British 6th Airborne Division
Encyclopedia
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne
division
in the British Army
during the Second World War. It took part in Operation Tonga
, the airborne landings on the left flank of the invasion beaches in the Normandy Landings
. It played a small part in the Battle of the Bulge
and was involved in Operation Varsity
, the Allied assault across the Rhine river. At the end of the war in Europe
it was planned to send the Division to the Far East
for operations against Japan
, but these plans were cancelled after the Atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese mainland. The Division was instead sent to Palestine on internal security
duties, where it remained until being disbanded in April 1948.
, the British Prime Minister
, Winston Churchill
, directed the War Office
to investigate the possibility of creating a force of 5,000 parachute troops. As a result, on 22 June 1940, No. 2 Commando
assumed parachute duties, and on 21 November was re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing
.
On 21 June 1940 the Central Landing Establishment
was formed at Ringway airfield
near Manchester
. Although tasked primarily with training parachute troops, it was also directed to investigate the use of gliders to transport troops into battle. At the same time, the Ministry of Aircraft Production contracted General Aircraft Ltd to design and produce a glider for this purpose. The result was the General Aircraft Hotspur, an aircraft capable of transporting eight soldiers, that was used for both assault and training purposes.
The success of the first British airborne raid, Operation Colossus
, prompted the War Office to expand the airborne force through the creation of the Parachute Regiment, and to develop plans to convert several infantry battalions into parachute and glider battalions. On 31 May 1941, a joint army
and air force
memorandum was approved by the Chiefs-of-Staff
and Winston Churchill; it recommended that the British airborne forces should consist of two parachute brigades, one based in England and the other in the Middle East
, and that a glider force of 10,000 men should be created.
ordered that a second airborne division be raised to supplement the original British 1st Airborne Division. The new division consisted initially of key personnel reassigned from 1st Airborne. This included several officers who had fought in North Africa with the 1st Parachute Brigade. For example, Richard Gale
had raised and commanded the 1st Parachute Brigade. James Hill
had commanded 1st Parachute Battalion
. Alastair Pearson
had been his second-in-command. Geoffrey Pine-Coffin
had been second-in-command of 2nd Battalion.
The core of the new 6th Airborne Division was formed from the 3rd Parachute Brigade and two battalion's from the 1st Airlanding Brigade. The two new division formations were the 6th Airlanding Brigade
and the 5th Parachute Brigade. Divisional troops included pathfinders
, engineer, anti-tank, reconnaissance, medical, and signals units.
During the last hours of 5 June 1944 as part of Operation Tonga
, transport aircraft
and towed gliders
carried units of the 6th Airborne to Normandy where they would land just prior to the D-Day landings that took place on the morning of 6 June. They were to land behind Sword Beach
and secure the eastern flank. Some of the objectives included the seizure of two bridges over the Caen Canal
(later renamed "Pegasus Bridge
") and the bridge over the Orne River
(later renamed "Horsa Bridge
") by D Company, 2nd Ox & Bucks (commanded by Major John Howard
). And also the destruction of the Merville Battery by Lieutenant-Colonel Terence Otway
's 9 PARA, both of whom were some of the first units to land and achieve their objectives. The landings proved successful, although many units were scattered across much of Normandy. The area around Pegasus and Horsa were successfully defended until they were eventually relieved, having repulsed numerous German counter-attacks, later on 6 June by Lord Lovat's
1 Special Service Brigade, followed by elements of the British 3rd Infantry Division
.
On 12 June, during the Battle of Breville
, British artillery was bombarding the German positions when a stray shell fell short and hit a group of British officers, killing Lieutenant-Colonel A.P. "Johnny" Johnson (CO
12 PARA) and badly wounding Brigadiers Kindersley
(CO 6 Airlanding Brigade) and Lord Lovat
(CO 1st Special Service Brigade).
When the German Army started to withdraw on 17 August, the division attacked. Fighting several small battles, by the end of the month they reached their objective at the River Seine. Here the division halted until early in September, when they returned to England to prepare for further airborne operations later in the war.
forest. The division was rushed to Belgium shortly afterward to assist in repulsing the attack. The fighting took place in awful weather conditions and ended in mid-January 1945.
and ultimately advance on Berlin and other major cities in Northern Germany. Following the 'Broad Front Approach' laid out by General
Dwight D. Eisenhower
, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force
, it was decided to attempt to breach the Rhine in several areas. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commanding the British 21st Army Group devised a plan to allow the forces under his command to breach the Rhine. To ensure that the operation was a success, Montgomery insisted that airborne forces support the operation. The airborne operation was code-named Operation Varsity
.
The division's objective was to seize the high ground east of the town of Bergen
, to attack and capture the town of Hamminkeln
, and finally to take control of several bridges over the River Issel
. It would then hold the territory it had captured until it linked up with units from the American 17th Airborne Division, which would land to the south of them. Once these objectives were taken, the airborne troops would consolidate their positions and await the arrival of Allied ground forces, defending the territory captured against the German forces known to be in the area. The division would then advance alongside the 21st Army Group once the Allied ground forces had made contact with them.
To avoid the heavy casualties incurred by the British 1st Airborne Division
that had occurred during Operation Market-Garden, both Allied airborne divisions would only be dropped after Allied ground units had crossed the Rhine and secured crossings; the two divisions would also be dropped only a relatively short distance behind German lines, to ensure that reinforcements would be able to link up with them after only a few hours and they would not be isolated.
The next formation to land was the 5th Parachute Brigade commanded by Brigadier Nigel Poett
. The brigade was designated to land on Drop-Zone B and achieved this, although not as accurately as 3rd Parachute Brigade due to poor visibility around the drop-zone, which also made it more difficult for paratroopers of the brigade to rally. The drop-zone came under heavy fire from German troops stationed nearby and was subjected to artillery and mortar fire which inflicted casualties in the battalion rendezvous areas. However 7th Parachute Battalion soon cleared the drop-zone of German troops, many of whom were located in farms and houses. The 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions rapidly secured the rest of the brigades' objectives. The brigade was then ordered to move due east and clear the area near Schnappenberg, as well as engaging German forces who were gathered to the west of a farmhouse, which had been taken over as the headquarters for the division. By 1530 hours Brigadier Poett reported that the brigade had secured all of its objectives and linked up with other units of the division.
The 6th Airlanding Brigade
, commanded by Brigadier R. H. Bellamy, was tasked with landing in company-sized groups and capturing several objectives, including the town of Hamminkeln. The gliders landed in landing-zones P, O, U and R under considerable anti-aircraft fire, the landing being made even more difficult due to the presence of a great deal of haze and smoke. This caused a number of glider pilots to mis-identify their landing areas and lose their bearings, resulting in a number of gliders landing in the wrong areas or crashing. The majority of the gliders survived, allowing the battalions of the brigade to secure three bridges over the IJssel that they had been tasked with capturing intact, as well as the town of Hamminkeln with the aid of the US 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
, which had been dropped by mistake near the town. The brigade secured all of its objectives shortly after capturing Hamminkeln.
, starting on 15 September 1945 and finishing on 6 November. Originally the aim of the move was to allow the division to make use of the air training facilities in southern Palestine. The deteriorating security situation resulted in the division taking part in internal security duties against Zionist organisations known as Irgun
, Haganah
, and the Lehi
, who were attempting to expel the British. The 6th Division continued to carry out operations against the groups in very difficult circumstances until they were disbanded on 1 April 1948 just before the termination of the British Mandate and the independence of the State of Israel.
Units
The division order of battle for the invasion of Normandy was as follows:
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...
in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the Second World War. It took part in Operation Tonga
Operation 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....
, the airborne landings on the left flank of the invasion beaches in the Normandy Landings
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
. It played a small part in the Battle of the Bulge
Battle 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...
and was involved in Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
, the Allied assault across the Rhine river. At the end of the war in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
it was planned to send the Division to the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
for operations against Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, but these plans were cancelled after the Atomic bombs were dropped on the Japanese mainland. The Division was instead 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...
duties, where it remained until being disbanded in April 1948.
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 force of 5,000 parachute troops. As a result, 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...
assumed parachute duties, and on 21 November was re-designated the 11th Special Air Service Battalion, with a parachute and glider wing
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
.
On 21 June 1940 the Central Landing Establishment
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF
No.1 Parachute Training School RAF is a Royal Air Force training unit that was initially based at RAF Ringway, now Manchester Airport and is currently based at RAF Brize Norton. It was formed at Ringway on 21 June 1940 as the Central Landing School and from 1 October 1940 it was designated as the...
was formed at Ringway airfield
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:...
near Manchester
Manchester
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England. According to the Office for National Statistics, the 2010 mid-year population estimate for Manchester was 498,800. Manchester lies within one of the UK's largest metropolitan areas, the metropolitan county of Greater...
. Although tasked primarily with training parachute troops, it was also directed to investigate the use of gliders to transport troops into battle. At the same time, the Ministry of Aircraft Production contracted General Aircraft Ltd to design and produce a glider for this purpose. The result was the General Aircraft Hotspur, an aircraft capable of transporting eight soldiers, that was used for both assault and training purposes.
The success of the first British airborne raid, 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...
, prompted the War Office to expand the airborne force through the creation of the Parachute Regiment, and to develop plans to convert several infantry battalions into parachute and glider battalions. On 31 May 1941, a joint army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and air force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
memorandum was approved by the Chiefs-of-Staff
Chiefs of Staff Committee
The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces.-History:The Chiefs of Staff Committee was initially established as a sub-committee of the Committee of Imperial Defence in 1923. It remained as such until the abolition of the CID upon the...
and Winston Churchill; it recommended that the British airborne forces should consist of two parachute brigades, one based in England and the other in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
, and that a glider force of 10,000 men should be created.
Formation
On 23 April 1943, the British War OfficeWar 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...
ordered that a second airborne division be raised to supplement the original British 1st Airborne Division. The new division consisted initially of key personnel reassigned from 1st Airborne. This included several officers who had fought in North Africa with the 1st Parachute Brigade. For example, Richard Gale
Richard Nelson Gale
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
had raised and commanded the 1st Parachute Brigade. James Hill
James Hill (soldier)
Brigadier Stanley James Ledger Hill DSO & Two Bars, MC was an officer in the British Army who served as commander of the 3rd Parachute Brigade of 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War...
had commanded 1st Parachute 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...
. Alastair Pearson
Alastair Pearson
Brigadier Alastair Stevenson Pearson CB, DSO & Three Bars, OBE, MC, TD was a baker, farmer and one of the most highly-regarded soldiers of the British Army who served in World War II. During his distinguished military career he was known as Jock Pearson to the men of his command.-Early...
had been his second-in-command. Geoffrey Pine-Coffin
Richard Geoffrey Pine-Coffin
Colonel Richard Geoffrey Pine-Coffin DSO & Bar, MC was a parachute officer of the British Army during World War II. He commanded the 3rd Parachute Battalion in North Africa and the 7th Parachute Battalion in Normandy, Belgium, and Germany...
had been second-in-command of 2nd Battalion.
The core of the new 6th Airborne Division was formed from the 3rd Parachute Brigade and two battalion's from the 1st Airlanding Brigade. The two new division formations were the 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
and the 5th Parachute Brigade. Divisional troops included pathfinders
Pathfinders (military)
A pathfinder is a paratrooper who is inserted or dropped into place in order to set up and operate drop zones, pickup zones, and helicopter landing sites for airborne operations, air resupply operations, or other air operations in support of the ground unit commander...
, engineer, anti-tank, reconnaissance, medical, and signals units.
D-Day
Operation 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....
, transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft
Military transport aircraft are typically fixed and rotary wing cargo aircraft which are used to deliver troops, weapons and other military equipment by a variety of methods to any area of military operations around the surface of the planet, usually outside of the commercial flight routes in...
and towed gliders
Military glider
Military gliders have been used by the military of various countries for carrying troops and heavy equipment to a combat zone, mainly during the Second World War. These engineless aircraft were towed into the air and most of the way to their target by military transport planes, e.g...
carried units of the 6th Airborne to Normandy where they would land just prior to the D-Day landings that took place on the morning of 6 June. They were to land behind 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...
and secure the eastern flank. Some of the objectives included the seizure of two bridges over the Caen Canal
Canal de Caen à la Mer
Canal de Caen à la Mer also called the "Caen Canal") is a short canal in the department of Calvados, France, connecting the Port of Caen, in the city of Caen, downstream to the town of Ouistreham and the English Channel....
(later renamed "Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge , built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France....
") and the bridge over the Orne River
Orne River
The Orne is a river in Normandy, within northwestern France. It discharges into the English Channel at the port of Ouistreham. Its source is in Aunou-sur-Orne, east of Sées...
(later renamed "Horsa Bridge
Horsa Bridge
Horsa Bridge, also known as Ranville bridge, over the Orne River, was, with Pegasus Bridge, captured during Operation Deadstick by gliderborne troops of the 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in a coup de main operation in the opening minutes of D Day, 6 June 1944, before the main...
") by D Company, 2nd Ox & Bucks (commanded by Major John Howard
John Howard (soldier)
Major John Howard DSO was a British Army officer who led a glider-borne assault on two bridges between Bénouville and Ranville in Normandy, France on 6 June 1944 as part of the D-Day landings during the Second World War...
). And also the destruction of the Merville Battery 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:...
's 9 PARA, both of whom were some of the first units to land and achieve their objectives. The landings proved successful, although many units were scattered across much of Normandy. The area around Pegasus and Horsa were successfully defended until they were eventually relieved, having repulsed numerous German counter-attacks, later on 6 June by Lord Lovat's
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
1 Special Service Brigade, followed by elements of the British 3rd Infantry Division
British 3rd Infantry Division
The 3rd Mechanised Division, known at various times as the Iron Division, 3rd Division or as Iron Sides; is a regular army division of the British Army...
.
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....
, British artillery was bombarding the German positions when a stray shell fell short and hit a group of British officers, killing Lieutenant-Colonel A.P. "Johnny" Johnson (CO
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...
12 PARA) and badly wounding Brigadiers Kindersley
Hugh Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley
Hugh Kenyon Molesworth Kindersley, 2nd Baron Kindersley CBE, MC was a British businessman, banker and soldier. His father was businessman Robert Kindersley, 1st Baron Kindersley GBE.Kindersley was born in Knightsbridge, London...
(CO 6 Airlanding Brigade) and Lord Lovat
Simon Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat
Brigadier Simon Christopher Joseph Fraser, 15th Lord Lovat and 4th Baron Lovat DSO, MC, TD was the 25th Chief of the Clan Fraser and a prominent British Commando during the Second World War...
(CO 1st Special Service Brigade).
Advance to the River Seine
In August 1944, the division was ordered to prepare to advance. Their objective was the mouth of the River Seine a distance of 45 miles (72 km). To assist them in carrying out their mission, the division was reinforced by two British Commando, a Belgian and a Dutch infantry brigade, and increased artillery support. To reach the Seine, the division had to cross three rivers, which had been flooded by the Germans, with only two roads available for transport.When the German Army started to withdraw on 17 August, the division attacked. Fighting several small battles, by the end of the month they reached their objective at the River Seine. Here the division halted until early in September, when they returned to England to prepare for further airborne operations later in the war.
Ardennes Offensive
On 16 December the Germans launched Operation Wacht am Rhein, a last-ditch offensive against the Allies via the ArdennesArdennes
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...
forest. The division was rushed to Belgium shortly afterward to assist in repulsing the attack. The fighting took place in awful weather conditions and ended in mid-January 1945.
Preparation
By March 1945, the Allies had advanced into Germany and had reached the River Rhine. The Rhine was a formidable natural obstacle to the Allied advance, but if breached would allow the Allies to access the North German PlainNorth German plain
The North German Plain or Northern Lowland is one of the major geographical regions of Germany. It is the German part of the North European Plain...
and ultimately advance on Berlin and other major cities in Northern Germany. Following the 'Broad Front Approach' laid out by General
General of the Army (United States)
General of the Army is a five-star general officer and is the second highest possible rank in the United States Army. A special rank of General of the Armies, which ranks above General of the Army, does exist but has only been conferred twice in the history of the Army...
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force
Supreme Headquarters Allied Expeditionary Force , was the headquarters of the Commander of Allied forces in north west Europe, from late 1943 until the end of World War II. U.S. General Dwight D. Eisenhower was in command of SHAEF throughout its existence...
, it was decided to attempt to breach the Rhine in several areas. Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, commanding the British 21st Army Group devised a plan to allow the forces under his command to breach the Rhine. To ensure that the operation was a success, Montgomery insisted that airborne forces support the operation. The airborne operation was code-named Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity was a successful joint American–British airborne operation that took place toward the end of World War II...
.
The division's objective was to seize the high ground east of the town of Bergen
Bergen, North Holland
Bergen is a municipality and a town in the Netherlands, in the province of North Holland. Its North Sea beaches make it a popular destination for tourists, especially Germans. In 2001, the municipality was expanded to include the former municipalities of Egmond and Schoorl.Since about 1900, Bergen...
, to attack and capture the town of Hamminkeln
Hamminkeln
Hamminkeln is a town in the district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Issel, approximately 10 kilometers north of Wesel. It is twinned with Sedgefield, United Kingdom...
, and finally to take control of several bridges over the River Issel
Oude IJssel
Oude IJssel or Issel is a river in Germany and the Netherlands approximately 80 km long. It is a right tributary of the river IJssel....
. It would then hold the territory it had captured until it linked up with units from the American 17th Airborne Division, which would land to the south of them. Once these objectives were taken, the airborne troops would consolidate their positions and await the arrival of Allied ground forces, defending the territory captured against the German forces known to be in the area. The division would then advance alongside the 21st Army Group once the Allied ground forces had made contact with them.
To avoid the heavy casualties incurred by the British 1st Airborne Division
British 1st Airborne Division
The 1st Airborne Division was a division of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. The division was formed in 1941, after British Prime Minister Winston Churchill demanded an airborne force...
that had occurred during Operation Market-Garden, both Allied airborne divisions would only be dropped after Allied ground units had crossed the Rhine and secured crossings; the two divisions would also be dropped only a relatively short distance behind German lines, to ensure that reinforcements would be able to link up with them after only a few hours and they would not be isolated.
The battle, 24 March 1945
The first element of the division to land was the 3rd Parachute Brigade, commanded by Brigadier James Hill. The brigade actually jumped nine minutes earlier than it was scheduled, but despite this the unit was successfully delivered to Drop-Zone A, where it was engaged by heavy small-arms and 20 mm anti-aircraft fire. A number of casualties were suffered as it engaged German forces in the Diersfordter Wald, but by 1100 hours the drop-zone was practically clear of enemy forces and all battalions of the brigade had formed up. The key town of Schnappenberg was captured by the 9th Parachute Battalion in conjunction with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, the latter unit having lost its commanding officer to German small-arms fire only moments after he had landed. Despite taking casualties the brigade cleared the area of German forces and by 1345 hours Brigadier Hill reported that the brigade had secured all of its objectives.The next formation to land was the 5th Parachute Brigade commanded by Brigadier Nigel Poett
Nigel Poett
General Sir Joseph Howard Nigel Poett KCB, DSO was a British Army officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, during the Second World War.-Early life:...
. The brigade was designated to land on Drop-Zone B and achieved this, although not as accurately as 3rd Parachute Brigade due to poor visibility around the drop-zone, which also made it more difficult for paratroopers of the brigade to rally. The drop-zone came under heavy fire from German troops stationed nearby and was subjected to artillery and mortar fire which inflicted casualties in the battalion rendezvous areas. However 7th Parachute Battalion soon cleared the drop-zone of German troops, many of whom were located in farms and houses. The 12th and 13th Parachute Battalions rapidly secured the rest of the brigades' objectives. The brigade was then ordered to move due east and clear the area near Schnappenberg, as well as engaging German forces who were gathered to the west of a farmhouse, which had been taken over as the headquarters for the division. By 1530 hours Brigadier Poett reported that the brigade had secured all of its objectives and linked up with other units of the division.
The 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
, commanded by Brigadier R. H. Bellamy, was tasked with landing in company-sized groups and capturing several objectives, including the town of Hamminkeln. The gliders landed in landing-zones P, O, U and R under considerable anti-aircraft fire, the landing being made even more difficult due to the presence of a great deal of haze and smoke. This caused a number of glider pilots to mis-identify their landing areas and lose their bearings, resulting in a number of gliders landing in the wrong areas or crashing. The majority of the gliders survived, allowing the battalions of the brigade to secure three bridges over the IJssel that they had been tasked with capturing intact, as well as the town of Hamminkeln with the aid of the US 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
513th Parachute Infantry Regiment
During World War II, the 513th Parachute Infantry Regiment was a regiment of the 17th Airborne Division of the United States Army. The regiment participated in the latter stages of the Battle of the Bulge and parachuted into Germany in Operation Varsity.-History:The regiment was constituted on...
, which had been dropped by mistake near the town. The brigade secured all of its objectives shortly after capturing Hamminkeln.
Later operations
The division was moved to PalestinePalestine
Palestine is a conventional name, among others, used to describe the geographic region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, and various adjoining lands....
, starting on 15 September 1945 and finishing on 6 November. Originally the aim of the move was to allow the division to make use of the air training facilities in southern Palestine. The deteriorating security situation resulted in the division taking part in internal security duties against Zionist organisations known as Irgun
Irgun
The Irgun , or Irgun Zevai Leumi to give it its full title , was a Zionist paramilitary group that operated in Mandate Palestine between 1931 and 1948. It was an offshoot of the earlier and larger Jewish paramilitary organization haHaganah...
, Haganah
Haganah
Haganah was a Jewish paramilitary organization in what was then the British Mandate of Palestine from 1920 to 1948, which later became the core of the Israel Defense Forces.- Origins :...
, and the Lehi
Lehi (group)
Lehi , commonly referred to in English as the Stern Group or Stern Gang, was a militant Zionist group founded by Avraham Stern in the British Mandate of Palestine...
, who were attempting to expel the British. The 6th Division continued to carry out operations against the groups in very difficult circumstances until they were disbanded on 1 April 1948 just before the termination of the British Mandate and the independence of the State of Israel.
Order of battle
Commander- May 1943 Major-General Richard GaleRichard Nelson GaleGeneral Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
- December 1944 Major General Eric BolsEric BolsMajor-General Eric Louis Bols, CB, DSO and Bar was an officer in the British Army, who was most notable for serving as the commanding officer of the British 6th Airborne Division during Operation Varsity in 1945...
- March 1946 Major-General James Cassels
- December 1946 Major General Eric BolsEric BolsMajor-General Eric Louis Bols, CB, DSO and Bar was an officer in the British Army, who was most notable for serving as the commanding officer of the British 6th Airborne Division during Operation Varsity in 1945...
- August 1947 Major-General Hugh StockwellHugh StockwellGeneral Sir Hugh Charles Stockwell GCB, KBE, DSO & Bar was a British soldier, most remembered for commanding the Anglo-French ground forces during the Suez Crisis and his service as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe of NATO from 1960 to 1964.-Early life:Stockwell was born in Jersey, but spent...
Units
The division order of battle for the invasion of Normandy was as follows:
- 3rd Parachute Brigade
- 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion8th (Midlands) Parachute BattalionThe 8th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War....
- 9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute BattalionThe 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...
- 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion1st Canadian Parachute BattalionThe 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was formed in July 1942 during the Second World War; it served in North West Europe. Landing in Normandy on D Day, June 6, 1944 and in the airborne assault crossing of the River Rhine, Operation Varsity...
- 8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion
- 5th Parachute Brigade
- 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion7th (Light Infantry) Parachute BattalionThe 7th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, formed by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was raised by the conversion of the 10th Somerset Light Infantry to parachute duties...
- 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion
- 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion13th (Lancashire) Parachute BattalionThe 13th Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War...
- 7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion
- 6th Airlanding Brigade
- 12th Devonshire Regiment
- 2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryOxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light InfantryThe Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army.The regiment was formed as a consequence of Childers reforms, a continuation of the Cardwell reforms, by the amalgamation of the 43rd Regiment of Foot and the 52nd Regiment of Foot , forming the 1st...
- 1st Royal Ulster RiflesRoyal Ulster RiflesThe Royal Ulster Rifles was a British Army infantry regiment. It saw service in the Second Boer War, Great War, the Second World War and the Korean War, before being amalgamated into the Royal Irish Rangers in 1968.-History:...
- Divisional troops
- 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment
- 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal ArtilleryRoyal ArtilleryThe Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
- 2nd Forward Observer Unit, Royal Artillery
- 3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery
- 4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery
- 2nd Airlanding Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery
- 3rd Parachute Squadron, Royal EngineersRoyal EngineersThe Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
- 591st Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers
- 249th Field Company. Royal Engineers
- 286th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers
- 6th Airborne Divisional Signals
- 21st Independent Parachute Company (Pathfinders)
- 127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance127th (Parachute) Field AmbulanceThe 127th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 127th Field Ambulance was originally a pre war Territorial Army unit converted to parachute duties, becoming the second parachute field ambulance in the British Army...
- 224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field AmbulanceThe 224th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 224th Field Ambulance was converted to an airborne unit in 1942, and assigned to the 3rd Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division...
- 195th (Airlanding) Field Ambulance195th (Airlanding) Field AmbulanceThe 195th Field Ambulance was a Royal Army Medical Corps unit of the British airborne forces during the Second World War.The 195th was the second airlanding Field Ambulance formed by the British Army. Once raised it was assigned to the 6th Airlanding Brigade, which was part of the 6th Airborne...
- 63rd Company, Royal Army Service CorpsRoyal Army Service CorpsThe Royal Army Service Corps was a corps of the British Army. It was responsible for land, coastal and lake transport; air despatch; supply of food, water, fuel, and general domestic stores such as clothing, furniture and stationery ; administration of...
- 398th Company, Royal Army Service Corps
- 716th Company, Royal Army Service Corps
- 6th Airborne Division Ordnance Field Park
- 6th Airborne Division Workshop
- 6th Airborne Division Provost Company
External links
- history.6th.org.uk 6th Airborne articles, history and forum
- 6th Airborne Division | Paradata 6th Airborne articles and historical documents
- Royal Engineers Museum—6th Airborne Divisional Engineers - D Day 1944