The 16th Airborne Division was an airborne

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...

 division

Division (military)

A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...

 of the British Territorial Army.

It was raised in 1947, to compensate for the loss of the 1st Airborne Division, which had been disbanded in 1945 and the 6th Airborne Division which was going to be disbanded in 1948. The number "16" being used in recognition of the two wartime divisions.

Formation

Commanded by Major-General Roy Urquhart

Roy Urquhart

Major General Robert "Roy" Elliott Urquhart, CB, DSO was a British military officer. He became prominent for his role commanding the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden.-Early career:...

, the 16th Airborne Division was raised in 1947.
The division had three parachute brigade's the 4th, 5th and the 6th, each with three Territorial battalions of the Parachute Regiment. The brigades were renumbered the 44th, 45th and 46th in 1950. Then in December 1955, the British Secretary of State for War

Secretary of State for War

The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...

 in an announcment on the future of the Territorial Army, proposed cutting the Territorial parachute battalions by five. The reduction in strength led to the disbandment of the division in 1956, leaving the 44th Independent Parachute Group (TA) as the only British reserve parachute formation.

Order of battle

Commanders

• January 1947 Major-General Roy Urquhart
  Roy Urquhart
  Major General Robert "Roy" Elliott Urquhart, CB, DSO was a British military officer. He became prominent for his role commanding the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden.-Early career:...
  
  
• December 1948 Major-General Gerald Lathbury
  Gerald Lathbury
  General Sir Gerald William Lathbury, GCB, DSO, MBE was a British Army officer during the Second World War and later became Governor of Gibraltar-Military career:...
  
  
• October 1951 Major-General Geoffrey Bourne
  Geoffrey Bourne, Baron Bourne
  General Geoffrey Kemp Bourne, Baron Bourne GCB, KBE, CMG was a British soldier.-Military career:Commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1923, Bourne served in Hong Kong from 1930 to 1932, in Gibraltar from 1933 and 1934, in the Staff College, Camberley in 1935 and 1936, and in Colchester in 1937...
  
  
• 1953 Major-General Francis Rome
  Francis Rome
  Major-General Francis David Rome CB CMG CBE DSO was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.-Military career:Rome was commissioned into the British Army in 1925...
  
  

Units

• 4th Parachute Brigade (Territorial)
  • 10th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 11th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 14th Parachute Battalion (TA)

• 5th Parachute Brigade (Territorial)
  • 12th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 17th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 18th Parachute Battalion (TA)

• 6th Parachute Brigade (TA)
  • 13th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 15th Parachute Battalion (TA)
  • 16th Parachute Battalion (TA)

• 16th Airborne Division Artillery (TA)
• 880 Forward Observation Battery RA (TA)
• 285 Airborne Field Regiment RA (TA)
• 291 Airborne Field Regiment RA (TA)
• 292 Airborne Field Regiment RA (TA)
• 629 (The Cambridgeshire Regiment
  Cambridgeshire Regiment
  The Cambridgeshire Regiment was a territorial infantry regiment of the British Army from 1908 to 1961.-Pre 1908:The regiment had its origins in the rifle volunteer corps formed in Cambridgeshire in 1860. By 1880 the volunteer units in the county had amalgamated as the battalion-size 1st...
  
  ) Airborne Light Regiment RA (TA)
• 446 (Royal Welch) Airborne Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (TA)
• 16 Airborne Division Royal Engineers (TA)
• HQ 16 Airborne Divisional Royal Engineers (TA)
• 131 Airborne Engineer Regiment (TA)
• 16th Airborne Division RAMC (TA)
• 4th Parachute Field Ambulance (TA) (44th Parachute Field Ambulance from 1950)
• 5th Parachute Field Ambulance (TA) (45th Parachute Field Ambulance from 1950)
• 6th Parachute Field Ambulance (TA) (46th Parachute Field Ambulance from 1950)
• 1 Reserve Medical Section 16 Airborne Division (TA)
• 16th Airborne Divisional Column RASC (TA)
• HQ 16 Airborne Divisional Column RASC (TA)
• 1560 Company RASC (TA)
• 1561 Company RASC (TA)
• 1562 Company RASC (TA)
• 16th Airborne Division REME (TA)
• 4th Airborne Workshop REME (TA) (44th Airborne Workshop REME from 1950)
• 5th Airborne Workshop REME (TA) (45th Airborne Workshop REME from 1950)
• 6th Airborne Workshop REME (TA) (46th Airborne Workshop REME from 1950)
• 21st Special Air Service Regiment (TA)
• 16th Airborne Division Royal Signal Regiment (Middlesex Yeomanry
  Middlesex Yeomanry
  The 47 Signal Squadron is a unit of the Royal Corps of Signals within the British Territorial Army.During the Napoleonic Wars that the Gentlemen of Uxbridge sought permission from the Government to form a Military Association to maintain law and order when the Regular Forces were sent to the coast...
  
  ) (TA)
• 16th Airborne Division Ordnance Field Park (TA)
• 16th Airborne Division Provost Company (TA)
• 16th Airborne Divisional (Lincoln) Independent Company (TA)
• North Somerset Yeomanry
  North Somerset Yeomanry
  The North Somerset Yeomanry was first raised in Frome in 1798. A condition of service was that it should not be required to march more than 10 miles from the town and it was soon disbanded in 1802...
  
  (RAC) (TA)
• 16 Airborne Division Field Security Section (TA)