13th Parachute Battalion (TA)

13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion

13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion
Cap badge of the Parachute Regiment
Active	1943–1946 1947–1956 (Territorial Army)
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Airborne forces
Size	Battalion
Part of	5th Parachute Brigade
Nickname	Red Devils
Motto	Win or Die
Engagements	Normandy Battle of the Bulge Rhine crossing
Commanders
Notable commanders	Lieutenant-Colonel PJ Luard, DSO OBE
Insignia
The emblem of the Second World war British Airborne Forces, Bellerophon riding the flying horse Pegasus

The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was formed in May 1943 by the conversion of the 2/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment to parachute duties and was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade in the 6th Airborne Division.

In mid-1944, the battalion took part in the Normandy invasion and the 6th Airborne Division's advance to the River Seine, before being withdrawn back to England. Three months later they were sent to Belgium to help counter the surprise German Ardennes offensive, which became known as the Battle of the Bulge. Later, in March 1945, the battalion took part in the last airborne operation of the war: the River Rhine crossing in Germany. After the war in Europe ended, they were sent to India to conduct operations against the Japanese Empire, however, the war ended before they could begin. As a result the battalion was sent to British Malaya, Singapore and Java to help disarm the Japanese occupiers and restore law and order. While in the Far East 252 men of the battalion were convicted of mutiny and soon afterwards, in May 1946, the battalion was disbanded.

A new 13th Parachute Battalion (TA) was raised when the Territorial Army was reformed in 1947. Over the years, as a result of a number of amalgamations, this battalion eventually became part of the present day 4th Battalion.

Formation history

Background

Battalion

The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion was formed in May 1943, by the conversion of the 2/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment to parachute duties. This was the last British parachute battalion formed before the invasion of France, and was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade, part of the 6th Airborne Division. The first commanding officer (CO) was Lieutenant-Colonel Russell, who was succeeded by Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Luard. Upon formation, the battalion was based at Larkhill and had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoons. The platoons had three Bren machine guns and three 2-inch mortars, one of each per section. The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar and a Vickers machine gun platoon. By 1944 a headquarters or support company, was added to the battalion. It comprised five platoons—motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank—and was equipped with eight 3-inch (76 mm) mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT anti-tank projectors.

Operational history

Normandy

At 00:50 on 6 June 1944, as part of Operation Tonga, the 13th Parachute Battalion landed in Normandy. The battalions drop was scattered over a large area and only around sixty percent of the battalions men were at the forming up point when they headed off towards their objectives. The battalion had been tasked with securing the area around Drop Zone 'N' and the River Orne and Caen canal bridges that had been captured in a coup-de-main by a glider-borne force from the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. The battalion also had to secure the town of Ranville, which it achieved at around 04:00 against heavy resistance from the Germans. One company from the battalion remained at the landing-zone to provide protection for a company of Royal Engineers, who were to demolish poles and explosives positioned to prevent a glider landing, so that the divisional headquarters could land safely. By midnight the battalion, less 62 men who were missing, was occupying Ranville. Dug in around Ranville the battalion was subjected to artillery and mortar bombardments, and sporadic infantry assaults. This lasted until 17 June when they were relieved by the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and move to Le Mesnil. On 25 June the battalion was sent to rest in the Benourville area.

Ardennes

In December 1944, the battalion was still reforming after the Normandy battles when they were moved to Belgium to help counter the German advance in the Ardennes, known as the Battle of the Bulge. By 29 December the 6th Airborne Division was established along the River Meuse. The 13th Parachute Battalion was attached to the 29th Armoured Brigade. On 2 January 1945, they were ordered to capture the villages of Bure and Grupont supported by the Sherman tanks of the Fife and Forfar Yeomanry. Once these had been captured a crossing over the River Homme would be seized to stop the German breakthrough.

Germany

Far East

Territorial Army

In 1947 when the Territorial Army was reformed, a new 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion (TA) was raised. The battalion served in the 44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group (TA) alongside the 10th (City of London) Parachute Battalion, , 15th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion and the 17th (Durham Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion. In October 1956 following defence cuts, the 13th Battalion was amalgamated with the 12th Battalion to form 12/13 PARA (TA). The 12/13 Battalion was itself amalgamated with the 17th Battalion in 1967, forming the 4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment.

Notes

Footnotes

Citations

References

• Buckingham, William F. (2005). D-Day The First 72 Hours. Tempus Publishing. ISBN 0-75242-842-X.
• Gregory, Barry; Batchelor, John (1979). Airborne warfare, 1918-1945. Exeter, Devon: Exeter Books. ISBN 089673025.
• Guard, Julie (2007). Airborne: World War II Paratroopers in Combat. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1846031966.
• Harclerode, Peter (2005). Wings Of War – Airborne Warfare 1918-1945. London, England: Weidenfeld & Nicolson. ISBN 0-30436-730-3.
• Moreman, Timothy Robert (2006). British Commandos 1940–46. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 184176986X.
• Norton, G G (1973). The Red Devils, the story of the British Airborne Forces. London, England: Pan Books. ISBN 0099574004.
• Otway, Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H (1990). The Second World War 1939–1945 Army – Airborne Forces. Imperial War Museum. ISBN 0901627577.
• Peters, Mike; Luuk, Buist (2009). Glider Pilots at Arnhem. Pen & Sword Books. ISBN Barnsley, England1844157636.
• Reynolds, David (1998). Paras: An Illustrated History of Britain's Airborne Forces. Stroud, United Kingdom: Sutton Publishing. ISBN 0750920599.
• Shortt, James; McBride, Angus (1981). The Special Air Service. Oxford, England: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 0850453968.

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