united_kingdom airborne specifically parachute infantry brigade formation british_army second world war formed late mediterranean middle_east brigade composed parachute infantry units 10th 11th brigade assigned prior allied invasion sicily played invasion instead brigade saw action september operation amphibious landing port taranto early stages allied invasion italy largely unopposed brigade captured ports withdrawn end year 4th england preparing allied invasion brigade action france instead placed standby emergency normandy landings june august speed subsequent allied advance need deploy airborne forces september brigade formed second day parachute landings battle operation market garden problems reaching bridges forced divisional commander major general divert brigade battalions assist 1st short delay brigade headed objective halfway remaining battalions confronted prepared german defences brigade having suffered heavy losses eventually forced withdraw day weakened fighting close quarters numbering men brigade eventually reached divisional position week subjected constant artillery tank infantry attacks remnants brigade evacuated south battle brigade total casualties amounted seventy cent disbanded reformed survivors posted 1st formation impressed successful german airborne operations british prime minister winston_churchill directed investigate possibility creating corps parachute troops june commando turned parachute duties november designated 11th special air service battalion parachute wing later 1st men took british airborne operation february success raid prompted expand existing airborne force setting creating converting number infantry battalions airborne battalions battalions assigned 1st 1st general officer commanding division boy expressed opinion fledgling force sacrificed penny urged formation brigades formed raf middle_east december formation consisted brigade headquarters signals company defence platoon parachute battalions battalions assigned raised british servicemen india 10th formed 11th parachute battalion created brigade battalions composition rifle companies comprising company headquarters mortar machine gun carrier brigade commander lieutenant colonel replaced brigadier january facilities weather conditions proved unsuitable airborne operations brigade moved palestine continue training brigade came strength june sent tripoli joined assigned division 1st 2nd parachute brigades infantry 1st brigade command parachute field ambulance 2nd light battery 2nd anti tank battery italy 4th kept allied invasion sicily shortage transport aircraft 1st took operation 1st operation brigades suffered heavy casualties time operation proposed 2nd 4th parachute brigades strength deception operation divert german forces main allied landings attempt seize intact italian ports taranto lack air transport meant division available brigades transported sea cross mediterranean royal_navy cruisers escorts landing successful sicily 8th middle_east command lieutenant general sent reinforce landings palestine 4th available landings september day landings lieutenant general brigade landed taranto unopposed objective airfield del miles inland route airfield near town came german defended unit battalion assault observing action hit burst machine gun fire killed time carried successful flank attack defending town days later having involved minor skirmishes brigade occupied september reached northernmost point advance ordered taranto playing operations italy brigade withdrawn sea united_kingdom arriving november casualties fighting italy amounted officers ranks killed action december working independently mediterranean rejoined brigade operation involved company sized parachute assault greek island italian garrison surrendered company relieved men 1st england england brigade trained operations supervision scheduled normandy landings brigade support operations invasion beaches experienced difficulties operation planned brigade act independent formation operations prepared deployed entire 1st speed allied advance onwards paris northwards accomplished airborne assistance plans cancelled brigade operation scheduled early september plan called brigades land netherlands capture river crossings bridge second bridge grave finally objective 4th bridge grave planning advanced september mission cancelled instead new operation market garden proposed objectives time carried divisions 1st landings 1st divisions began netherlands september allocation aircraft division roughly similar landing use lift grave required lifts need lifts american divisions delivered quarters infantry lift 1st airborne similar drop half infantry capacity remainder deliver vehicles artillery required capacity deliver parachute brigades borne anti tank weapons parachute brigades brigade day instead vast majority division vehicles heavy equipment plus 1st divisional troops lift brigade remain landing grounds defend following day lifts parachute brigade set capture bridges ferry crossing second day lift ninety artillery vehicles crews scheduled arrive away drop zone early possible monday september brigade objective capture high ground north west briefing departure dismissed officers battalion commanders brigade staff told forget told surprise gone opposition alerted given german capability swift violent response threat expect hardest fighting worst casualties defence final perimeter trying division fourth unit 1st arrive day dropping troops north south river units place division form defensive ring bridges relieved advance miles south september day landings september successful night september divisional commander major general reported missing brigadier philip assumed command division september subsequent problems forced change divisional plan 2nd reached road bridge strong german defences stopped battalions decided link 1st attempt reach objective september day operation bad weather england kept second lift ground troops arrive netherlands delay gave germans time approach northern landing grounds engage defenders scottish german attacks stopped division artillery guns jumped feet german machine gun fire despite enemy having range drop zone brigade landed minor casualties brigade arrived germans drop zone withdrew offered resistance unit ground attacked destroyed personally captured germans shortly landing arrived brigade headquarters informed lieutenant colonel division staff change plans explaining detached brigade support push time responsible defending northern landing grounds attached replace defend landing zone protect arriving day formulated new plan returned divisional headquarters informed arrival german tanks approaching north transport aircraft passing occupied channel ports confirmed german suspicions second lift able troops minutes advance notice allies arrival prepared advance mobile unit dispatched likely landing grounds decided brigade advance railway line road order capture objectives high ground overlooking farm woods near finally high ground delay england meant brigade started moving element surprise gone intelligence german headed objective followed slightly left bringing rear brigade reserve acting infantry role hours later covered miles darkness fell came strong german defensive position unable dark battalion commanding officer lieutenant colonel des contact brigade headquarters decided stay night continue advance daylight september early day attack german guns destroyed transport battalion capturing guns nearby farm building brigade advance restarted 9th established blocking position road brigade expected route repeated assaults battalions find way advancing heavy woodland confronted infantry supported mortars self propelled guns gun fighter aircraft battalion suffered heavy losses stage company penetrated german line dig officers killed wounded short ammunition remaining men counter attacked germans driven leading units reached 2nd south started new attempt fight bridge battalion arrived appreciation ground held reserve played attack dawn intense fire attack ordered carry left flanking attack relieve pressure intervention freed trapped stopped assault having recognised battle prepared reinforce failure major general ordered outskirts support advance occupying high ground north west outskirts battalion caught open subjected mortar attack attacked caused heavy casualties including commanding officer lieutenant colonel unable proceed survivors forced withdraw 4th forward casualties mounting asked permission withdraw south railway line intention division support units waited change direction complicated lack vehicle crossings railway line battalions contact germans withdrawal north having travel reach relative safety rail crossing obvious germans battalion fighting rearguard action capture positions railway line captain awarded posthumous victoria_cross highest british military decoration actions command battalion rear guard battalions headed railway line carrying 1st polish vehicles artillery arrived landing zone defending area holding repeated german attacks landing ground range germans guns time closely followed german armoured vehicles mortar fire reached clearing leading companies cleared woods started open ground arrived confusion groups fire thought enemy began shooting polish anti tank battery virtually destroyed vehicles got away majority guns trapped burning pursuing german troops tried cross landing zone suffer heavy casualties hands defending companies confusion company covering withdrawal cut eventually forced surrender buildup vehicles men trying use crossing caused progress slow wait brigade headquarters chose head railway embankment foot south railway line support company mixed making battalion headquarters companies headed south divisional headquarters issued orders units fall position germans continued pressure 4th dug south came constant attack leading fighting close quarters night morning september east men remnants 1st 2nd south having failed break trapped 2nd gathered eventually placed command major known force following day fighting men awarded victoria_cross major daylight started moving east division moving night arrived parachute battalions brigade troops remained outside village order march followed brigade troops bringing rear virtually surrounded brigade fought running hand hand battle german infantry supported armour attempted break fighting commanding officer lieutenant colonel second command killed action high ranking casualty commanding officer lieutenant colonel wounded prisoner war leading remnants brigade carried bayonet charge cleared germans large hollow provided shelter exhausted troops pinned day numbers led charge divisions position brigadier men battalions allocated positions eastern perimeter battalions men major slightly better men battalion officers missing result captain brigade anti tank battery given command official war photographers inside perimeter wrote fourth day fighting camera work question day shell mortar machine gun fire completely surrounded perimeter smaller hour matter fighting lives land forces don contact soon september holding nights days 2nd surrendered overnight men 1st dug form perimeter including ammunition short supply men eaten hours headquarters 4th began function small number parachute battalions reunited units brigade responsible units eastern half perimeter descending order north south 1st airborne reconnaissance squadron squadron crossroads squadron finally south east major armed anti tank engaged fight german armoured vehicles awarded victoria_cross brigade positions germans mounted number small attacks times supported armour shortage ammunition defenders hold fire germans got yards tactic successful time time germans beaten german infantry attacks defenders came constant mortar artillery bombardment responsible destruction divisional ammunition dump stage major discovered men surrounded british units pulled informing asking permission withdraw gained impression headquarters forgotten thought wiped gaps perimeter allow individual german infiltrate brigade positions send dedicated anti sniper patrols hunt patrols sides moved brigade area caught open daylight liable confronted shot touring brigade positions lieutenant colonel thompson artillery brigade major caught open mortar fire killed outright thompson wounded taken house treatment days later expected parachute battalions 1st polish landed south east unable cross river poles relieved pressure troops germans diverted troops contain division contact miles south guns medium regiment break german attacks poles arrival germans attacked attack came west attacked houses holding set assaulted german infantry continued hold september previous day attacks contracted division perimeter yards wide river stretching north yards widened yards brigade original parachute battalions consisted officers men officers men thirty men losses men vehicles beginning tell german troops attacking perimeter changed tactics tended rely artillery mortars infantry armour break british line attacks germans persisted attacking company strength supported armoured vehicles method employed germans tank gun street blowing holes house walls followed supporting infantry try use holes gain entry houses day men destroyed guns engaged supporting infantry south river unit fought linked poles night brigade attempt men rhine command captain brigade engineer squadron men makeshift fleet boats managed transport poles river september day began hour artillery mortar bombardment indications attack force squadron attack started intense pressure brigade headquarters called artillery fire positions broke assault attacks continued morning shortage hand held anti tank weapons allowed german tanks safely approach brigade positions tanks targeted houses shooting room time forcing defenders trenches dug gardens units managed hold situation officially described grim numbers british casualties exhausted available medical supplies wound wounded required urgent treatment directed german hands fresh german assault south east saw germans demolish defended houses high explosives set fire shells midday german officer white flag asked speak explained attack area supported artillery mortar barrage knew wounded nearby suggested brigade forward positions moved yards refused placed divisional headquarters yards new german line expected artillery barrage arrive rounds landed area september overnight second attempt reinforce polish boats belonging 43rd infantry division men cross river line command 4th despite urgent need reinforcements operation begin boats available dawn poles carried river route reinforce squadron poles caught open machine gun fire killing commander captain man pinned day poles reached pilots position dark welcoming poles brigade departed headquarters caught open mortar barrage wounded seriously injured taken command given lieutenant colonel afternoon truce agreed allow evacuation british wounded inside perimeter wounded including taken german captivity september perimeter river yards wide south east large force germans managed break brigade perimeter overran division artillery batteries located rear artillery batteries opened fire germans range yards requested infantry anti tank weapons come assistance german force including tanks guns came close cutting defenders river defeated artillery followed bayonet grenade counter attacks spent rest day close quarters battles infantry fight likened fight grenades tank destroyed bomb afternoon germans managed infiltrate perimeter intervention guns medium regiment firing british positions prevented division headquarters overrun south river lieutenant general commander lieutenant general decided reinforce position north rhine instead ordered corps staff prepare plan withdraw division evacuation surviving men able crossing begin evacuation north south modelled evacuation gallipoli world war day fighting units isolated received order evacuate capable taking formed groups fourteen maximum capacity boats guided river men day marked routes river cover artillery barrage evacuation started german perimeter caused problems withdrawal groups got fire fights captured reached river priority given wounded regardless rank soldiers waited line turn boats crossing secure germans realised happening opened fire machine guns targeted south bank artillery fire sinking boats killing crews dawn evacuation ended men waiting north bank small number men tried swim far bank men left evaded capture reached safety south bank following days outcome taken men killed half men prisoners war wounded capture 4th men arrived killed evacuated missing prisoners war total casualties amounted seventy cent severe highest division 1st suffered eighty cent casualties slightly lower eighty cent figure overall division recovered battle disbanded men evacuated reform battalions 1st new raised assigned composed 10th battalion 14th battalion parachute regiment brigade renumbered 44th brigade composition commanding officers lieutenant colonel brigadier lieutenant colonel units 10th lieutenant colonel 11th parachute battalion lieutenant colonel parachute battalion lieutenant colonel sir des parachute field ambulance lieutenant colonel 2nd anti tank battery major 4th parachute squadron detachment
4th Parachute Brigade (United Kingdom)