united_kingdom 6th brigade airborne infantry brigade british_army second world war created brigade composed infantry battalions supporting units assigned alongside normandy landings june brigade took operation holding southern flank august rest took advance withdrawn england september brigade returned mainland europe counter surprise german offensive better known battle final airborne mission war march assault crossing rhine advanced germany reaching baltic_sea end war brigade withdrawn germany end sent rest palestine provide internal security following arrival 1st 6th longer needed returned normal infantry duties renamed 31st background impressed success german airborne operations british prime minister winston_churchill directed investigate possibility creating force parachute troops result june commando assumed parachute duties november designated 11th special air service battalion parachute wing later 1st june formed airfield near manchester tasked primarily training parachute troops directed investigate use transport troops battle time contracted general aircraft ltd design produce purpose result aircraft capable transporting soldiers assault training purposes success british airborne raid prompted expand airborne force creation develop plans convert infantry battalions parachute battalions joint army raf memorandum approved winston_churchill recommended british airborne forces consist parachute brigades based england middle_east force men created formation april gave permission raise second airborne division division comprised 3rd 5th 6th giving parachute brigades standard british complement airborne division appointed brigade commanding officer command experienced battalions transferred 1st brigade 2nd battalion 2nd royal rifles 1st joined unit newly transferred airborne forces 12th 12th hostilities unit formed war brigade infantry battalion units assigned time 53rd light regiment field ambulance brigade important airborne division strength equal parachute brigades combined particular infantry battalions heavily armed british_army battalion establishment men serving rifle companies support headquarters company rifle company sub divided support company anti tank pounder guns mortar inch mortars vickers machine gun guns platoon headquarters company signals assault pioneer transport administration air transport brigade normally piloted soldiers wingspan feet length feet maximum load capacity pounds space pilots maximum troops pounder gun trailer required general transport battalion action carried battalion support mortar machine gun end war 12th formed war disbanded replaced brigadier appointed command brigade service palestine 6th integral disbanded assigned 6th surplus division requirements april brigade ceased british airborne forces renumbered 31st operational history june december 6th prepared operations trained level section division day night airborne soldiers expected fight superior numbers enemy equipped artillery tanks training designed encourage spirit self discipline self reliance emphasis given physical fitness large training consisted assault courses route marching military exercises included capturing holding airborne road rail bridges coastal fortifications end exercises troops march barracks usually distance miles ability cover long distances speed expected airborne required cover distance miles hours battalions miles april command brigade took day exercise counties gloucestershire wiltshire entire 6th landed air unknown troops involved exercise scale rehearsal division involvement imminent invasion normandy invasion division parachute brigades land early hours june brigade arrive dusk day objective secure left flank invasion area rivers normandy allied units land normandy company 2nd commanded major company attached 5th carried coup main assault bridges crossing canal hours later 6th main air assault began included operation brigade 6th reconnaissance regiment batteries combined force crossed arriving landing zones june carrying brigade headed separated landing areas east landing zone north landing contained remaining men 2nd company landed given limited availability aircraft remainder battalion divisional troops transported sea arriving june brigade headquarters 1st landed range german defenders troops subjected light machine gun mortar fire lost man killed sniper battalion commanding officers ordering 2nd capture village miles south 1st capture miles south west june 2nd reached finding village left company defend rest battalion headed arrived village having confronted sniper fire germans assembling heights overlooking village attacked fighting close quarters house house battalion forced withdraw battle cost casualties including commanding officer 1st position carry left flanking attack village clear germans pressed villages battalion engaged german mortar artillery assault gun fire suffered casualties companies managed reach artillery fire support radio contact battalion headquarters forced withdraw time 12th arrived divisional area landing beaches ordered defence 12th positioned brigade line directly attacked june subjected constant artillery bombardment june 2nd sent company confirm held germans finding occupied infantry armour support withdrew battalion attacked aircraft brigade position bombarded german artillery mortar fire followed infantry tank assault supported division anti tank guns artillery battalion stopped attack yards lines attack germans withdrew having lost tanks armoured cars self propelled guns time german tanks infantry attacked 12th advanced yards battalion positions airborne artillery regiment busy assisting 2nd artillery break attack activity days limited skirmishes patrol activity night june brigade relieved units 51st brigade area 5th 1st remained defensive position mid august conducting patrols hold germans attention advance august 6th airborne division ordered prepare offensive objective mouth division began advance germans retreated france following defeat battle 6th commanded brigadier 1st command form left flank division advance moving french coast remainder division advanced inland 6th advance started august axes 12th left 2nd right 1st reserve 12th fight german rearguard 1st took advance left reached meeting resistance brigade group moved area east august 12th leading advanced occupying august attempts cross repulsed force estimated men german position 2nd crossed river august keeping pressure retreating germans august captured germans retained control bridge outside high ground 2nd attacked captured bridge intact taken dusk cost casualties day august battalion captured river germans destroyed bridge earlier day 1st captured sur august division ordered concentrate area days fighting 6th advanced miles despite divisional commander major general infantry units equipped rapid pursuit division captured square miles km2 territory taken german soldiers prisoner landing june division casualties killed wounded missing 6th suffered men killed campaign division withdrawn france embarked england beginning september england brigade went period recruitment training concentrating house house street fighting bombed areas southampton birmingham training programme culminated exercise eve assault river_thames intended simulate germany december brigade preparing christmas leave news german offensive broke available component strategic reserve allied forces northwest europe divisions available reserve american northern france sent sea belgium assist defence german allied divisions involved battle largest single battle western war christmas day division moved position german advance boxing day reached allocated places defensive line left right brigade reserve days german advance halted forced end january brigade crossed netherlands division responsible area brigade carried patrols sides river opponents near end february division returned england prepare airborne mission cross germany rhine allied airborne landings surprise germans rhine crossing expected defences reinforced anticipation airborne operation preceded day round clock bombing mission allied air forces march artillery guns targeted german positions dusk assault river crossing rhine began assigned alongside 17th 6th commanded given objectives operation 2nd landing north secure bridges 1st main road bridge river objective 12th capture town normandy division parachute brigades ground 6th started landing march german defenders alerted met concentrated anti aircraft barrage caused brigade cent casualties men cent equipment 2nd 1st captured objectives 12th landed german armoured formation managed gather men begin attack secured town midnight 2nd attacked force tanks infantry battalion positions eastern road bridge overrun recaptured counter attack attack hours later danger capturing bridge ordered blown german infantry attempted infiltrate brigade positions night german armour detected approaching brigade called close air support fighter bombers destroyed tanks main road bridge held 1st attacked infantry tanks attack failed tanks destroyed division anti tank guns later day infantry 15th supported tanks advanced divisional area took brigade position time division ordered prepare advance eastwards dawn march germany march brigade advanced germany 1st 12th leading opposition german rearguard actions reached evening following day crossed dawn april unopposed artillery fire later day resistance reached april brigade moving forward fast possible supported 4th armoured battalion guards 6th reached april following days captured reached river expecting defended force division attacked trying catch defenders unaware attack successful river crossed bridge left intact retreating germans afternoon leading troops reached contact leading men advancing east later day brigade reached baltic_sea remained news received german surrender post war end division pulled germany returned england initially intended send india form airborne corps 44th division advance party formed 5th arrived india following japanese surrender plans changed post war british_army needed airborne division 6th airborne chosen remain strength reinforced 2nd division sent middle_east october brigade arrived port moved short period 6th deployed region brigade headquarters airfield time based came brigade command incident brigade area october parties armed jews planted explosives rail lines killed wounded exploded following attacks stations believed members night november brigade carried operations search settlements responsible march brigade relocated jerusalem preparation leaving division april 1st assigned division arrived palestine arrival formation surplus requirements april brigade renumbered 31st longer british airborne forces order battle commanders brigadier hugh brigadier brigadier hugh brigadier units assigned 1st battalion royal rifles 12th battalion regiment 1st battalion 53rd light regiment royal artillery airborne field company royal engineers field ambulance attached 1st
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)