4th Parachute Brigade

Authority was given to form the 4th Parachute Brigade in the Middle East in North Africa in December 1942. Brigadier John Hackett assumed command in January 1943.

It was initially assigned to the 4th Airborne Division, a phantom division, as a deception measure to create a false Order of Battle in Operation Cascade. Later in 1943 it was assigned to the 1st Airborne Division  participating in the invasion of Italy and was withdrawn back to the UK with the 1st Airborne Division in preparation for D-Day.

After a series of cancelled 1st Airborne Division operations following D-Day the 4th Brigade was part of the second lift into Arnhem during the ill-fated Operation Market Garden in Southern Holland in September 1944. The brigade was virtually wiped out in fighting west of Arnhem and in the perimeter besieged by the Germans at Oosterbeek. It was disbanded on return to the UK in October 1944 and the survivors transferred to the remnants of the 1st Parachute Brigade.

Order of Battle:

• 156th Parachute Bn: 14 February 1943 - 30 September 1944
• 10th Parachute Bn: 23 February 1943 - 30 September 1944
• 11th Parachute Bn: 30 April 1943 - 20 May 1943
• 11th Parachute Bn [2]: 7 January 1944 - 30 September 1944

Commanders:

• Lt-Col K.B.I. Smyth (acting) 6 Dec 1942
• Brig J.W. Hackett 4 Jan 1943
• Lt-Col K.B.I. Smyth (acting) 5 Mar 1943
• Brig J.W. Hackett   8 Apr 1943
• Lt-Col K.B.I. Smyth (acting) 16 Oct 1943
• Brig J.W. Hackett (WIA 24 Sep 1944) 7 Nov 1943
• Lt-Col I.A. Murray (acting) 24 Sep 1944