No 1 Airborne Forces Holding Unit

The No 1 Airborne Forces Holding Unit was established during the Second World War one of a number of 'nursery' units established from 1944 onwards to cater for influxes of Airborne soldiers of Parachute infantry and services and corps specialists who had not yet been assigned to active units.

The initial influx of direct recruitment to the many fledgling Airborne units, and the conversion of infantry battalions to form new Airborne Forces had firmly established many of the required Airborne units by early 1944. Many of these units were now approaching operational capacity.

Within the Airborne Corps it became clear that an administrative mechanism was required for unassigned personnel in an Airborne Holding unit prior to their posting when spaces became available covering transfers and operational losses, or to new units who required fresh personnel.

During the Second World War there were a number of Training and Holding Units for the the Parachute Regiment and Army Air Corps including:

Although their primary function was for new recruits, in the latter stages of the war such units also provided a convenient location for the assignment of troops returning from the battlegrounds of North West Europe.

It was common for service personnel nearing the end of their service, or who had suffered in Prisoner of War camps, were wounded or in any way unfit for immediate reassignment to active units to be placed with such units.

From here, personnel could train and recuperate in order to return to active duty, or alternatively ease their passage towards demobilisation.

After the war, the Parachute Regiment Training and Holding Battalion also served a similar purpose.

Record under construction