 | |
 The Airborne Assault Hangar at Duxford | |
  Shown in Cambridgeshire | |
| Established | 1946 |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 52°05′35″N0°09′32″E / 52.093°N 0.159°E |
| Type | Regimental museum |
| Public transit access | Stagecoach C7 from Cambridge. |
| Website | www |
The Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces Museum is based at Duxford in Cambridgeshire and tells the story of the Parachute Regiment and other airborne forces.
The museum was established by a meeting of the Committee of the Parachute Regiment Association in October 1946. It was housed in various barracks until a permanent home at Browning Barracks at the Aldershot Garrison was opened by Field Marshal Lord Montgomery on 23 March 1969. The museum moved to a new home in partnership with Imperial War Museum Duxford under the Airborne Assault name in late 2008. The new exhibition at Duxford was opened by Charles, Prince of Wales (now King Charles III), Colonel-in-Chief of The Parachute Regiment on 8 December 2008. [1]
New multimedia displays tell the story of today's airborne soldier and his heritage from 1940 when British Airborne Forces were first formed at the insistence of Prime Minister Winston Churchill. [2] The displays include the original briefing models for airborne operations of World War II, including the Bruneval Raid, D-Day and the Rhine Crossing. The phases of the battle of Arnhem and Operation Market Garden are fully explained in a dedicated exhibit. Broad coverage is given to the post-war campaigns from Borneo and Suez to the Falklands War, Northern Ireland and Afghanistan. Exhibits of light weapons and heavy drop equipment from jeeps to field guns are suspended as if dropping into action. An original nosecone of the Horsaglider which carried airlanding troops into action at Normandy and the Rhine is featured, as well as the stuffed Bing the Paradog, who dropped in 1945. [3]
The Medal Gallery exhibits many of the medals awarded to British airborne troops, including the posthumous VCs awarded to Lt. John Hollington Grayburn of the 2nd Battalion the Parachute Regiment, [4] Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel of the 10th Battalion the Parachute Regiment, [5] and that awarded in 2007 to Corporal Bryan Budd, of the 3rd Battalion. [6]
The vision for Airborne Assault is a unique attraction bringing alive the history and modern reality of the Parachute Regiment and Airborne Forces. Central to this is ParaData - a comprehensive database record of all who have served, and are currently serving, linked to accounts and details of relevant campaigns and engagements. Photographs, documents, letters and film and audio interviews are appended to each entry where available, and contributions of further material are invited. The database aims to be a definitive history and a continually updated resource. While paying respect to those who have served and their families, this will engage a younger audience, especially with reference to the National Curriculum, through the use of the latest technology. [7]
A paratrooper is a military parachutist—someone trained to parachute into a military operation, and usually functioning as part of an airborne forces. Military parachutists (troops) and parachutes were first used on a large scale during World War II for troop distribution and transportation. Paratroopers are often used in surprise attacks, to seize strategic objectives such as airfields or bridges.
Airborne forces are ground combat units carried by aircraft and airdropped into battle zones, typically by parachute drop or air assault. Parachute-qualified infantry and support personnel serving in airborne units are also known as paratroopers.
The Parachute Regiment, colloquially known as the Paras, is an airborne infantry regiment of the British Army. The first battalion is part of the Special Forces Support Group under the operational command of the Director Special Forces. The other battalions are the parachute infantry component of the British Army's rapid response formation, 16 Air Assault Brigade. The Paras, along with the Guards, are the only line infantry regiment of the British Army that has not been amalgamated with another unit since the end of the Second World War.
The 17th Airborne Division, "The Golden Talons", was an airborne infantry division of the United States Army during World War II, commanded by Major General William M. Miley.
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.
Operation Varsity was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. Involving more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest airborne operation in history to be conducted on a single day and in one location.
Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel VC was a British Army officer and an English recipient of the Victoria Cross (VC), the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
Frederick George Topham, VC was a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
16 Air Assault Brigade Combat Team, from 1999 to 2021 16 Air Assault Brigade, is a formation of the British Army based in Colchester in the county of Essex. It is the Army's rapid response airborne formation and is the only brigade in the British Army focused on delivering air assault operations.
Colonel Richard Geoffrey Pine-Coffin, was an officer of the British Army who saw service during the Second World War. He commanded the 3rd Parachute Battalion in North Africa and the 7th Parachute Battalion in Normandy, Belgium and Germany. His troops, amused by the unusual applicability of his family name, referred to him as "Wooden Box".
The 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment, is an Army Reserve unit of the British Army. Now recruiting across the United Kingdom originally the Battalion covered the North of England, with its headquarters located in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. Following the Options for Change review in 1993, 4 PARA amalgamated with the 15th (Scottish) Battalion of the Parachute Regiment, which was downsized and became 15 (Scottish) Company of 4 PARA. As part of further changes in 1999, the Battalion also merged with the 10th (Volunteer) Battalion which then became 10 (London) Company.
The 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment, is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and is a subordinate unit within 16 Air Assault Brigade.
The 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Green Howards to parachute duties in May 1943. They were then assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, alongside the 7th and 13th Parachute battalions, which was part of the 6th Airborne Division.
The 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was created in late 1942 by the conversion of the 13th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment to parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, serving alongside the 7th and 9th Parachute battalions, in the 1st Airborne Division before being reassigned to help form the 6th Airborne Division in May 1943.
The 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was created in late 1942 by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment to parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, alongside the 7th and 8th Parachute battalions, then part of the 1st Airborne Division but was later transferred to the 6th Airborne Division.
Major John Bernard Robert Watson MC was a British Army officer who was awarded a Military Cross for gallantry whilst serving with 13 Parachute Battalion in the Ardennes during the Second World War.
The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was formed in May 1943 by the conversion of the 2/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment to parachute duties and was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade in the 6th Airborne Division.
The 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.
Bing was a dog who received the Dickin Medal in 1947 from the People's Dispensary for Sick Animals for bravery in service during the Second World War.
Captain John Stuart Pettinger DCM is a former officer of the Parachute Regiment in the British Army and a veteran of the Falklands War during which he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) for bravery. This was a field award for other ranks of the British Army and was the oldest British award for gallantry, at that time ranking second only to the Victoria Cross. His DCM was one of only eight awarded during the conflict, five of which were awarded to the Parachute Regiment. Pettinger was invested with his Distinguished Conduct Medal by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace in 1982.
