5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 5th Parachute Battalion was an airborne
infantry
battalion
of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army in 1942.
The four proceeding British parachute battalions had been raised by volunteers from all ranks of the army. The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion was formed by the conversion of the 7th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
, together with some volunteers from other Scottish regiments for parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 2nd Parachute Brigade, which at the time, was part of the 1st Airborne Division.
The battalion fought in a number of actions in Italy, Greece and in the south of France, where they carried out their only parachute assault during Operation Dragoon
. At the end of the war, now attached to the 6th Airborne Division, the battalion was posted to Palestine, in an internal security
role.
By 1948 the battalion was one of only three regular army parachute battalions remaining in the British Army. In June these battalions were renumbered and the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion became the present day 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
.
, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
of 5,000 parachute troops. The standards set for British airborne troops
were extremely high, and from the first group of 3,500 volunteers only 500 men were accepted to go forward to parachute training.
Additionally on 22 June 1940, a British Commando unit, No. 2 Commando
was turned over to parachute duties and on 21 November, re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing. It was these men who took part in the first British airborne operation, Operation Colossus
, on 10 February 1941. The success of the raid prompted the War Office to expand the existing airborne force, setting up the Airborne Forces Depot and Battle School in Derbyshire
in April 1942, and creating the Parachute Regiment as well as converting a number of infantry battalions into airborne battalions in August 1942.
, was part of the 46th (Highland) Infantry Brigade, in the 15th (Scottish) Division. On 24 March 1942 they were redesignated as the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion. Those men that were deemed unsuitable for parachute duties were transferred to other units and were replaced by volunteers from other Scottish regiments.
The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion became the second unit assigned to the fledgling 2nd Parachute Brigade, at the time part of the 1st Airborne Division.
Upon formation the battalion and had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoon
s. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section
. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar
and a Vickers machine gun
platoon. By 1944 a headquarters, or support, company was added to the battalion. It comprised five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank and was equipped with eight 3 inches (76.2 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT
anti-tank projectors.
During training, all members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve-day parachute training course, which was carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
. Initial training consisted of parachute jumps from a converted barrage balloon
before progressing to five parachute jumps from an aircraft. Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their maroon beret
and parachute wings
. Initially the 5th Battalion wore a Balmoral bonnet
instead of the beret, with the cap badge
backed by a Hunting Stewart tartan
patch.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. As a result training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksman
ship and fieldcraft
. A large part of the training regime consisted of assault course
s and route marching. Military exercise
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises the battalion would march back to their barracks. An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
. However, a shortage of transport aircraft and then the speed of the Allied advance, made their deployment unnecessary.
On 9 July 1943 the battalion took part in Operation Slapstick
as part a diversionary landing at the Italian port of Taranto
. The battalion was the last unit of the brigade to land but quickly seized their objective, a small town 12 miles (19.3 km) to the east of Taranto.
In November the 1st Airborne Division was withdrawn to England, leaving the 2nd Parachute Brigade behind now as independent formation. Attached to the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division, the battalion was involved in the battle of Cassino, the battles along the River Sangro and in the Salora region.
The battalion, along with the rest of the 2nd Parachute Brigade, were then paraded for the Pope
in Rome, and carried out training in the Naples
area in preparation for the invasion of the south of France.
. As a result of adverse weather conditions many of the transport aircraft were off course and instead of landing on the selected drop zone
(DZ) they were scattered over a wide area of the countryside. Only one company from the battalion had actually landed on the correct DZ; most of the remainder were in the Fayence
area. Unable to head for their objectives, the company moved to Le Mitan to defend brigade headquarters. At the same time they sent out patrols on the roads leading north and south of the DZ.
Three groups of the battalion had landed to the north of the correct DZ. One group contained the commanding officer
, half of battalion headquarters and most of 'C' Company. The second group was composed of 'D' Company and some American parachutists. The third group had two officers and twenty men. The first group divided into three smaller groups headed for brigade headquarters, the last of them arriving at 22:30.
The second group to the north east of Fayence headed towards the DZ, and had reached Tourettes village when they heard firing. Believing the Germans had occupied the village, the group sent a reconnaissance patrol out to establish the German positions. They discovered Tourettes was clear of Germans but Fayence had been occupied. Informed by the local Maquis
about some wounded paratroopers nearby, they organised a stretcher party to bring them into the village where they were treated in the Maquis hospital. At 13:30 the French took over the defence of the village and the second group left for Le Muy
.
Just after leaving the group observed a German convoy of fifteen vehicles approaching and set up an ambush. However the convoy was attacked before they reached the ambush by a mixed group of twenty-five British and American paratroopers. The second group meanwhile had been joined by sixty American paratroopers and together both groups attacked the now stranded convoy. Their attack killed eight and wounded four Germans and destroyed several vehicles. Some hours later they joined, another group of Americans from the 3rd Battalion 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
The third group had landed 2 miles (3.2 km) north east of Fayence, heading towards the DZ, they did not contact any German forces, but the number of injured from the parachute landing hindered progress. At 11:00 another platoon from the battalion joined the group and they moved around to the west of Fayence, where they stopped for the night.
The members of the battalion at the DZ established a strong position on the road heading north. The next day the two groups continued to make their way south from Frayence. The second group from 'D' Company, now 115 strong arrived at the battalion position unhindered. The third group attacked a convoy of fifteen vehicles, but while the attack was in progress, a large German force was seen approaching and the smaller battalion group was forced to withdraw. During the small battle eight vehicles had been destroyed, two staff cars and a truck captured. Seven Germans had been killed and seven taken prisoner.
The next day small detachments from the battalion were sent out and ambushed the withdrawing Germans. Both 'B' and 'C' Companies were in contact with the Germans at Quatres Chemins. At dawn the next day 'B' Company captured ten German officers and eighty-seven men. The battalion then moved into a brigade position at Le Muy, the brigade now becoming the army reserve. Cannes
had been liberated on the 25 August and on the 26 August the brigade sailed for Naples
arriving two days later.
: a British force sent to assist the Democratic Greek government in suppressing the revolt of the Communist ELAS
forces and to harass the anticipated German withdrawal from the Balkans. The battalion landed at Megara airfield 40 miles (64.4 km) from Athens. The battalion first moved on Athens and then, following up the retreating German forces, took part in an amphibious landing at Salonika in November.
In the meantime riots and civil war
had broken out in Athens between the different factions. The 2nd Parachute Brigade returned to the capital and became involved in intense street fighting
against Greek rebels in December and early January 1945. During this time the battalion suffered over 100 casualties.
On 1 February 1945 the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade returned to Italy where it remained until the end of the war.
role. On 25 April 1946 the battalion was involved in an incident where eight men guarding a car park in Tel Aviv were murdered by members of the Stern Gang.
In February 1948 the 2nd Parachute Brigade left the 6th Airborne Division and moved to Germany where it became part of the British Army on the Rhine. The 6th Airborne Division was disbanded soon afterwards, leaving the 2nd Parachute Brigade as the only airborne formation in the British Army. In June the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion was renumbered as the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
.
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army in 1942.
The four proceeding British parachute battalions had been raised by volunteers from all ranks of the army. The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion was formed by the conversion of the 7th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
, together with some volunteers from other Scottish regiments for parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 2nd Parachute Brigade, which at the time, was part of the 1st Airborne Division.
The battalion fought in a number of actions in Italy, Greece and in the south of France, where they carried out their only parachute assault during Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon
Operation Dragoon was the Allied invasion of southern France on August 15, 1944, during World War II. The invasion was initiated via a parachute drop by the 1st Airborne Task Force, followed by an amphibious assault by elements of the U.S. Seventh Army, followed a day later by a force made up...
. At the end of the war, now attached to the 6th Airborne Division, the battalion was posted to Palestine, in an internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
role.
By 1948 the battalion was one of only three regular army parachute battalions remaining in the British Army. In June these battalions were renumbered and the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion became the present day 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
.
Background
Impressed by the success of German airborne operations during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, the then Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, directed the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of 5,000 parachute troops. The standards set for British airborne troops
Airborne forces
Airborne forces are military units, usually light infantry, set up to be moved by aircraft and 'dropped' into battle. Thus they can be placed behind enemy lines, and have an ability to deploy almost anywhere with little warning...
were extremely high, and from the first group of 3,500 volunteers only 500 men were accepted to go forward to parachute training.
Additionally on 22 June 1940, a British Commando unit, No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The No. 2 Commando unit was reformed three times during the Second World War. The original No. 2 Commando, unlike the other commando units, was formed from volunteers from across the United...
was turned over to parachute duties and on 21 November, re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing. It was these men who took part in the first British airborne operation, Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus was the codename given to the first airborne operation undertaken by the British military, which occurred on 10 February 1941 during World War II...
, on 10 February 1941. The success of the raid prompted the War Office to expand the existing airborne force, setting up the Airborne Forces Depot and Battle School in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
in April 1942, and creating the Parachute Regiment as well as converting a number of infantry battalions into airborne battalions in August 1942.
Battalion
In 1942 the 7th Battalion, Queen's Own Cameron HighlandersQueen's Own Cameron Highlanders
The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders was an infantry regiment of the British Army formed in 1793. In 1961 it was merged with the Seaforth Highlanders to form the Queen's Own Highlanders...
, was part of the 46th (Highland) Infantry Brigade, in the 15th (Scottish) Division. On 24 March 1942 they were redesignated as the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion. Those men that were deemed unsuitable for parachute duties were transferred to other units and were replaced by volunteers from other Scottish regiments.
The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion became the second unit assigned to the fledgling 2nd Parachute Brigade, at the time part of the 1st Airborne Division.
Upon formation the battalion and had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
s. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar
Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
The Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar was the United Kingdom's standard mortar used by the British Army from the late 1920s to the late 1960s, superseding the Stokes Mortar.-History:...
and a Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
platoon. By 1944 a headquarters, or support, company was added to the battalion. It comprised five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank and was equipped with eight 3 inches (76.2 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT
PIAT
The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank was a British hand-held anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon, and entered service in 1943.The PIAT was based on the spigot...
anti-tank projectors.
During training, all members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve-day parachute training course, which was carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway, was a Royal Air Force station near Manchester, UK, in the parish of Ringway, then in Cheshire. It was operational from 1939 until 1957.-Prewar years:...
. Initial training consisted of parachute jumps from a converted barrage balloon
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
before progressing to five parachute jumps from an aircraft. Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their maroon beret
Maroon beret
The maroon beret is a military beret and has been an international symbol of elite airborne forces since it was chosen for British airborne forces in World War II. This distinctive head dress was officially introduced in 1942, at the direction of General Frederick Browning, commander of the British...
and parachute wings
Parachutist Badge
The Parachutist Badge or Parachutist Brevet is a military badge awarded by the Armed Forces of most countries in the world to soldiers who receive the proper parachute training and accomplish the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such award...
. Initially the 5th Battalion wore a Balmoral bonnet
Balmoral bonnet
The Balmoral is a traditional Scottish hat that can be worn as part of formal or informal Highland dress. Dating back to at least the 16th century, it takes the form of a knitted, soft wool cap with a flat crown...
instead of the beret, with the cap badge
Cap badge
A cap badge, also known as head badge or hat badge, is a badge worn on uniform headgear and distinguishes the wearer's nationality and/or organisation. The wearing of cap badges is a convention commonly found among military and police forces, as well as uniformed civilian groups such as the Boy...
backed by a Hunting Stewart tartan
Tartan
Tartan is a pattern consisting of criss-crossed horizontal and vertical bands in multiple colours. Tartans originated in woven wool, but now they are made in many other materials. Tartan is particularly associated with Scotland. Scottish kilts almost always have tartan patterns...
patch.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. As a result training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
ship and fieldcraft
Fieldcraft
Fieldcraft is a term used especially in American, Canadian and British military circles to describe the basic military skills required to operate stealthily and the methods used to do so, which can differ during day or night and due to weather or terrain...
. A large part of the training regime consisted of assault course
Assault course
An assault course is a special sort of trail that combines running and exercising. It was more popular in the 1970s than it is now. It is heavily used in military training...
s and route marching. Military exercise
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises the battalion would march back to their barracks. An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
Italy
The 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion, as part of the 2nd Parachute Brigade, did not see any combat until 1943, when they were sent to the Mediterranean. The war in North Africa was over and it was planned to parachute the battalion into Sicily during the invasionAllied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
. However, a shortage of transport aircraft and then the speed of the Allied advance, made their deployment unnecessary.
On 9 July 1943 the battalion took part in Operation Slapstick
Operation Slapstick
Operation Slapstick was the code name for a British landing from the sea at the Italian port of Taranto during the Second World War. The operation, one of three landings during the Allied invasion of Italy, was undertaken by the British 1st Airborne Division in September 1943.Planned at short...
as part a diversionary landing at the Italian port of Taranto
Taranto
Taranto is a coastal city in Apulia, Southern Italy. It is the capital of the Province of Taranto and is an important commercial port as well as the main Italian naval base....
. The battalion was the last unit of the brigade to land but quickly seized their objective, a small town 12 miles (19.3 km) to the east of Taranto.
In November the 1st Airborne Division was withdrawn to England, leaving the 2nd Parachute Brigade behind now as independent formation. Attached to the 2nd New Zealand Infantry Division, the battalion was involved in the battle of Cassino, the battles along the River Sangro and in the Salora region.
The battalion, along with the rest of the 2nd Parachute Brigade, were then paraded for the Pope
Pope
The Pope is the Bishop of Rome, a position that makes him the leader of the worldwide Catholic Church . In the Catholic Church, the Pope is regarded as the successor of Saint Peter, the Apostle...
in Rome, and carried out training in the Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
area in preparation for the invasion of the south of France.
France
Around 04:40 on 15 August the battalion landed in the south of France2nd Parachute Brigade in Southern France
The British 2nd Parachute Brigade was part of the Operation Rugby airborne landings in August 1944. The operation was carried out by an ad-hoc airborne formation called the 1st Airborne Task Force. Operation Rugby was itself part of the Operation Dragoon invasion of Southern France by the American...
. As a result of adverse weather conditions many of the transport aircraft were off course and instead of landing on the selected drop zone
Drop zone
A drop zone is a place where parachutists or parachuted supplies land. It can be an area targeted for landing by paratroopers, or a base from which recreational parachutists and skydivers take off in aircraft and land under parachutes...
(DZ) they were scattered over a wide area of the countryside. Only one company from the battalion had actually landed on the correct DZ; most of the remainder were in the Fayence
Fayence
Fayence is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France.Fayence is one of a series of "perched villages" overlooking the plain between the southern Alps and the Esterel massif, which borders the sea between Cannes and Saint-Raphaël. Fayence is a...
area. Unable to head for their objectives, the company moved to Le Mitan to defend brigade headquarters. At the same time they sent out patrols on the roads leading north and south of the DZ.
Three groups of the battalion had landed to the north of the correct DZ. One group contained the commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
, half of battalion headquarters and most of 'C' Company. The second group was composed of 'D' Company and some American parachutists. The third group had two officers and twenty men. The first group divided into three smaller groups headed for brigade headquarters, the last of them arriving at 22:30.
The second group to the north east of Fayence headed towards the DZ, and had reached Tourettes village when they heard firing. Believing the Germans had occupied the village, the group sent a reconnaissance patrol out to establish the German positions. They discovered Tourettes was clear of Germans but Fayence had been occupied. Informed by the local Maquis
Maquis (World War II)
The Maquis were the predominantly rural guerrilla bands of the French Resistance. Initially they were composed of men who had escaped into the mountains to avoid conscription into Vichy France's Service du travail obligatoire to provide forced labour for Germany...
about some wounded paratroopers nearby, they organised a stretcher party to bring them into the village where they were treated in the Maquis hospital. At 13:30 the French took over the defence of the village and the second group left for Le Muy
Le Muy
Le Muy is a commune in the Var department in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region in southeastern France. It was one of the first places to be liberated in the Allied invasion of Southern France in August 1944.It lies near Draguignan and Saint-Tropez....
.
Just after leaving the group observed a German convoy of fifteen vehicles approaching and set up an ambush. However the convoy was attacked before they reached the ambush by a mixed group of twenty-five British and American paratroopers. The second group meanwhile had been joined by sixty American paratroopers and together both groups attacked the now stranded convoy. Their attack killed eight and wounded four Germans and destroyed several vehicles. Some hours later they joined, another group of Americans from the 3rd Battalion 517th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
The third group had landed 2 miles (3.2 km) north east of Fayence, heading towards the DZ, they did not contact any German forces, but the number of injured from the parachute landing hindered progress. At 11:00 another platoon from the battalion joined the group and they moved around to the west of Fayence, where they stopped for the night.
The members of the battalion at the DZ established a strong position on the road heading north. The next day the two groups continued to make their way south from Frayence. The second group from 'D' Company, now 115 strong arrived at the battalion position unhindered. The third group attacked a convoy of fifteen vehicles, but while the attack was in progress, a large German force was seen approaching and the smaller battalion group was forced to withdraw. During the small battle eight vehicles had been destroyed, two staff cars and a truck captured. Seven Germans had been killed and seven taken prisoner.
The next day small detachments from the battalion were sent out and ambushed the withdrawing Germans. Both 'B' and 'C' Companies were in contact with the Germans at Quatres Chemins. At dawn the next day 'B' Company captured ten German officers and eighty-seven men. The battalion then moved into a brigade position at Le Muy, the brigade now becoming the army reserve. Cannes
Cannes
Cannes is one of the best-known cities of the French Riviera, a busy tourist destination and host of the annual Cannes Film Festival. It is a Commune of France in the Alpes-Maritimes department....
had been liberated on the 25 August and on the 26 August the brigade sailed for Naples
Naples
Naples is a city in Southern Italy, situated on the country's west coast by the Gulf of Naples. Lying between two notable volcanic regions, Mount Vesuvius and the Phlegraean Fields, it is the capital of the region of Campania and of the province of Naples...
arriving two days later.
Greece
In October 1944, the battalion was part of Operation MannaOperation Manna
Operations Manna and Chowhound took place from 29 April to the end of World War II in Europe on 8 May 1945. These two operations—Manna by the Royal Air Force and Chowhound by the U.S...
: a British force sent to assist the Democratic Greek government in suppressing the revolt of the Communist ELAS
ELAS
ELAS may refer to:*The Greek People's Liberation Army, World War II Greek Resistance group*The Equitable Life Assurance Society, a life insurance company in the United Kingdom...
forces and to harass the anticipated German withdrawal from the Balkans. The battalion landed at Megara airfield 40 miles (64.4 km) from Athens. The battalion first moved on Athens and then, following up the retreating German forces, took part in an amphibious landing at Salonika in November.
In the meantime riots and civil war
Greek Civil War
The Greek Civil War was fought from 1946 to 1949 between the Greek governmental army, backed by the United Kingdom and United States, and the Democratic Army of Greece , the military branch of the Greek Communist Party , backed by Bulgaria, Yugoslavia and Albania...
had broken out in Athens between the different factions. The 2nd Parachute Brigade returned to the capital and became involved in intense street fighting
Street fighting
Street fighting is a colloquial term used to denote unsanctioned, illegal in some countries, hand-to-hand fighting in public places, between individuals or groups of people....
against Greek rebels in December and early January 1945. During this time the battalion suffered over 100 casualties.
On 1 February 1945 the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade returned to Italy where it remained until the end of the war.
Palestine
At the end of the war the battalion had returned to England, and the brigade was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, now the imperial strategic reserve. Unrest in the British mandate of Palestine, required an increase of troops and the division was sent to the area in an internal securityInternal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
role. On 25 April 1946 the battalion was involved in an incident where eight men guarding a car park in Tel Aviv were murdered by members of the Stern Gang.
In February 1948 the 2nd Parachute Brigade left the 6th Airborne Division and moved to Germany where it became part of the British Army on the Rhine. The 6th Airborne Division was disbanded soon afterwards, leaving the 2nd Parachute Brigade as the only airborne formation in the British Army. In June the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion was renumbered as the 2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
.