9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion

9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion

The 9th (Essex) Parachute Battalion was formed from the 10th Battalion The Essex Regiment in December 1942 and became part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade with the 6th Airborne Division in 1943. 

The Battalion was widely scattered during the D-Day drop on 6th June 1944 but, nevertheless, succeeded in storming the German gun battery at Merville, in an epic and costly action with a much diminished force. It fought around Breville and then participated in the break-out to the Seine in August. It fought in the Ardennes during the winter of 1944-5 and parachuted as part of the Rhine Crossings during Operation VARSITY in March 1945, subsequently advancing to the Baltic with the 3rd Parachute Brigade.

After the war it served in Palestine with the 6th Airborne Division and was amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion when the 3rd Brigade was disbanded to form the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion in January 1948.

Commanding Officers:

1943-4        Lt Col M Lindsay
1944            Lt Col TBH Otway, DSO
1944-6        Lt Col N Crookenden, DSO
1946-7        Lt Col MAH Butler, DSO, MC
1947-8        Lt Col PC Hinde, DSO
1948            Lt Col JHM Hackett, DSO. (8th/9th Bn)

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Group photos_28

Pre-combat reports_1

Photos_13

Book extracts_2

Obituaries_1

Solo photos_7

Training instructions_1

  • Contents of Officers Blue Book used by Maj. Parry 9 Battalion
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    Contents of Officers Blue Book used by Maj. Parry 9 Battalion

    75 Items

Official documents_7

Newspaper extracts_1

Letters and Cards_37

Object_2

Personal accounts_1

Official accounts_1

Post-combat reports_1

Operation Orders_2

Paintings and Prints_1

Maps_1

Illustrations_1

  • Sketch to commemorate attached personnel to 9th Para Bn on D-Day, 1944

    Sketch to commemorate attached personnel to 9th Para Bn on D-Day, 1944

    1 Image

Medal Citations_1

  • Citation for the award of a Military Medal to Sidney Knight, Normandy, 1945.

    Citation for the award of a Military Medal to Sidney Knight, Normandy, 1945.

    1 Item

Documents_1

Latest Comments

paulbolingbroke1 said:
Operations , (operation Paddle) Breakout From The Bridgehead 17th August 1944
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