The regiment was raised in 1943, by the expansion of an existing airborne artillery battery. Attached to the 1st Airborne Division in 1943, the regiment landed in Italy as part of Operation Slapstick—part of the Allied invasion of Italy—and then, when the division was withdrawn, it stayed behind to support other divisions of the British Eighth Army in the Italian Campaign until the end of the year. In 1944 the regiment rejoined the 1st Airborne Division in England and, in September 1944, took part in Operation Market Garden, which was the airborne assault in the Netherlands. During the battle of Arnhem that followed the regiment was one of the divisional units that formed a defensive ring around Oosterbeek.
Reformed after Arnhem, the regiment never fought in another battle. They did, however, take part in Operation Doomsday, the repatriation of the German occupation army in Norway in May 1945. After this the regiment returned to England and was disbanded in December 1945.
Formation
Impressed by the success of German airborne operations during the Battle of France, the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, directed the War Office to investigate the possibility of creating a corps of 5,000 parachute troops.[1] In September 1941 the 1st Parachute Brigade began forming, comprising three parachute infantry battalions. In keeping with British Army practice at the same time as the brigade's infantry battalions were forming, airborne supporting arms were formed including men from the Royal Artillery.[2]
The origins of the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment can be traced to the formation of the 458th Independent Light Battery, Royal Artillery in February 1941. At the time, the battery was commanded by Major Pat Lloyd and, equipped with the First World War vintage 3.7-inch mountain howitzer, served on the North-West Frontier in India.[3] The 3.7inch Howitzer could fire a 20 pounds (9.1kg) shell 5,899 yards (5,394m) and weighed 1,610 pounds (730kg).[4]
In 1941, the British airborne forces were being raised and needed an artillery formation, so the battery was renamed the 1st Airlanding Light Battery and it was converted into an airborne unit. Assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, the battery moved to the airborne forces depot at Bulford Garrison in April 1942.[3]
Airborne artillery Gun Position Officer, Italy 1943
The battery spent the next eleven months training for their new role. In February 1943, however, it was expanded to a full regiment commanded by Lieutenant-Colonel R. W. McLeod. The regiment now consisted of three batteries, each of two troops, with four guns per troop, or twenty-four guns in the regiment. At the same time their 3.7inch Howitzers were replaced by the newer American 75mm Pack Howitzer.[3][5] The 75mm Howitzer could be broken down into six components. It fired a 15 pounds (6.8kg) shell a maximum of 9,186 yards (8,400m) and weighed 1,439 pounds (653kg).[6] Being the only field artillery unit in the division, one battery of eight guns could be expected to support each of the division's three brigades.[7][nb 1]
At this time the only way airborne forces could transport artillery guns and their towing vehicles by air was by using gliders. In the regiment's case this was normally the Airspeed Horsa, piloted by two men from the Glider Pilot Regiment.[8] With a wingspan of 88 feet (27m) and a length of 67 feet (20m), the Horsa had a maximum load capacity of 15,750 pounds (7,140kg)—space for two pilots, a maximum of twenty-eight troops, or two jeeps; alternatively: one jeep, an artillery gun and a half ton trailer; or one jeep with up to two trailers.[9] One disadvantage of being transported by the Horsa glider, was that only three artillerymen and the two pilots could be carried with the gun.[10]
The regiment left England for North Africa on 16 May 1943, arriving at Oran in Algeria on 26 May. The 1st Airborne Division as a whole did not take part in the Allied invasion of Sicily. However, the 1st Parachute and 1st Airlanding brigades took part in brigade sized operations, Ladbroke and Fustian, without any artillery support from the regiment.[5] While in Sicily Lieutenant-Colonel Crawfurd, the Division's Commander Royal Artillery (DCRA), was killed. He was replaced by Lieutenant-Colonel McLeod and the second in command, Major W.F.K "Sheriff" Thompson, was given command of the regiment.[11]
In England the regiment trained for operations in North-West Europe under the supervision of I Airborne Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-GeneralFrederick Arthur Montague Browning. Although they were not scheduled to take part in the Normandy landings, Operation Wastage was a contingency plan drawn up whereby all of the 1st Airborne Division would be parachuted in to support any of the five invasion beaches if delays were experienced.[15][nb 2]
In early September the regiment prepared for Operation Comet during which the 1st Airborne Division's three brigades were to land in the Netherlands and capture three river crossings. The first of these was the bridge over the River Waal at Nijmegen, the second the bridge over the River Maas at Grave and finally the bridge over the River Rhine at Arnhem.[19] Planning for Comet was well advanced when, on 10September, the mission was cancelled. Instead, a new operation was proposed with the same objectives as Comet but to be carried out by three divisions of the First Allied Airborne Army.[20]
Arnhem
Landings by the First Allied Airborne Army's three divisions began in the Netherlands on 17 September 1944. Although the allocation of aircraft for each division was roughly similar, the U.S. 101st Airborne Division, under Major GeneralMaxwell D. Taylor, landing at Nijmegen would use only one lift. The U.S. 82nd Airborne Division, under Major General James M. Gavin, at Grave required two lifts while the British 1st Airborne Division, under Major-GeneralRoy Urquhart, at Arnhem would need three lifts. Whereas the two American divisions delivered at least three-quarters of their infantry in their first lift, the 1st Airborne's similar drop used only half its capacity for infantry and the remainder to deliver vehicles and artillery.[21]
Map of the Arnhem area showing the planned drop and landing zones.
The 1st Airborne Division had the required airlift capacity to deliver all three parachute brigades with their glider-borne anti-tank weapons or two of the parachute brigades and the airlanding brigade on day one. Instead however, the vast majority of the division's vehicles and heavy equipment, plus the 1st Parachute Brigade, most of the 1st Airlanding Brigade and divisional troops were to be on the first lift, with the rest to follow over the next two days.[21] Following the first lift, the airlanding brigade would remain at the landing grounds to defend them for the following day's lifts, while the parachute brigade set out alone to capture the bridges and ferry crossing on the River Rhine.[22]
On 17 September 1944, the first day of the operation, fifty-seven gliders carried the regimental headquarters and the 1st and 3rd batteries to Arnhem.[23] The 2nd Battery and the remaining men of the regimental headquarters were on the second day's lift.[24]
With only three of the regiment's men travelling in the gliders, the two pilots stayed with the guns as drivers and to provide local protection, until the rest of the regiment assembled.[25] Immediately after landing the 3rd Battery set up their gun line to the east of landing zone 'Z'.[26] Meanwhile, the 1st Battery set up between the 3rd and the village of Wolfheze. Both were on call to support the 1st Parachute Brigade in their advance to the bridges, and the 1st Airlanding Brigade defending the landing zones.[27]
In the morning of the second day, 19 September, in order to support the paratroopers in Arnhem, the guns had to move to a new position beside the church in Oosterbeek. The batteries were set up on the slight high ground that existed to the north-east and north-west of the church.[28] At the Arnhem road bridge, the 2nd Parachute Battalion, commanded by Lieutenant ColonelJohn Frost, and some supporting units, were under attack by the reconnaissance battalion of the 9th SS Panzer Division, which was attempting to force a crossing. The regiment's guns were called into action and caused significant damage to the un-armoured vehicles, armoured cars and half-tracks.[29] Later they targeted German mortars firing at the 1st Parachute Battalion trying to fight through to the bridge in Arnhem.[30] Their guns were also called upon to break up German attacks on the landing zones, still defended by the 1st Airlanding Brigade, which were in danger of being overrun.[31] When the thirty-three gliders of the 2nd Battery that were on the second lift, arrived from around 15:00, one of their guns was damaged on landing and had to be left behind.[32] By that afternoon, the attempt to fight through to the 2nd Parachute Battalion at the Arnhem bridge had failed and the remnants of four battalions involved started arriving at the regiment's position.[33]
75mm gun and crew at Oosterbeek, 20 September 1944.
On 20 September the division had been forced into a perimeter around Oosterbeek. The regiment was provided with local protection by five flights of the Glider Pilot Regiment.[nb 3] A group made up from the remnants of the 1st Parachute Brigade known as Lonsdale Force was to their right. While on the left was 'D' Company, 1st Battalion, Border Regiment.[35] All that morning the Germans using tanks, self propelled artillery and infantry attempted to break through the British line and reach the regiment's guns from the east.[36]
On 21 September, the fifth day of the operation, the Germans again attacked from the east and got within 300 yards (270m) of the guns. Engaged in hand-to-hand fighting, infantry support was requested and the guns were firing at point blank range.[37] German artillery attacked the gun line killing and wounding a number of men.[38] Amongst the wounded was the commanding officer, Lieutenant-Colonel Thompson.[39] One of the men defending the guns was MajorRobert Cain who was part of Lonsdale force. Cain was wounded disabling a Tiger tank, after which he brought one of the regiment's guns forward to finish it off. Cain was later awarded the Victoria Cross, for this and other actions during the battle.[40] By the end of the days fighting the regiment's stock of ammunition was running out.[41]
By 22 September, XXX Corps had advanced close enough to Arnhem for their artillery to participate in the battle.[42] But it was the 1st Airlanding Regiment's guns that broke up a German attack on the glider pilots positions just after 07:00 that morning.[43] The following days took on the same pattern until the night of 25/26 September, when the remnants of the 1st Airborne Division were withdrawn south of the River Rhine. The gunners fired their remaining ammunition and then disabled the guns, so they could not be used by the Germans.[44] Of the regiment's 372 men who went to Arnhem, 136 were evacuated, 200 were reported missing and thirty-eight were killed.[45][46]
Norway
After Arnhem the regiment and division was brought back up to strength, but the war ended before they were ready for further operations. Then in May 1945, the 1st Airborne Division was sent to Norway to disarm and repatriate the German occupation army. Code named Operation Doomsday for their part the 1st Airlanding Light Regiment were sent to Stavanger. In June some men left to join the 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, part of the 6th Airborne Division. The rest of the regiment returned to England in August and was disbanded on 1 December 1945.[3]
Notes
Footnotes
↑ Other artillery units in the division, were an independent anti-tank battery assigned to each parachute brigade.[7]
The Battle of Arnhem was a battle of the Second World War at the vanguard of the Allied Operation Market Garden. It was fought in and around the Dutch city of Arnhem, the town of Oosterbeek, the villages Wolfheze and Driel and the vicinity from 17 to 26 September 1944. The Allies were poised to enter the Netherlands after sweeping through France and Belgium in the summer of 1944, after the Battle of Normandy. Operation Market Garden was proposed by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, who favoured a single push northwards over the branches of the Lower Rhine River, allowing the British Second Army to bypass the Siegfried Line and attack the Ruhr. US Airborne troops were dropped in the Netherlands to secure bridges and towns along the line of the Allied advance. Farthest north, the British 1st Airborne Division landed at Arnhem to capture bridges across the Nederrijn, supported by men of the Glider Pilot Regiment and the 1st Polish Parachute Brigade. The British XXX Corps were expected to reach the British airborne forces in two to three days.
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings during World War II.
Operation Ladbroke was a glider landing by British airborne troops during the Second World War near Syracuse, Sicily, that began on 9 July 1943 as part of Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. The first Allied mission using large numbers of the aircraft, the operation was carried out from Tunisia by glider infantry of the British 1st Airlanding Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Philip Hicks, with a force of 136 Hadrians and eight Airspeed Horsas. The objective was to establish a large invasion force on the ground near the town of Syracuse, secure the Ponte Grande Bridge and ultimately take control of the city itself with its strategically vital docks, as a prelude to the full-scale invasion of Sicily.
Operation Fustian was an airborne forces operation undertaken during the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 in the Second World War. The operation was carried out by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury's 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the British 1st Airborne Division. Their objective was the Primosole Bridge across the Simeto River. The intention was for the brigade, with glider-borne forces in support, to land on both sides of the river. They would then capture the bridge and secure the surrounding area until relieved by the advance of British XIII Corps, which had landed on the south eastern coast three days previously. Because the bridge was the only crossing on the river and would give the British Eighth Army access to the Catania plain, its capture was expected to speed the advance and lead to the defeat of the Axis forces in Sicily.
The 1st Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. The division was formed in late 1941 during the Second World War, after the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, demanded an airborne force, and was initially under command of Major-General Frederick A. M. Browning. The division was one of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, with the other being the 6th Airborne Division, created in May 1943, using former units of the 1st Airborne Division.
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, the other being the 1st Airborne Division. The 6th Airborne Division was formed in the Second World War, in mid-1943, and was commanded by Major-General Richard N. Gale. The division consisted of the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades along with the 6th Airlanding Brigade and supporting units.
Glider infantry was a type of airborne infantry in which soldiers and their equipment were inserted into enemy-controlled territory via military glider. Initially developed in the late 1930s by Germany, glider infantry units were used extensively during World War II but are no longer used by any modern military.
The 5th Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces formation of brigade strength, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Created during 1943, the brigade was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, serving alongside the 3rd Parachute Brigade and the 6th Airlanding Brigade.
The 1st Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces brigade formed by the British Army during the Second World War. As its name indicates, the unit was the first parachute infantry brigade formation in the British Army.
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces brigade raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The brigade was initially part of the 1st Airborne Division, but remained in Britain when that division was sent overseas, and became part of the 6th Airborne Division, alongside 5th Parachute Brigade and 6th Airlanding Brigade.
The 4th Parachute Brigade was an airborne, specifically a parachute infantry, brigade formation of the British Army during the Second World War. Formed in late 1942 in the Mediterranean and Middle East, the brigade was composed of three parachute infantry units, the 10th, 11th and 156th Parachute Battalions.
The 1st Airlanding Brigade was an airborne infantry brigade of the British Army during the Second World War and the only glider infantry formation assigned to the 1st Airborne Division, serving alongside the 1st Parachute Brigade and 4th Parachute Brigade.
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was an airborne infantry brigade of the British Army during the Second World War. Created during May 1943, the brigade was composed of three glider infantry battalions and supporting units, and was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, alongside the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades.
Operation Mallard was the codename for an airborne forces operation, which was conducted by the British Army on 6 June 1944, as part of the Normandy landings during the Second World War.
The 11th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army in World War II.
The 156th Parachute Battalion was a battalion of the Parachute Regiment raised by the British Army during the Second World War.
The 10th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, originally raised as the 10th (Sussex) Battalion by the British Army during the Second World War.
The 181st (Airlanding) Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.
Operation Turkey Buzzard, also known as Operation Beggar, was a British supply mission to North Africa that took place between March and August 1943, during the Second World War. The mission was undertaken by No. 2 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment and No. 295 Squadron Royal Air Force, prior to the Allied invasion of Sicily. Unusually, the mission was known by different names in different branches of the British Armed Forces: the British Army called the operation "Turkey Buzzard", while in the Royal Air Force it was known as "Beggar".
References
Books
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Cole, Howard N (1963). On Wings of Healing: The Story of the Airborne Medical Services 1940–1960. Edinburgh, United Kingdom: William Blackwood. OCLC29847628.
Chant, Christopher (1986). The Encyclopaedia of Codenames of World War II. London: Routledge. ISBN0-7102-0718-2.
Ferguson, Gregor (1984). The Paras 1940–84. Volume 1 of Elite series. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN0-85045-573-1.
Fowler, Will (2010). Pegasus Bridge— Benouville, D-Day 1944. Raid Series. Oxford, United Kingdom: Osprey Publishing. ISBN978-1-84603-848-8.
Hogg, I.V.; Thurston, L.F. (1972). Artillery Weapons & Ammunition 1914 – 1918. London: Ian Allan. ISBN978-0-7110-0381-1.
Kinard, Jeff (2007). Artillery: An Illustrated History of its Impact. Weapons and warfare. Zurich: ABC-CLIO. ISBN978-1-85109-556-8.
Otway, Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H. (1990). The Second World War 1939–1945 Army– Airborne Forces. Imperial War Museum. ISBN0-901627-57-7.
Peters, Mike; Buist, Luuk (2009). Glider Pilots at Arnhem. Barnsley, United Kingdom: Pen & Sword Books. ISBN978-1-84415-763-1.
Smith, Claude (2007). History of the Glider Pilot Regiment. Barnsley, United Kingdom: Pen and Sword. ISBN978-1-84415-626-9.
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