8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 8th Parachute Battalion was an airborne
infantry
battalion
of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War.
Formed by the conversion of the 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment to parachute duties, the battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade in the 6th Airborne Division.
The battalion fought in the Normandy invasion, and the break out to the River Seine. Withdrawn to England in September 1944, the German winter offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge
saw the battalion return to the continent. Their final mission during the war, was the River Rhine crossing
, followed by the advance to the Baltic
.
After the war the battalion was sent to Palestine
with the 6th Airborne Division until January 1948, when it was amalgamated with the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
to form the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion.
, the British Prime Minister
, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
of 5,000 parachute troops. On 22 June 1940, 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.
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. With eight 3 inches (76.2 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT
anti-tank projectors. The battalions first commanding officer
was Lieutenant-Colonel Hildersly, who was succeeded in 1943 by Lieutenant-Colonel Alastair Pearson
DSO
and two bars
, MC
.
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve day parachute training course carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
. Initial parachute jumps were from a converted barrage balloon
and finished with 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
.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. So 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 battalion's 32 miles (51.5 km).
On 6 June 1944, the 8th Parachute Battalion landed in Normandy on their own drop zone
'K' between Cuverville and Touffréville
3 miles (4.8 km) to the south of the main force at Ranville. The battalion's objectives were to destroy two bridges crossing the River Dives near Bures
and a third at Troarn
. The parachute drop was widely scattered, with fourteen of the Battalion's thirty-seven Dakota aircraft, releasing their parachutists some distance away, in the operational area of 5th Parachute Brigade. When the commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson arrived at the battalion rendezvous point (RVP) at 01:20, he found only thirty paratroopers and a small group of engineers
with a jeep
and trailer who were supposed to demolish the bridges. By 03:30 a further 140 men of the battalion, but no more engineers had arrived at the RVP. Pearson decided to send a small force to demolish the bridges at Bures and lead the rest of the battalion to a crossroad north of Troarn where it would await more reinforcements before it attacked Troarn itself. However, the small force sent to Bures discovered that the two bridges had already been demolished by a group of engineers who had reached the bridges a few hours earlier, and so rejoined the battalion at the crossroads, which by now numbered 150 men. A reconnaissance party was sent into Troarn to ascertain the status of the bridge there, alongside a party of engineers, which came under fire from a house near the bridge. After a brief fire-fight the paratroopers captured a number of Germans from the 21st Panzer Division and then made their way to the bridge, which they discovered had been demolished already. Once the engineers had widened the length of bridge demolished using their explosives, the party retreated back to the battalion at the crossroad. Having achieved its objective, the battalion then moved north and took up positions near Le Mesnil
to widen the airborne bridgehead formed by the division. By midnight the battalion was in the Bavent woods. The southernmost point in a 4 miles (6.4 km) defensive line formed by the 3rd Parachute Brigade, stretching northwards from the woods, to Les Mesnil and then Le Plein.
The 8th Battalion's objective was to hold the woods and disrupt German movements in the area.
Isolated from the rest of the division, they were assisted in their defence by the dense woods, which broke up infantry assaults and made armoured vehicle attacks impossible. They did however suffer under artillery bombardments, until their trenches had adequate over-head cover. Adopting a policy of mine laying, setting ambushes, raiding and patrolling, at times the battalion's patrols reached as far as Bures and Troarn. The battalion remained in the woods until 16 June, when the 3rd Parachute Brigade went into reserve. When they returned to the front, they continued patrolling and harassing the Germans for the next six weeks. Until 17 August when the 6th Airborne Division, crossed the River Dives. The 8th Battalion were involved in heavy fighting at Goustranville, which they captured by nightfall. By 21 August the battalion, had reached Annebault
. Supported by a left flanking attack by the 9th Parachute Battalion
, the 8th put in a frontal assault. The village was well defended and both battalions fought all day to liberate the village. The 8th Battalions next major engagement was on the 25 August at Beuzeville
, attacked by the 3rd Parachute and the 4th Special Service Brigade
. Supported by the Cromwell tank
s of the 6th Airborne Division Reconnaissance Regiment the battalion gradually overcome the German strong points and captured the town. After the liberation of Beuzeville the 6th Airborne Division having reached Honfleur
on the River Seine was ordered to hold their positions. By September the battalion had been withdrawn to England. At the same time Lieutenant-Colonel George Hewitson replaced the incapacitated Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson as commanding officer.
. Their plan was aimed at splitting the Allied armies and pushing through an armoured force to the English channel
. In command on the northern sector General Montgomery ordered the 6th Airborne division, refitting in England to move to Belgium and form a defensive line along the River Meuse. By 29 December still part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade the 8th Parachute Battalion, were in position to attack the leading German formation, in the Rochefort
area. After heavy fighting the town was eventually captured. After the German offensive had been halted the division remained in Belgium and the Netherlands until early 1945.
The 6th Airborne Division broke out of the Rhine bridgehead on the 26 March. The 8th Parachute Battalion supported by the 6th Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment in the lead had by the 26 August had reached Lembeck. Putting in a frontal attack the 8th Battalion was stopped by well positioned 20 mm guns. At the same time the 9th Parachute Battalion had secured the left flank and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
also became involved in the battle. By the end of the day the Battalion had gained a foothold in the town.
The Brigade had secured a crossing on the River Ems
on the 31 March, and the 8th Battalion crossed the river to secure a crossing over the Dortmund-Ems Canal
. By the next day two of the Battalions companies had crossed the canal securing a bridgehead on the eastern bank in the face of heavy German artillery barrages. On the 4 April, the 8th Battalion were defeated in an attempt to enter Minden
. The city was successfully captured that night by using all three battalion's of 3rd Parachute Brigade supported by the tanks of the 4th Armoured Battalion, Grenadier Guards
part of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade
.
On the 30 April, the 6th Airborne Division was ordered to head for Wismar
, on the Baltic Sea
which they reached on 2 May. With the war in Europe over, the battalion returned to England at the end of May.
on internal security
duties, the 3rd Parachute Brigade being based in the Lydda
district, which included Tel Aviv
. On 13 November the 8th Battalion was sent into Tel Aviv, to deal with riots by the Jewish population, following the publication of a white paper
on Palestine. The violence spread and eventually the whole 3rd Parachute Brigade became involved and order was not established until 20 November. The 3rd Parachute Brigade was disbanded in October 1947, and the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalion were amalgamated as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. The new Battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade, however further post war reductions in the British Army saw this Battalion disbanded in June 1948.
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 during the Second World War.
Formed by the conversion of the 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment to parachute duties, the battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade in the 6th Airborne Division.
The battalion fought in the Normandy invasion, and the break out to the River Seine. Withdrawn to England in September 1944, the German winter offensive known as the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
saw the battalion return to the continent. Their final mission during the war, was the River Rhine crossing
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, followed by the advance to the Baltic
Baltic
-Northern Europe:* The Baltic Sea* Baltic states : Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia* The Baltic region, an ambiguous term referring to the general area surrounding the Baltic Sea...
.
After the war the battalion was sent to Palestine
Mandate Palestine
Mandate Palestine existed while the British Mandate for Palestine, which formally began in September 1923 and terminated in May 1948, was in effect...
with the 6th Airborne Division until January 1948, when it was amalgamated with the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
The 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment to parachute duties...
to form the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion.
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 British Prime Minister
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. On 22 June 1940, 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
The 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion was formed in November 1942, by the conversion of the 13th Royal Warwickshire Regiment to parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade. Upon formation in 1942, the battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoonPlatoon
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. 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. The battalions first 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...
was Lieutenant-Colonel Hildersly, who was succeeded in 1943 by Lieutenant-Colonel Alastair Pearson
Alastair Pearson
Brigadier Alastair Stevenson Pearson CB, DSO & Three Bars, OBE, MC, TD was a baker, farmer and one of the most highly-regarded soldiers of the British Army who served in World War II. During his distinguished military career he was known as Jock Pearson to the men of his command.-Early...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and two bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve day parachute training course 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 parachute jumps were 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...
and finished with 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...
.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. So 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 battalion's 32 miles (51.5 km).
Normandy
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...
'K' between Cuverville and Touffréville
Touffréville
-References:*...
3 miles (4.8 km) to the south of the main force at Ranville. The battalion's objectives were to destroy two bridges crossing the River Dives near Bures
Bures, Orne
Bures is a commune in the Orne department in north-western France....
and a third at Troarn
Troarn
-References:*...
. The parachute drop was widely scattered, with fourteen of the Battalion's thirty-seven Dakota aircraft, releasing their parachutists some distance away, in the operational area of 5th Parachute Brigade. When the commanding officer Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson arrived at the battalion rendezvous point (RVP) at 01:20, he found only thirty paratroopers and a small group of engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
with a jeep
Willys MB
The Willys MB US Army Jeep and the Ford GPW, were manufactured from 1941 to 1945. These small four-wheel drive utility vehicles are considered the iconic World War II Jeep, and inspired many similar light utility vehicles. Over the years, the World War II Jeep later evolved into the "CJ" civilian...
and trailer who were supposed to demolish the bridges. By 03:30 a further 140 men of the battalion, but no more engineers had arrived at the RVP. Pearson decided to send a small force to demolish the bridges at Bures and lead the rest of the battalion to a crossroad north of Troarn where it would await more reinforcements before it attacked Troarn itself. However, the small force sent to Bures discovered that the two bridges had already been demolished by a group of engineers who had reached the bridges a few hours earlier, and so rejoined the battalion at the crossroads, which by now numbered 150 men. A reconnaissance party was sent into Troarn to ascertain the status of the bridge there, alongside a party of engineers, which came under fire from a house near the bridge. After a brief fire-fight the paratroopers captured a number of Germans from the 21st Panzer Division and then made their way to the bridge, which they discovered had been demolished already. Once the engineers had widened the length of bridge demolished using their explosives, the party retreated back to the battalion at the crossroad. Having achieved its objective, the battalion then moved north and took up positions near Le Mesnil
Le Mesnil
Deriving from Latin 'mansionile', meaning a small 'mansio', or dwelling, Le Mesnil may refer to:-Belgium:* Le Mesnil, Belgium, a commune in the municipality of Viroinval in the Namur province-France:...
to widen the airborne bridgehead formed by the division. By midnight the battalion was in the Bavent woods. The southernmost point in a 4 miles (6.4 km) defensive line formed by the 3rd Parachute Brigade, stretching northwards from the woods, to Les Mesnil and then Le Plein.
The 8th Battalion's objective was to hold the woods and disrupt German movements in the area.
Isolated from the rest of the division, they were assisted in their defence by the dense woods, which broke up infantry assaults and made armoured vehicle attacks impossible. They did however suffer under artillery bombardments, until their trenches had adequate over-head cover. Adopting a policy of mine laying, setting ambushes, raiding and patrolling, at times the battalion's patrols reached as far as Bures and Troarn. The battalion remained in the woods until 16 June, when the 3rd Parachute Brigade went into reserve. When they returned to the front, they continued patrolling and harassing the Germans for the next six weeks. Until 17 August when the 6th Airborne Division, crossed the River Dives. The 8th Battalion were involved in heavy fighting at Goustranville, which they captured by nightfall. By 21 August the battalion, had reached Annebault
Annebault
Annebault is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region in northwestern France.-Population:...
. Supported by a left flanking attack by the 9th Parachute Battalion
9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
The 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment to parachute duties...
, the 8th put in a frontal assault. The village was well defended and both battalions fought all day to liberate the village. The 8th Battalions next major engagement was on the 25 August at Beuzeville
Beuzeville
Beuzeville is a commune in the north-western part of the department of Eure in the Haute-Normandie region in northern France.Located on the Lieuvin plateau, it is adjacent to the communes of Pont-l'Évêque, Honfleur and Deauville...
, attacked by the 3rd Parachute and the 4th Special Service Brigade
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
. Supported by the Cromwell tank
Cromwell tank
Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell ,The designation as the eighth Cruiser tank design, its name given for ease of reference and its General Staff specification number respectively and the related Centaur tank, were one of the most successful series of cruiser tanks fielded by Britain in the Second...
s of the 6th Airborne Division Reconnaissance Regiment the battalion gradually overcome the German strong points and captured the town. After the liberation of Beuzeville the 6th Airborne Division having reached Honfleur
Honfleur
Honfleur is a commune in the Calvados department in northwestern France. It is located on the southern bank of the estuary of the Seine across from le Havre and very close to the exit of the Pont de Normandie...
on the River Seine was ordered to hold their positions. By September the battalion had been withdrawn to England. At the same time Lieutenant-Colonel George Hewitson replaced the incapacitated Lieutenant-Colonel Pearson as commanding officer.
Ardennes
On 16 December 1944, the Germans launched a surprise counter attack through the forests of the ArdennesArdennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
. Their plan was aimed at splitting the Allied armies and pushing through an armoured force to the English channel
English Channel
The English Channel , often referred to simply as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates southern England from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the Atlantic. It is about long and varies in width from at its widest to in the Strait of Dover...
. In command on the northern sector General Montgomery ordered the 6th Airborne division, refitting in England to move to Belgium and form a defensive line along the River Meuse. By 29 December still part of the 3rd Parachute Brigade the 8th Parachute Battalion, were in position to attack the leading German formation, in the Rochefort
Rochefort, Belgium
Rochefort is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur close to the Ardennes. On January 1, 2006 Rochefort had a total population of 12,038. The total area is 165.27 km² which gives a population density of 73 inhabitants per km²...
area. After heavy fighting the town was eventually captured. After the German offensive had been halted the division remained in Belgium and the Netherlands until early 1945.
Germany
The 8th Parachute Battalion were next in action 24 March 1945, in the biggest and most successful airborne operation of the war. The 6th Airborne Division had the objective of securing a bridgehead across the River Rhine. The battalion was the first unit of the division to land, their objective was to secure drop zone 'A'. The woodland at the edge of the drop zone was secured by 'A' and 'C' Companies with little opposition. However 'B' Company and the Machine Gun Platoon landed in the wrong place and came under fire from defensive positions manned by German parachutists. The position was eventually destroyed in a hand to hand battle. With the drop zone secured the rest of the 3rd Parachute Brigade landed and the 8th Battalion became the Brigade reserve. They later destroyed two Germans 88 mm anti-tank guns en route to the Brigade equipment dump. By nightfall it was guarding the Division Headquarters at Kopenhof.The 6th Airborne Division broke out of the Rhine bridgehead on the 26 March. The 8th Parachute Battalion supported by the 6th Airborne Reconnaissance Regiment in the lead had by the 26 August had reached Lembeck. Putting in a frontal attack the 8th Battalion was stopped by well positioned 20 mm guns. At the same time the 9th Parachute Battalion had secured the left flank and the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion
The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
also became involved in the battle. By the end of the day the Battalion had gained a foothold in the town.
The Brigade had secured a crossing on the River Ems
River Ems
The river name Ems may refer to:* Ems , a river in Germany and the Netherlands* River Ems , a river in the English counties of West Sussex and Hampshire...
on the 31 March, and the 8th Battalion crossed the river to secure a crossing over the Dortmund-Ems Canal
Dortmund-Ems Canal
The Dortmund–Ems Canal is a 269 km long canal in Germany between the inland port of the city of Dortmund and the sea port of Emden. The artificial southern part of the canal ends after 215 km at the lock of Herbrum near Meppen. From there, the route goes over a length of 45 km over...
. By the next day two of the Battalions companies had crossed the canal securing a bridgehead on the eastern bank in the face of heavy German artillery barrages. On the 4 April, the 8th Battalion were defeated in an attempt to enter Minden
Minden
Minden is a town of about 83,000 inhabitants in the north-east of North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. The town extends along both sides of the river Weser. It is the capital of the Kreis of Minden-Lübbecke, which is part of the region of Detmold. Minden is the historic political centre of the...
. The city was successfully captured that night by using all three battalion's of 3rd Parachute Brigade supported by the tanks of the 4th Armoured Battalion, Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
part of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade
6th Guards Tank Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Guards Tank Brigade was formed in 1941 as the 6th Guards Armoured Brigade when Great Britain was under the threat of invasion and more armoured formations were required, permission was granted from King George VI and the Colonels of the Regiments involved and over the summer of 1941, the...
.
On the 30 April, the 6th Airborne Division was ordered to head for Wismar
Wismar
Wismar , is a small port and Hanseatic League town in northern Germany on the Baltic Sea, in the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern,about 45 km due east of Lübeck, and 30 km due north of Schwerin. Its natural harbour, located in the Bay of Wismar is well-protected by a promontory. The...
, on the Baltic Sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
which they reached on 2 May. With the war in Europe over, the battalion returned to England at the end of May.
Palestine
In October 1945, the 6th Airborne Division was sent to the British Mandate Palestine6th Airborne Division in Palestine
The 6th Airborne Division in Palestine was initially posted to the region as the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was envisioned as a mobile peace keeping force, positioned to be able to respond quickly to any area of the British Empire...
on 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...
duties, the 3rd Parachute Brigade being based in the Lydda
Lydda
Lydda can refer to:*Lod, also named Lydda*Exodus from Lydda and Ramla, the Palestinian exodus from the city in July 1948...
district, which included Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. On 13 November the 8th Battalion was sent into Tel Aviv, to deal with riots by the Jewish population, following the publication of a white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
on Palestine. The violence spread and eventually the whole 3rd Parachute Brigade became involved and order was not established until 20 November. The 3rd Parachute Brigade was disbanded in October 1947, and the 8th and 9th Parachute Battalion were amalgamated as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. The new Battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade, however further post war reductions in the British Army saw this Battalion disbanded in June 1948.