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Explore the index to reveal the campaigns, battles, equipment and organisation key to the Airborne Forces' story.

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3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery.

The 3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery’s, Royal Artillery would both take part in operation ‘TONGA’, on the night of 5th/6th June 1944.

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Passing Out Parade Platoon Champion Recruits

As listed in The Passing Out Parade Booklet for each platoon. 1969 WJ McGuire MJ Butler F McQuitty R Coleman

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Col (R'td) David Benest OBE's recollections of Brig (R'td) Colin Bowden OBE

Brigadier Colin Bowden OBE

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Times obituary for Richard Fry MC

The 3rd Parachute Brigade, in which Richard Fry commanded a platoon in the 8th Parachute Battalion, endured a dispersed landing in Normandy in the early hours of D-Day.

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The Paratrooper hacked his way to freedom

The following article appeared in a magazine in the late 1980’s. ‘THE PARATROOPER HACKED HIS WAY TO FREEDOM’.

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Extracts from 'The Days Gone By' by Richard Adams. Detailing the events of December 1943 to January 1945.

Whilst awaiting his units re-deployment to the UK he again applied for Airborne Forces, and not long after this sailed in a convoy that spent Christmas 1943 at sea.

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Lance Corporal Alfred Farnfield's account of the events on 26th September 1944.

The following is a statement from Lance Corporal Alfred Farnfield.

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Extract from the account of Lieutenant E A James. 18 September 1944-22 September 1944.

18th Monday. 04:00 hrs moved out South to take the 2nd Route. Progressed in stages and eventually reached area of River by Pontoon bridge. We endured heavy shellfire and Maj. P.

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1st Airborne Division. Royal Army Chaplains Department. Battle of Arnhem. 17th – 26th September 1944.

1st Airborne Division. Royal Army Chaplains Department. Battle of Arnhem. 17th – 26th September 1944. Senior Chaplain to the Forces attached to Divisional H.Q.

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Training and selection

The Parachute Regiment, spearhead of the infantry, has three regular battalions.

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The Red Devils

The 1st Parachute Brigade had received its distinctive maroon berets shortly before departure for the North African campaign.

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German Airborne Forces

The history of the German Fallschirmjäger began when the Regiment ‘General Goering’ was created from the transfer of a Berlin Police Unit into the newly formed Luftwaffe (Air Force), which formed p

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Royal Enfield WD/RE 125cc Flying Flea Motor Cycle

The Flying Flea can trace its design roots to the German DKW RT100.

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Airborne Trolley

This extremely functional trolley was used in the D-Day landings and subsequent airborne operations of World War II.

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Bristol Bombay aircraft

This pre-World War II transport and bomber aircraft was adapted by the SAS for parachute training in the Middle East in 1941.

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Armstrong-Whitworth Albemarle aircraft

First delivered to the RAF in January 1940 as a medium bomber, this aircraft played a leading part in airborne training and operations in the Second World War, being employed by 38 Group RAF for to

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Hawker Siddeley "Andover" aircraft

This rear loading medium range transport aircraft entered RAF Squadron service in 1966 and is designed to operate from forward or unprepared air strips only 460 metres long.

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Avro 504.N aircraft

The Avro 504 was designed in November 1912 and first flew in 1913. The aircraft flew in the early years of World War I as a reconnaissance and general purpose aircraft.

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Prestwick 'Twin' Pioneer aircraft

Designed as a light freighter for forward areas, the Scottish Aviation Prestwick 'Twin' Pioneer can carry up to 16 passengers.

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Lockheed Hudson aircraft

This twin engined reconnaissance medium bomber supplied to the RAF was never used in European airborne operations.

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Hotspur Glider

The ‘Hotspur’ was a glider designed by FF Crocombe to transport troops and was manufactured by General Aircraft Ltd.

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Hawker Hector aircraft

Designed in 1935 the Hector was taken into service with the RAF in the then new Army Co-operation Wing No. 50 at Odiham in 1937.

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Hamilcar Glider

The Hamilcar was developed General Aircraft Ltd (GAL) from January 1941 to meet the requirements for the transport of heavy equipment for airborne troops following Prime Minister W

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Fairchild C82 'Packet' and C119 'Boxcar' aircraft

This aircraft first flew in 1944 as the C82 Packet. Designed for cargo, a few were used for parachute drops and glider tugs. Only around 200 were produced because of design limitations.

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Folding Bicycles

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X Troop are given final checks befoore emplaning.

X Troop 11 SAS

A total of 35 men consisting of seven officers and 28 other ranks were selected from the 11th SAS Battalion in early 1941 to form a raiding force, which was designated ‘X Troop’.

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Whitley Bomber

The RAF's largest bomber at the outbreak of war. In 1939 it soon became obsolete due to its slowness and vulnerability.

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Primosole Bridge

During the night of 13 July 1943 the 1st Parachute Brigade under command of Brigadier C W Lathbury and consisting of 1, 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions, preceded by the Pathfinders from 21st Independe

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Arnhem Bridge

Having parachuted nine miles to the west of Arnhem during the early afternoon of 17th September 1944 2nd Parachute Battalion, reinforced by elements from the 1st Parachute Brigade reached the road

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Cordon and Search

Cordon and Search operations in Palestine were often conducted at battalion and even brigade l

Aircraft

Loaded Halifax on RAF Aqir perimeter track prior to take off for Exercise Yeo to Yibneh DZ, Palestine, 1946

Halifax aircraft

From early in 1943, 295 Squadron RAF began to re-equip with the Halifax Mark V in place of the Whitley Mark V.

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Group photograph of QM Staff Jungle Warfare School, Ulu Tiram, Borneo, Feb 1965

Direct Enlistment

In order to maintain continuity of airborne service and regularise anomalies existing since the Second World War, direct enlistment into the Parachute Regiment for other ranks was introduced in 195

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Last of first lift of 3 PARA dropping on El Gamil airfield. Men are making for their RVs. November 5, 1956.

Last Drop in Action

The last occasion when British airborne forces dropped in action and the first time after the Second World War on a battalion scale was at Suez on the 5th November 1956.

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Fort Walsh

1 PARA under command of Lt Col Michael Walsh completed an operational tour in Aden in 1967 to cover the British withdrawal and hand-over of the Colony.

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Disbandment of 16 Parachute Brigade

A Defence Review in 1975 reduced the Army’s parachute force to one parachute battalion group. This led to the disbandment of 16th Parachute Brigade on 31st March 1977.

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Warrenpoint, 27 August 1979.

In July 1979, 2 PARA, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Colin Thomson, began a 20-month tour of duty in Northern Ireland.

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Formation of 5 Airborne Brigade

On the 14th November 1983, 5 Infantry Brigade was re-designated 5th Airborne Brigade, re-introducing an airborne formation once again into the British Army’s order of battle.

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Formation of 16 Air Assault Brigade

16 Air-Assault Brigade was formed on 1 September 1999, through an amalgamation of 5 Airborne Brigade and 24 Air-Mobile Brigade.

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Protecting Madelaine Albright Kosovo 1999

Peacekeeping in Kosovo

On 24th June 1999 the 1 PARA Battle Group assumed control of the whole of Pristina, the capital of Kosovo, for peace-keeping duties.

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Chinook helicopter flying over Zabul, Afghanistan June 2008

Sierra Leone Raid

A Company Group 1 PARA on Spearhead stand-by at the end of August 2000 were warned off to support an SAS operation in Sierra Leone to release British soldiers held hostage by a rebel band called th

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3rd and 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery.

Passing Out Parade Platoon Champion Recruits

Col (R'td) David Benest OBE's recollections of Brig (R'td) Colin Bowden OBE

Times obituary for Richard Fry MC

The Paratrooper hacked his way to freedom

Extracts from 'The Days Gone By' by Richard Adams. Detailing the events of December 1943 to January 1945.

Lance Corporal Alfred Farnfield's account of the events on 26th September 1944.

Extract from the account of Lieutenant E A James. 18 September 1944-22 September 1944.

1st Airborne Division. Royal Army Chaplains Department. Battle of Arnhem. 17th – 26th September 1944.

Training and selection

The Red Devils

German Airborne Forces

Royal Enfield WD/RE 125cc Flying Flea Motor Cycle

Airborne Trolley

Bristol Bombay aircraft

Armstrong-Whitworth Albemarle aircraft

Hawker Siddeley "Andover" aircraft

Avro 504.N aircraft

Prestwick 'Twin' Pioneer aircraft

Lockheed Hudson aircraft

Hotspur Glider

Hawker Hector aircraft

Hamilcar Glider

Fairchild C82 'Packet' and C119 'Boxcar' aircraft

Folding Bicycles

X Troop 11 SAS

Whitley Bomber

Primosole Bridge

Arnhem Bridge

Cordon and Search

Halifax aircraft

Direct Enlistment

Last Drop in Action

Fort Walsh

Disbandment of 16 Parachute Brigade

Warrenpoint, 27 August 1979.

Formation of 5 Airborne Brigade

Formation of 16 Air Assault Brigade

Peacekeeping in Kosovo

Sierra Leone Raid

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