Airborne Assault is grateful for Marks & Spencer's support of ParaData in memory of the late Major John Timothy MC**, a distinguished and brave officer, and long serving M&S employee.
The equivalent of a British and American airborne two-division corps parachutes into Normandy on D-Day. Allied Airborne Armies conduct parachute and air-land operations in North West Europe between 1944-5.
In March 1944 the surprise Japanese spring offensive aiming at Imphal and Kohima near the Burmese-Indian border collided with the 50th Indian Parachute Brigade conducting an exercise in the area. The surrounded brigade fought an epic six day battle akin to the stand at Arnhem, refusing to surrender and eventually breaking out.
about Sangshak
Shortly after VE Day 5th Parachute Brigade (including 7th, 12th, 13th Battalions and 22 Indep Company The Parachute Regiment) was alerted for operations in the Far East and arrived in India in August 1945, shortly after the Japanese surrender.
about Far East
1st British Airborne Division reorganised after its heavy losses at Arnhem flew into Norway on 9th May 1945 to oversee the surrender of German troops.
about Norway (Operation Doomsday)
After Operation VARSITY the 6th British Airborne Division took part in a fighting advance across Northern Germany to Wismar east of Lubeck on the Baltic Coast, where they linked up with the Soviet Vanguard.
about Advance to the Baltic
At 1000 hours on 24th March 1945 nine battalions of the 6th British Airborne Division together with six from the 17th US Airborne Division dropped east of the River Rhine near Wesel. This was the final mass parachute and glider assault of the Second World War, designed to pierce the final physical barrier to a ground advance into Nazi Germany.
about Rhine Crossing (Operation Varsity)
With the Allies at a standstill and forced to bide their time, the Germans prepared a large scale counter-offensive, later known as the ‘Battle of the Bulge’ in December 1944. The 6th Airborne Division recovering in England after Normandy was suddenly moved to the Ardennes forest area between Belgium and France to help repel the unexpected German counter-attack.
about Ardennes
While the 6th British Airborne Division fought in Normandy the 1st Airborne Division was on constant stand-by for further airborne operations. There were 16 cancellations before 17th September when they flew to Arnhem during Operation MARKET-GARDEN.
about Arnhem (Operation Market Garden)
Two American and the one British Airborne divisions spearheaded the invasion of Normandy on D-Day. The 6th British Airborne Division was tasked to seize and hold the left flank of the British sea-borne assault due to land at dawn on the 6th June. It was to capture the Orne River and Canal bridges at Benouville, destroy the heavy German coastal battery at Merville overlooking the Orne Estuary and blow bridges across the flooded River Dives to the east to prevent German reinforcements moving against the Invasion bridgehead.
about Normandy (Operation Overlord)
In October 1944 the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade group landed in Greece to harass the anticipated German withdrawal from the Balkans.
about Greece (Operation Manna)
On 15th August 1944 the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group, part of the 1st Airborne Task Force, mounted a parachute and glider assault in Southern France. The joint amphibious and air landing was timed to coincide with the break-out from the Normandy bridge-head.
about South France (Operation Dragoon)
Radfan
Tribesmen backed by the Yemen and Egypt sought to destabilise the South Arabian Federation in
about Radfan
Ardennes
With the Allies at a standstill and forced to bide their time, the Germans prepared
about Ardennes
Rwanda (Operation Gabriel)
In the immediate aftermath of Rwanda’s hard fought civil war and the genocide which accompanied
about Rwanda (Operation Gabriel)