The British Airborne Division, 1943 to 1945
Divisional Troops
Divisional Headquarters
Defence and Employment Platoon
Field Security Section
Airborne Divisional Signals
Independent Parachute Company
Airborne Reconnaissance Squadron (1st Airborne Division only)
Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment (from early 1944, in 6th Airborne Division only)
Two Parachute Brigades, each comprised of;
Brigade Headquarters
Defence Platoon
Three Parachute Battalions - click on The British Parachute Battalion 1942 to 1943 and The British Parachute Battalion 1944 to 1945 links for more detail.
Air Landing Brigade
Brigade Headquarters
Defence Platoon
Three Air Landing Battalions - click on The British Air Landing Battalion 1943 to 1945 link for more detail.
Divisional Artillery
Headquarters, Divisional Artillery
Forward Observer Unit (from mid 1944)
Air Landing Light Regiment - with twenty four air portable US supplied 75-mm pack howitzers, divided into three Batteries with two Troops of four guns per Battery.
Two Air Landing Anti-tank Batteries - provisionally each with sixteen 6-pdr anti-tank guns, in four Troops of four guns each. 6th Airborne Division added a third Battery in early 1945 to form an Air Landing Anti-tank Regiment. (See comments below).
Divisional Engineers
Headquarters, Airborne Divisional Engineers
Two Parachute Squadrons
Field Company (Airborne)
Field Park Company (Airborne)
In March 1945 the two Parachute Squadrons and the Field Company (Airborne) were reorganised as three Airborne Squadrons, with the Field Park Company becoming an Airborne Park Squadron.
Supply and Transport
Headquarters, Commander, Royal Army Service Corps
Airborne Light Composite Company
Two Divisional Transport Companies
Medical
Two Parachute Field Ambulances
Air Landing Field Ambulance
Ordnance
Divisional Ordnance Field Park
Repair
Headquarters, Commander, Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
Airborne Divisional Workshop
Light Aid Detachments
Miscellaneous
Divisional Provost Company
Divisional Postal Unit
Mobile Photographic Enlargement Section
Comments
Increases in glider load capacity allowed the much heavier 17-pdr anti-tank gun to be added to the arsenal of the Airborne troops during 1944. Sixteen 17-pdr guns were allocated to each Airborne Division, which could be used to supplement or replace the guns of the existing 6-pdr Troops. When additional Troops were formed the crews were found from the Battery's reinforcement personnel.
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British Divisional Organisations