HQ 1st Allied Airborne Army
HQ 1st Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army (FAAA) was formed shortly after the Normandy landings in August 1944 to co-ordinate all airborne operations directly under the Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force (SHAEF).
On its formation the headquarters included the following officers*:
| Appointment | Name | Nationality |
| Commanding General | Lt Gen LH Brereton | American |
| Deputy Commanding General | Lt Gen FAM Browning | British |
| Chief of Staff | Brig Gen FL Parks | American |
| Deputy Chief of Staff | Brigadier RFK Goldsmith | British |
| G1 Section | Colonel F Ward | American |
| Assistant | Captain Chapman | British |
| G2 Section | Colonel JA Cella | American |
| Assistant | Lt Col AE Tasker | British |
| G3 Section | Brig Gen RE Stearley | American |
| Assistant | Colonel WT Campbell | British |
| Assistant | Group Captain Abrahams | British |
| Assistant | Wing Commander Atkinson | British |
| Assistant | Captain PC Fielder | British |
| G4 Section | Colonel JH Whalley-Kelly | British |
| Assistant | Lt Col W Howard | British |
| Planning Section | Brig Gen S Cutler | American |
| Assistant | Lt Col NJL Field | British |
| Communications Section | Colonel EC Gillette | American |
| Assistant | Lt Col B Donald | British |
| Assistant | Wing Commander Fahie | British |
The FAAA planned a large number of operations which were cancelled. However, its units were deployed on three significant operations:
Operation Market Garden (September 1944);
The Battle of the Bulge (winter 1944-45);
Operation Varsity, the Rhine crossing, and the advance to the Baltic (March to May 1945).
The First Allied Airborne Army was dissolved in May 1945, following the defeat of the Germans.
* Source: 'Airborne Forces' by Lt Col Otway published by Imperial War Museum 1990
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