9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion
Encyclopedia
The 9th Parachute Battalion was an airborne
infantry
battalion
of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
to parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, then part of the 1st Airborne Division but was later transferred to the 6th Airborne Division.
The 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion took part in two major parachute landings in the Normandy invasion, and the River Rhine crossing
in Germany. In Normandy they were responsible for the destruction of the Merville Gun Battery
, which if not eliminated was a danger to the landing beaches.
After the war the battalion was sent to Palestine on internal security
operations with the 6th Airborne Division. Post-war army reductions in 1948 saw the battalion being amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion, but by the end of the year the new battalion had been disbanded.
, the British Prime Minister
, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
of 5,000 parachute troops. On 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando
was turned over to parachute duties and on 21 November, re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing. It was these men who took part in the first British airborne operation, Operation Colossus
, on 10 February 1941. The success of the raid prompted the War Office to expand the existing airborne force, setting up the Airborne Forces Depot and Battle School in Derbyshire
in April 1942, and creating the Parachute Regiment as well as converting a number of infantry battalions into airborne battalions in August 1942.
, Salisbury
, the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion was formed in November 1942, by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
to parachute duties. Upon formation, the battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoon
s. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section
. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar
and a Vickers machine gun
platoon. The first Commanding officer
was Lieutenant-Colonel James Hill. His first order on being appointed was to send the entire battalion on a forced march, at the end of which he announced that the battalion would "work a six and a half day week" with Sunday afternoons off, until it was well-trained and fit. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, which was initially attached to the 1st Airborne Division, but in April 1943 the 1st Airborne Division departed for the Mediterranean and the Allied invasion of Sicily
without the 3rd Parachute Brigade. On the 23 April the 9th Parachute Battalion and the brigade were transferred to the newly formed 6th Airborne Division. At the same time Hill was promoted to take over as the brigade commander and he was replaced as commanding officer by Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway
. By 1944 a headquarters or support company, was added to the battalion. It comprised five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank. With eight 3 inches (76.2 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT
anti-tank projectors.
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve day parachute training course carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
. Initial parachute jumps were from a converted barrage balloon
and finished with five parachute jumps from an aircraft. Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their maroon beret
and parachute wings
.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. Hence, training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksman
ship and fieldcraft
. A large part of the training regime consisted of assault course
s and route marching. Military exercise
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises, the battalion would march back to their barracks. The ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was disbanded in October 1947, and the 9th and 8th Parachute Battalion's were amalgamated as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. The new battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade, however further post war reductions in the British Army saw this battalion disbanded in June 1948.
part of the Normandy landings. The battalion's primary objective was the Merville Gun Battery
, which was in a position to threaten the British Sword beach
. Although seriously understrength after a disastrous parachute drop, the battalion destroyed the battery but was reduced in strength to 65 men. The battalion then attacked Le Plein capturing the Chateau St Côme. Being too weak to attempt their last objective the battalions dug in around le Plein. One of the battalion's casualties on 6 June was Paratroop dog Glen. The dog had been parachuted into Normandy with his handler and both were killed during the day's fighting. They are buried together in the Ranville War Cemetery.
Over the following days the 9th Parachute Battalion fought off a number of attacks by the 346th Infantry Division. On 8 June Otway was wounded by an artillery shell and evacuated, he never returned to active service. For his command during the attack on the Merville battery he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. Otway was replaced as commanding officer by the Brigade Major
of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, Napier Crookenden
who was promoted in the field to Lieutenant-Colonel. On 12 June during the battle of Breville
the battalion was in danger of being overrun and had to call for urgent reinforcements, which came from a company of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion led by Brigadier
James Hill. They successfully counter-attacked and restored the line.
The 6th Airborne Division assisted by reinforcements from the 1st
, 4th
Commando Brigades and 153rd Highland Brigade
. The southern edge of the Orne bridgehead was taken over by 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on 14 June allowing the 6th Airborne to consolidate its positions. The 9th Parachute Battalion remained in the front line carrying out patrols and sniping and fought off numerous attacks up to the 16 August.
On 17 August the battalion advanced crossing the River Dives, between Cabourg
and Troan. By 22 August they had reached the River Touques and the River Seine when the time the advance was stopped on 26 August. The battalion was then withdrawn back to England in September 1944.
through the Ardennes
on the 20 December 1944. Moved back to mainland Europe, on 26 December, they established a blocking position along the River Maas. On the 29 December they attacked leading German units and the 3rd Parachute Brigade was given responsibility for capturing Rochefort
. The village was secured after meeting heavy resistance. After several months of heavy patrolling, in Belgium and the Netherlands, in February 1945, they were withdrawn to England once again.
the last airborne assault of the war, landing on the east bank of the river Rhine, by evening all of the battalion's first objectives had been taken. Heading towards its second objective, it come upon a strong German defensive position. The battalion despite heavy fire assaulted and captured the position capturing 500 prisoners. The battalion was next ordered to capture a nearby village. Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Crookenden, they crossed 500 yards (457.2 m) of open land and secured the village capturing 200 prisoners. The battalion continued the advance into Germany, reaching the Baltic sea
by the end of the war.
on internal security
duties, the 3rd Parachute Brigade being based in the Lydda
district, which included Tel Aviv
. On 13 November the riots started in Tel Aviv, following the publication of white paper
on Palestine. The violence spread and eventually the whole 3rd Parachute Brigade became involved and order was not established until 20 November. The battalion remained in Palestine until it was amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion in October 1947.
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...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
battalion
Battalion
A battalion is a military unit of around 300–1,200 soldiers usually consisting of between two and seven companies and typically commanded by either a Lieutenant Colonel or a Colonel...
of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Formed by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
to parachute duties. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, then part of the 1st Airborne Division but was later transferred to the 6th Airborne Division.
The 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion took part in two major parachute landings in the Normandy invasion, and the River Rhine crossing
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
in Germany. In Normandy they were responsible for the destruction of the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
, which if not eliminated was a danger to the landing beaches.
After the war the battalion was sent to Palestine on internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
operations with the 6th Airborne Division. Post-war army reductions in 1948 saw the battalion being amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion, but by the end of the year the new battalion had been disbanded.
Background
Impressed by the success of German airborne operations during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
, the British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, directed the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of 5,000 parachute troops. On 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando
No. 2 Commando was a battalion-sized British Commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The No. 2 Commando unit was reformed three times during the Second World War. The original No. 2 Commando, unlike the other commando units, was formed from volunteers from across the United...
was turned over to parachute duties and on 21 November, re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing. It was these men who took part in the first British airborne operation, Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus
Operation Colossus was the codename given to the first airborne operation undertaken by the British military, which occurred on 10 February 1941 during World War II...
, on 10 February 1941. The success of the raid prompted the War Office to expand the existing airborne force, setting up the Airborne Forces Depot and Battle School in Derbyshire
Derbyshire
Derbyshire is a county in the East Midlands of England. A substantial portion of the Peak District National Park lies within Derbyshire. The northern part of Derbyshire overlaps with the Pennines, a famous chain of hills and mountains. The county contains within its boundary of approx...
in April 1942, and creating the Parachute Regiment as well as converting a number of infantry battalions into airborne battalions in August 1942.
Battalion
Based at Kiwi Barracks, Bulford CampBulford Camp
Bulford Camp is a military camp on the Salisbury Plain in Wiltshire, England.The modern day Bulford Camp is two camps separated by Marlborough Road. The camp on the eastern side contains Picton Barracks housing the headquarters of 3rd Division and Kiwi Barracks houses the 4th Battalion The Rifles...
, Salisbury
Salisbury
Salisbury is a cathedral city in Wiltshire, England and the only city in the county. It is the second largest settlement in the county...
, the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion was formed in November 1942, by the conversion of the 10th Battalion, Essex Regiment
Essex Regiment
The Essex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army that saw active service from 1881 to 1958. Members of the regiment were recruited from across Essex county. Its lineage is continued by the Royal Anglian Regiment.-Origins:...
to parachute duties. Upon formation, the battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoon
Platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two to four sections or squads and containing 16 to 50 soldiers. Platoons are organized into a company, which typically consists of three, four or five platoons. A platoon is typically the smallest military unit led by a commissioned officer—the...
s. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section
Section (military unit)
A section is a small military unit in some armies. In many armies, it is a squad of seven to twelve soldiers. However in France and armies based on the French model, it is the sub-division of a company .-Australian Army:...
. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar
Ordnance ML 3 inch Mortar
The Ordnance ML 3-inch mortar was the United Kingdom's standard mortar used by the British Army from the late 1920s to the late 1960s, superseding the Stokes Mortar.-History:...
and a Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
platoon. The first Commanding officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
was Lieutenant-Colonel James Hill. His first order on being appointed was to send the entire battalion on a forced march, at the end of which he announced that the battalion would "work a six and a half day week" with Sunday afternoons off, until it was well-trained and fit. The battalion was assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, which was initially attached to the 1st Airborne Division, but in April 1943 the 1st Airborne Division departed for the Mediterranean and the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
without the 3rd Parachute Brigade. On the 23 April the 9th Parachute Battalion and the brigade were transferred to the newly formed 6th Airborne Division. At the same time Hill was promoted to take over as the brigade commander and he was replaced as commanding officer by Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway
Terence Otway
Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Brandram Hastings Otway DSO, was a British soldier, best known for his role as commander of the paratroop assault on the Merville Battery on D-Day.-Early life:...
. By 1944 a headquarters or support company, was added to the battalion. It comprised five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank. With eight 3 inches (76.2 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT
PIAT
The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank was a British hand-held anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon, and entered service in 1943.The PIAT was based on the spigot...
anti-tank projectors.
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve day parachute training course carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway
RAF Ringway, was a Royal Air Force station near Manchester, UK, in the parish of Ringway, then in Cheshire. It was operational from 1939 until 1957.-Prewar years:...
. Initial parachute jumps were from a converted barrage balloon
Barrage balloon
A barrage balloon is a large balloon tethered with metal cables, used to defend against low-level aircraft attack by damaging the aircraft on collision with the cables, or at least making the attacker's approach more difficult. Some versions carried small explosive charges that would be pulled up...
and finished with five parachute jumps from an aircraft. Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their maroon beret
Maroon beret
The maroon beret is a military beret and has been an international symbol of elite airborne forces since it was chosen for British airborne forces in World War II. This distinctive head dress was officially introduced in 1942, at the direction of General Frederick Browning, commander of the British...
and parachute wings
Parachutist Badge
The Parachutist Badge or Parachutist Brevet is a military badge awarded by the Armed Forces of most countries in the world to soldiers who receive the proper parachute training and accomplish the required number of jumps. It is difficult to assess which country was the first to introduce such award...
.
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. Hence, training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksman
Marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision, or a sharpshooter shooting, using projectile weapons, such as with a rifle but most commonly with a sniper rifle, to shoot at long range targets...
ship and fieldcraft
Fieldcraft
Fieldcraft is a term used especially in American, Canadian and British military circles to describe the basic military skills required to operate stealthily and the methods used to do so, which can differ during day or night and due to weather or terrain...
. A large part of the training regime consisted of assault course
Assault course
An assault course is a special sort of trail that combines running and exercising. It was more popular in the 1970s than it is now. It is heavily used in military training...
s and route marching. Military exercise
Military exercise
A military exercise is the employment of military resources in training for military operations, either exploring the effects of warfare or testing strategies without actual combat...
s included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications. At the end of most exercises, the battalion would march back to their barracks. The ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of 50 miles (80.5 km) in 24 hours, and battalions 32 miles (51.5 km).
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was disbanded in October 1947, and the 9th and 8th Parachute Battalion's were amalgamated as the 8th/9th Parachute Battalion. The new battalion was assigned to the 1st Parachute Brigade, however further post war reductions in the British Army saw this battalion disbanded in June 1948.
Operational history
France
The first combat action by the 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion, was in the Operation TongaOperation Tonga
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 Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
part of the Normandy landings. The battalion's primary objective was the Merville Gun Battery
Merville Gun Battery
The Merville Gun Battery was a coastal fortification in Normandy, France, in use as part of the Nazis' Atlantic Wall built to defend continental Europe from Allied invasion...
, which was in a position to threaten the British Sword beach
Sword Beach
Sword, commonly known as Sword Beach, was the code name given to one of the five main landing areas along the Normandy coast during the initial assault phase, Operation Neptune, of Operation Overlord; the Allied invasion of German-occupied France that commenced on 6 June 1944...
. Although seriously understrength after a disastrous parachute drop, the battalion destroyed the battery but was reduced in strength to 65 men. The battalion then attacked Le Plein capturing the Chateau St Côme. Being too weak to attempt their last objective the battalions dug in around le Plein. One of the battalion's casualties on 6 June was Paratroop dog Glen. The dog had been parachuted into Normandy with his handler and both were killed during the day's fighting. They are buried together in the Ranville War Cemetery.
Over the following days the 9th Parachute Battalion fought off a number of attacks by the 346th Infantry Division. On 8 June Otway was wounded by an artillery shell and evacuated, he never returned to active service. For his command during the attack on the Merville battery he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
. Otway was replaced as commanding officer by the Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, Napier Crookenden
Napier Crookenden
Lieutenant General Sir Napier Crookenden KCB DSO OBE DL was a British Army General who reached high office in the 1960s.-Military career:...
who was promoted in the field to Lieutenant-Colonel. On 12 June during the battle of Breville
Battle of Bréville
The Battle of Bréville was fought by the British 6th Airborne Division and the German 346th Infantry Division, between the 8 and 13 June 1944, during the invasion of Normandy in the Second World War....
the battalion was in danger of being overrun and had to call for urgent reinforcements, which came from a company of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion led by Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
James Hill. They successfully counter-attacked and restored the line.
The 6th Airborne Division assisted by reinforcements from the 1st
1st Special Service Brigade
The 1st Special Service Brigade was a brigade of the British Army. Formed during World War II, it consisted of elements of the army and the Royal Marines. The brigade's component units saw action individually in Norway and the Dieppe Raid , before being combined under one commander for service in...
, 4th
4th Special Service Brigade
The 4th Special Service Brigade was created in March 1944 from units of the Royal Marines. Due to the success of the Army Commandos’ operations in Norway, the Channel Islands, St...
Commando Brigades and 153rd Highland Brigade
153rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
153rd Infantry Brigade, part of The 51st Division, was a British Territorial Army brigade that fought during the Second World War. The division was referred to as the "Highway Decorators" by other divisions who became used to discovering the 'HD' insignia painted wherever the Highlanders had...
. The southern edge of the Orne bridgehead was taken over by 51st (Highland) Infantry Division on 14 June allowing the 6th Airborne to consolidate its positions. The 9th Parachute Battalion remained in the front line carrying out patrols and sniping and fought off numerous attacks up to the 16 August.
On 17 August the battalion advanced crossing the River Dives, between Cabourg
Cabourg
Cabourg is a commune in the Calvados department in the Basse-Normandie region of France.Cabourg belongs to the Paris Basin. The commune is located next to the sea and the back country is a plain, favourable to the cereal culture...
and Troan. By 22 August they had reached the River Touques and the River Seine when the time the advance was stopped on 26 August. The battalion was then withdrawn back to England in September 1944.
Ardennes
The 6th Airborne Division was called to intervene in the German offensiveBattle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
through the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
on the 20 December 1944. Moved back to mainland Europe, on 26 December, they established a blocking position along the River Maas. On the 29 December they attacked leading German units and the 3rd Parachute Brigade was given responsibility for capturing Rochefort
Rochefort, Belgium
Rochefort is a Walloon municipality located in the Belgian province of Namur close to the Ardennes. On January 1, 2006 Rochefort had a total population of 12,038. The total area is 165.27 km² which gives a population density of 73 inhabitants per km²...
. The village was secured after meeting heavy resistance. After several months of heavy patrolling, in Belgium and the Netherlands, in February 1945, they were withdrawn to England once again.
Germany
In March 1945 the battalion took part in Operation VarsityOperation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
the last airborne assault of the war, landing on the east bank of the river Rhine, by evening all of the battalion's first objectives had been taken. Heading towards its second objective, it come upon a strong German defensive position. The battalion despite heavy fire assaulted and captured the position capturing 500 prisoners. The battalion was next ordered to capture a nearby village. Led by Lieutenant-Colonel Crookenden, they crossed 500 yards (457.2 m) of open land and secured the village capturing 200 prisoners. The battalion continued the advance into Germany, reaching the Baltic sea
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is a brackish mediterranean sea located in Northern Europe, from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from 20°E to 26°E longitude. It is bounded by the Scandinavian Peninsula, the mainland of Europe, and the Danish islands. It drains into the Kattegat by way of the Øresund, the Great Belt and...
by the end of the war.
Palestine
In October 1945, the 6th Airborne Division was sent to the British Mandate Palestine6th Airborne Division in Palestine
The 6th Airborne Division in Palestine was initially posted to the region as the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was envisioned as a mobile peace keeping force, positioned to be able to respond quickly to any area of the British Empire...
on internal security
Internal security
Internal security, or IS, is the act of keeping peace within the borders of a sovereign state or other self-governing territories. generally by upholding the national law and defending against internal security threats...
duties, the 3rd Parachute Brigade being based in the Lydda
Lydda
Lydda can refer to:*Lod, also named Lydda*Exodus from Lydda and Ramla, the Palestinian exodus from the city in July 1948...
district, which included Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv
Tel Aviv , officially Tel Aviv-Yafo , is the second most populous city in Israel, with a population of 404,400 on a land area of . The city is located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline in west-central Israel. It is the largest and most populous city in the metropolitan area of Gush Dan, with...
. On 13 November the riots started in Tel Aviv, following the publication of white paper
White paper
A white paper is an authoritative report or guide that helps solve a problem. White papers are used to educate readers and help people make decisions, and are often requested and used in politics, policy, business, and technical fields. In commercial use, the term has also come to refer to...
on Palestine. The violence spread and eventually the whole 3rd Parachute Brigade became involved and order was not established until 20 November. The battalion remained in Palestine until it was amalgamated with the 8th Parachute Battalion in October 1947.