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British 6th Airborne Division

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Article Genealogy
Parent: D-Day Hop 4
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British 6th Airborne Division
Unit name6th Airborne Division
CaptionFormation patch of the 6th Airborne Division
Dates1943–1948
CountryUnited Kingdom
BranchBritish Army
TypeAirborne forces
RoleAirborne infantry
SizeDivision (military)
Command structureI Airborne Corps
NicknameThe Red Devils
BattlesOperation Tonga, Battle of Normandy, Operation Varsity, Western Allied invasion of Germany
Notable commandersRichard Nelson Gale, Eric Bols

British 6th Airborne Division. The 6th Airborne Division was a British Army airborne forces formation created during the Second World War by order of the War Office in April 1943. Renowned for its pivotal role in the D-Day landings, the division fought with distinction in the Battle of Normandy, the Battle of the Bulge, and the final Allied assault across the Rhine. It was subsequently deployed on peacekeeping duties in the Mandate of Palestine before being disbanded in 1948.

Formation and early history

The division was formed under the command of Major-General Richard Nelson Gale, drawing experienced personnel from the 1st Airborne Division and new recruits. Its core infantry components were the 3rd and 5th Parachute Brigades and the 6th Airlanding Brigade, supported by artillery from the 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery and engineers from the 3rd Parachute Squadron RE. Intensive training was conducted at bases across the United Kingdom, including Bulford and RAF Ringway, to prepare for large-scale airborne operations. The division was assigned to I Airborne Corps, commanded by Lieutenant-General Frederick Browning, as part of the Allied Expeditionary Air Force.

Operations in Normandy

On the night of 5-6 June 1944, the division commenced Operation Tonga, the British airborne component of the Normandy landings. Its objectives were to secure the eastern flank of the Allied invasion by destroying bridges over the River Dives, capturing intact the vital Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge over the Caen Canal and River Orne, and neutralizing the Merville Gun Battery. Key actions included the Battle of Bréville and the defence of the Orne bridgehead against repeated counter-attacks by the 21st Panzer Division and the 346th Infantry Division. The division linked up with commandos from the 1st Special Service Brigade and held the flank for two months before being relieved during the Operation Goodwood offensive.

Ardennes and the Rhine crossing

Following the liberation of Paris and a period of refitting in England, the division was hastily deployed in December 1944 to reinforce the American line during the Battle of the Bulge in the Ardennes. It fought in difficult winter conditions before returning to the United Kingdom. In March 1945, it participated in Operation Varsity, the airborne assault supporting Operation Plunder, the Allied crossing of the Rhine. Dropped near Hamminkeln alongside the US 17th Airborne Division, it suffered significant casualties but secured its objectives, linking up with ground forces from the British Second Army. The division then advanced across Northern Germany, reaching the Baltic Sea at Wismar just before the end of the war in Europe.

Post-war and disbandment

After Victory in Europe Day, the division was selected for internal security duties in the Mandate of Palestine. It deployed in 1945-46, engaging in counter-insurgency operations against Zionist paramilitary groups such as the Haganah and Irgun during a period of increasing violence. The division's final major deployment was a brief return to Germany as part of the British Army of the Rhine. Facing post-war army reductions, the 6th Airborne Division was formally disbanded in 1948. Many of its personnel and units were transferred to the reformed 16th Parachute Brigade.

Commanders

* Major-General Richard Nelson Gale (1943–1944) * Major-General Eric Bols (1944–1945) * Major-General James Cassels (1945–1946) * Major-General Hugh Stockwell (1946–1947) * Major-General Roderick McLeod (1947–1948)

Order of battle

The division's core order of battle at the time of Operation Overlord included: * 3rd Parachute Brigade (8th, 9th Battalions, 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion) * 5th Parachute Brigade (7th, 12th, 13th Battalions) * 6th Airlanding Brigade (2nd Ox and Bucks, 1st Battalion, Royal Ulster Rifles, 12th Battalion, Devonshire Regiment) * Divisional Troops included the 22nd Independent Parachute Company, 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, 53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery, and the 3rd Parachute Squadron RE.

Category:Airborne divisions of the British Army in World War II Category:Military units and formations established in 1943 Category:Military units and formations disestablished in 1948