Following removal from the command of 61 Infantry Brigade in October 1943, 63 Divisional Airborne Composite Company RASC was moved to Figsbury Barracks Winterbourne Gunner on 6 December. Then under the command of 6 Airborne Divisional Column RASC the unit was joined within the Column by 398 Divisional Airborne Composite Company and 716 Divisional Airborne Light Composite Company.

The Company served with distinction in the air over Normandy. Operation Rob Roy took place on the 6/7 of June where they manned fifty Dakota’s.  In addition to Operation Rob Roy, 52 resupply missions were flown, during the months of June through to September (in support of the 6 Airborne Division, SAS and SOE). Before the commencement of Operation Market (together with their sister Company 253 from 1 Airborne),   they had flown  300 operational sorties, 50 in Dakota’s and 250 in Stirlings acquiring valuable operational experience.

The unit would go on to see action in Operation Market Garden, flying 624 sorties before the Company’s Air Despatch role was ultimately terminated when they were withdrawn on 20 September, having sustained the greatest number of mortalities of the five units involved in Air Despatch involved in actions in Arnhem and Normandy.

After the war in October 1945, 6 Airborne Division were relocated to Palestine as the strategic reserve. Although the unit’s role here ended at the termination of the mandate in May 1948, their role of peacekeepers in support of Civil Power was to be a familiar one in the years to come.                                                               

Following a further realignment of Airborne units, the company became part of 16 Independent Parachute Brigade Group and the Company supplied personnel in support of the Berlin Airlift. After brief spells in the UK and Cyprus, the Company were flown into the Canal Zone in October 1951 following King Farouk abrogating the Anglo-Egyptian Treaty. The Brigade remained in Egypt for a full 3 year tour, training and taking part in Internal Security operations.

In August of 1956, 16 Independent Parachute Brigade Group returned to Cyprus, following the Nationalisation of the Suez Canal by President Nasser, and were primarily employed on anti-EOKA operations. The unit was also involved in a parachute assault on 5th of November 1956 when one Sergeant and nine men dropped with the 3rd Battalion at El Gamil. The Company returned to the UK in early 1957.

The period of the late 1950s and 1960s was a busy time for the Company, reacting to the outbreak of internal unrest in both Lebanon and Iraq as well as training in a range of locations including British Guinea and Malaysia.

In 1969 the Company was absorbed into 1 Parachute Logisitics Regiment and exists today as 63 CS Squadron, as part of 13 Air Assault Support Regiment Royal Logistics Corp.

Officers Commanding

From	To	Name	Location
1942	May 1944	Major Bill- Topp
May 1944	June 1945
Jun 1945	Oct 1945	Major Berthet
Dec 1945	May 1946	Major Tucker	Palestine
May 1946		Capt CA Knieff	Palestine
	1948	Major     DCS        Ball	Palestine
1948	1950	Major     TAK        Savage
1950	1952	Major     AK           Crisp-Jones TD
1952	1952	Major     B               Ridings	Egypt
1952	1954	Major     RGR        Parry MC	Egypt
1954	1956	Major     PJS          Ball	UK
1956	1957	Major     P de L      Bainbrigge	Suez
1957	1958	Major     DS            Wooles	Jordan
1958	1960	Major      EA           Kynaston
1960	1962	Major     AJ            Gidley
1962	1964	Major     MJ           Templeman
1964		Major     AC           Mawby  MBE
1965/6		Major     NPG         Lawson

Article Compiled by John White.