑ Wilson, pp.214–215
  9. ↑ Wilson, pp.216–217

References

  • Ferguson, Gregor (1984). The Paras 1940-84. Volume 1 of Elite series. Oxford, UK: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0-85045-573-1. 
  • Wilson, R. Dare. With 6th Airborne Division in Palestine 1945–1948. Barnsley, United Kingdom: Pen and Sword Military. ISBN 978-1-84415-771-6. 
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