The British Parachute Battalion
Following the success of German Paratroops in the early years of the war, the Allies raced to mobilise their own Airborne formations. The Parachute Battalion was originally conceived as a lightly equipped formation to undertake sabotage operations. This principle was soon overtaken by the 'Airborne Army' strategy of landing large numbers of airborne troops in occupied Europe ahead of the ground forces.
The below links lead to descriptions of the Parachute Battalion organisations used in North Africa and the Mediterranean from 1942 to 1943, and in Northwest Europe from 1944 to 1945.
The British Parachute Battalion 1942 to 1943
Derived from the following War Establishment tables –
A Parachute Battalion, ref X/127/2, notified in Army
Council Instructions 3rd June 1942, effective 13th May
1942.
A Parachute Battalion, Middle East, ref VI/668/1, notified
in Army Council Instructions 3rd February 1943, effective 15th
November 1942
The British Parachute Battalion 1944 to 1945
Derived from the following War Establishment tables –
A Parachute Battalion (1944), ref I/241/1, notified in Army
Council Instructions 22nd March 1944, effective 28th
February 1944.
A Parachute Battalion (1944), ref I/241/2, notified in Army
Council Instructions 28th March 1945, effective 15th March
1945.
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The British Infantry Battalion