List of British airborne brigades of the Second World War facts for kids
During World War II, the British Army created special forces that could drop into battle from the sky. This idea came after the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, saw how effective German airborne troops were in 1940. He decided Britain needed its own paratroopers.
At first, Churchill wanted about 5,000 paratroopers. After a successful small raid called Operation Colossus, the plan grew bigger. Britain then decided to create a force of 10,000 men who would arrive by gliders. By 1943, two full airborne divisions were ready. Each division had three main groups, called brigades. Two of these were parachute brigades, and one was an airlanding brigade.
Soldiers for the parachute brigades were volunteers from different parts of the British military. As the airborne force grew, some regular infantry units were changed into parachute battalions. Soldiers could choose to volunteer for parachute duty or be moved to a new unit. For the airlanding battalions, existing infantry units were simply converted. These soldiers did not have a choice to opt out. Paratroopers jumped from planes using parachutes, while airlanding troops flew into battle inside gliders.
Contents
Airlanding Brigades: Arriving by Glider
The airlanding brigades were special groups of soldiers who flew into battle using large gliders. These gliders were pulled by planes and then released to land silently behind enemy lines. This allowed them to bring heavier equipment than paratroopers could.
1st Airlanding Brigade
This brigade was formed in December 1941. It fought in several important campaigns. These included the Tunisian Campaign and the Italian Campaign. They also played a big part in the Battle of Arnhem in the Netherlands. The 1st Airlanding Brigade was mainly part of the 1st Airborne Division.
6th Airlanding Brigade
Formed in May 1943, the 6th Airlanding Brigade was a key part of the 6th Airborne Division. They took part in the famous Normandy landings in France. They also fought during the invasion of Germany. This brigade ended the war based in the UK.
14th Airlanding Brigade
The 14th Airlanding Brigade was created in November 1944 in British India. It was linked to the 44th Indian Airborne Division. However, this brigade did not see any combat during the war. It remained in British India until the end of the war.
Parachute Brigades: Jumping from the Sky
Parachute brigades were made up of soldiers who jumped out of planes with parachutes. They were often the first troops to arrive in a battle zone. They could quickly seize important targets before other forces arrived.
1st Parachute Brigade
This brigade was formed in September 1941. It was a major part of the 1st Airborne Division. They fought in the Tunisian Campaign and the invasion of Sicily. They also faced tough challenges during the Battle of Arnhem. After heavy losses at Arnhem, parts of this brigade joined with the 4th Parachute Brigade for a short time.
2nd Parachute Brigade
The 2nd Parachute Brigade was created in July 1942. They fought in North Africa during the Tunisian Campaign. They also saw action in the Italian Campaign and in Greece. This brigade was sometimes called the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade Group. They also helped in the invasion of Southern France.
3rd Parachute Brigade
Formed in November 1942, the 3rd Parachute Brigade was linked to both the 1st Airborne Division and the 6th Airborne Division. They played a role in the Normandy landings and the invasion of Germany.
4th Parachute Brigade
This brigade was formed in Egypt in December 1942. They took part in the Italian Campaign. Like the 1st Parachute Brigade, they also fought in the difficult Battle of Arnhem. After suffering many losses at Arnhem, this brigade was merged with the 1st Parachute Brigade. It was officially disbanded in December 1944.
5th Parachute Brigade
The 5th Parachute Brigade was formed in June 1943. It was a key part of the 6th Airborne Division. They were involved in the Normandy landings and the invasion of Germany. This brigade ended the war in British India.
Special Air Service Troops
Created in January 1944, the Special Air Service Troops were a special group of units. They included British, Belgian, and French Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers. This brigade did not fight as one big group. Instead, its headquarters oversaw many smaller units. These units carried out various secret operations across Europe. They were involved in missions in France, Italy, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, and Norway.
See also
- British Army during the Second World War
- Chindits, who also used parachute and glider insertions
- List of British deception formations in World War II, for brigades that were created as part of deception divisions
- List of Indian Army Brigades in World War II, for British Indian Army airborne formations
