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The 1st Parachute Brigade, or the Red Devils, was an airborne forces brigade formed by the British Army during the Second World War.As its name indicates, the unit was the first parachute infantry brigade formation in the British Army.
When planning began for Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa in 1942, it was decided to attach the 1st Parachute Brigade, part of the 1st Airborne Division, to the Allied forces taking part, as an American airborne unit, the 2nd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, was also to be used during the invasion.
The Polish 1st Parachute Brigade commander, Sosabowski, was prepared to try a dangerous drop through the fog which held up his deployment but again was refused. [citation needed] Market Garden was a risky plan that required a willingness to gamble at the tactical and operational levels.
The existing 11th Special Air Service Battalion was renamed the 1st Parachute Battalion on 15 September 1941, and, together with the newly raised 2nd and 3rd Parachute Battalions, formed the first of the new airborne formations, the 1st Parachute Brigade, commanded by Brigadier Richard Gale, [12] who would later command the 6th Airborne Division from 1943 to 1944. [13]
The third British airborne mission planned was Operation Fustian, to be carried out by the 1st Parachute Brigade, under Brigadier Gerald Lathbury, and scheduled for the night of 13–14 July. [5] The 1st Parachute Brigade's objective was the Primosole bridge, crossing the Simeto River, south of Catania. [6]
Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, Brigadier-General Stanisław Sosabowski (arrived September 21st) 1st Parachute Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel M. Tonn 2nd Parachute Infantry Battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel W. Ploszewski
Of the troops dropped into Arnhem, approximately 40 per cent were members of the Parachute Regiment, later supported by members of the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade. The remainder of the division comprised battalions transported by the Glider Pilot Regiment. They expected to be relieved by XXX Corps within two days. [1]
Montgomery's plan involved dropping the US 101st Airborne Division to capture bridges around Eindhoven, the US 82nd Airborne Division to capture crossings around Nijmegen and the British 1st Airborne Division, with the Polish 1st Independent Parachute Brigade, to capture three bridges across the Nederrijn at Arnhem.