British Paratroops in WWII

[IronDuke99]

British Parachute Battalion 1942-43:

Battalion HQ: 5 officers and 22 other ranks (includes medical officer)

HQ Company: 5 officers 164 other ranks -includes 1 office and 10 men intelligence section, protective section (rifles and two Bren guns) signals platoon (including bikes) admin platoon, Battalion mortar section (2 x 3in mortars) and anti tank platoon (originally with Boys anti tank rifles later replaced by PIAT's)

Three Rifle Coys, each 5 officers and 134 other ranks - Company HQ section, three rifle platoons, Company mortar section (2 x 3in mortars)and one anti tank section with a Smith Gun https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smith_Gun


British Parachute Battalion 1944-45:

Battalion HQ: 5 officers and 22 other ranks (including medical officer).

HQ Company: 9 officers 226 other ranks -includes Company HQ section, intelligence section (issued with 8 x sniper rifles, giving a parachute battalion a considerable sniper force) signals platoon (including airborne motorbikes) two mortar platoons (8 x 3in mortar and 4 x Vickers MMG) Anti Tank Platoon (10 PIAT teams plus two Bren guns that could also be used as AAMG's).

3 Rifle Coys each of 5 officers and 112 other ranks. -Each company included a Company HQ and three rifle platoons. Parachute platoons generally included a 2 inch mortar, PIAT and a Sniper rifle (in addition to those held at battalion HQ and with the battalion intelligence section)

British Parachute battalions generally had more weapons issued than normal 'leg' infantry in WWII. So each section had two '45 colt pistols,and each Platoon an extra Bren gun. Each parachute battalion also had up to 300 sten SMG's available to be issued at Battalion Commanders orders.

In addition Parachute Battalion sections, of ten men, were often commanded by Sgts, rather than the Cpls much more common in leg infantry.

A Parachute Brigade was three battalions. A Parachute division, two Parachute Brigades and a Glider Air Landing Brigade, supported by a Light Artillery Regiment (mostly 75mm Airborne Howitzers, but sometimes including light Airborne 25pders) 2 Anti Tank batteries (mostly 6pder AT guns, but could include 17pder AT guns) A AA battery with 40mm AA guns, Airborne Recce (with MG armed jeeps) Engineers, etc. Light Airborne tanks were also available.

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