The 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion was an
airborne
Airborne or Airborn may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media
Films
* ''Airborne'' (1962 film), a 1962 American film directed by James Landis
* ''Airborne'' (1993 film), a comedy–drama film
* ''Airborne'' (1998 film), an action film sta ...
infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
battalion
A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions ...
of the
Parachute Regiment, raised by the
British Army during the Second World War
At the start of 1939, the British Army was, as it traditionally always had been, a small volunteer professional army. At the beginning of the Second World War on 1 September 1939, the British Army was small in comparison with those of its ene ...
. The battalion was formed by the conversion of the 10th (
East Riding Yeomanry
The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1902.
Units of Yeomanry Cavalry were raised in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 18th and early 19th centuries at times of national emergency: the Jacobite Risin ...
) Battalion,
Green Howards
The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under vario ...
to parachute duties in May 1943. They were then assigned to the
5th Parachute Brigade
The 5th Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces formation of brigade strength, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Created during 1943, the brigade was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, serving alongside the 3rd Parachu ...
, alongside the
7th and
13th Parachute battalions, which was part of the
6th Airborne Division
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, the other being ...
.
The battalion took part in
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the D-Day landings during World War II.
The paratroopers and ...
during the
D-Day landings, capturing
Ranville
Ranville () is a commune in the Calvados department in the Normandy region in northwestern France.
Ranville was the first French village liberated on D-Day. The village was liberated by the British 13th Parachute Battalion, commanded by Lieut ...
and held it against several German counter-attacks. It later fought in the
Battle of Breville
A battle is an occurrence of combat in warfare between opposing military units of any number or size. A war usually consists of multiple battles. In general, a battle is a military engagement that is well defined in duration, area, and force ...
, and played a part in the
6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine, after which it was returned to England in September 1944. The battalion was deployed to the River Meuse with the 5th Parachute Brigade during the German
Ardennes offensive
The Battle of the Bulge, also known as the Ardennes Offensive, was the last major German offensive campaign on the Western Front during World War II. The battle lasted from 16 December 1944 to 28 January 1945, towards the end of the war i ...
in December. Its final mission in Europe was
Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity (24 March 1945) was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. Involving more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest ai ...
, the
River Rhine
), Surselva, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source1_coordinates=
, source1_elevation =
, source2 = Rein Posteriur/Hinterrhein
, source2_location = Paradies Glacier, Graubünden, Switzerland
, source2_coordinates=
, source ...
crossing in March 1945. They then advanced further into Germany, and had reached the
Baltic Sea
The Baltic Sea is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that is enclosed by Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, Sweden and the North and Central European Plain.
The sea stretches from 53°N to 66°N latitude and from ...
, when Germany surrendered.
After the war in Europe the battalion was sent to the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The t ...
, taking part in operations in
Malaya and
Java
Java (; id, Jawa, ; jv, ꦗꦮ; su, ) is one of the Greater Sunda Islands in Indonesia. It is bordered by the Indian Ocean to the south and the Java Sea to the north. With a population of 151.6 million people, Java is the world's mo ...
. In 1946 the battalion rejoined the
6th Airborne Division in Palestine
The 6th Airborne Division in Palestine was initially posted to the region as the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was envisioned as a mobile peace keeping force, positioned to be able to respond quickly to any area of the British Empire. In fact the ...
, where it was disbanded. In 1947 a new 12th Battalion was raised as part of the
16th Airborne Division in the reformed
Territorial Army.
Formation
In May 1943, the 10th (
East Riding Yeomanry
The East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry was a unit of the British Army formed in 1902.
Units of Yeomanry Cavalry were raised in the East Riding of Yorkshire in the 18th and early 19th centuries at times of national emergency: the Jacobite Risin ...
) Battalion,
Green Howards
The Green Howards (Alexandra, Princess of Wales's Own Yorkshire Regiment), frequently known as the Yorkshire Regiment until the 1920s, was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, in the King's Division. Raised in 1688, it served under vario ...
was converted to parachute duties becoming the 12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel R.G. Parker.
David Dobie
David Theodore Dobie, (21 October 1912 in Tynemouth, United Kingdom – 12 December 1971 in Nairobi, Kenya) was a British Army officer who fought during the Second World War. He had a leading role during the Battle of Arnhem ( Operation Mar ...
, who would later lead the
1st Parachute Battalion at the
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a battle of the Second World War at the vanguard of the Allied Operation Market Garden. It was fought in and around the Dutch city of Arnhem, the town of Oosterbeek, the villages Wolfheze and Driel and the vicinity f ...
in September 1944, was the battalion's
second-in-command
Second-in-command (2i/c or 2IC) is a title denoting that the holder of the title is the second-highest authority within a certain organisation.
Usage
In the British Army or Royal Marines, the second-in-command is the deputy commander of a unit, ...
. The battalion was then assigned to the
5th Parachute Brigade
The 5th Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces formation of brigade strength, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. Created during 1943, the brigade was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division, serving alongside the 3rd Parachu ...
, commanded initially by Brigadier
Edwin Flavell before Brigadier
Nigel Poett
General Sir Joseph Howard Nigel Poett, (20 August 1907 – 29 October 1991) was a British Army officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade during the Second World War.
Early life
Poett was born on 20 August 1907, at a rented family house i ...
succeeded him. The brigade was one of three which was part of Major-General
Richard Gale's
6th Airborne Division
The 6th Airborne Division was an airborne infantry division of the British Army during the Second World War. Despite its name, the 6th was actually the second of two airborne divisions raised by the British Army during the war, the other being ...
.
Upon formation, the battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle
companies. The companies were divided into a small headquarters and three
platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may rang ...
s. The platoons had three
Bren machine guns and three
2-inch mortar
The Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar, or more commonly, just "two-inch mortar", was a British mortar issued to the British Army and the Commonwealth armies, that saw use during the Second World War and later.
It was more portable than larger mort ...
s, one of each per
section
Section, Sectioning or Sectioned may refer to:
Arts, entertainment and media
* Section (music), a complete, but not independent, musical idea
* Section (typography), a subdivision, especially of a chapter, in books and documents
** Section sig ...
.
[ The only heavy weapons in the battalion were a 3 inch mortar and a ]Vickers machine gun
The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a water-cooled .303 British (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. The gun was operated by a three-man crew but typically required more men to move and o ...
platoon. By 1944 a headquarters or support company, was added to the battalion comprising five platoons: motor transport, signals, mortar, machine-gun and anti-tank. With eight 3 inch mortars, four Vickers machine guns and ten PIAT anti-tank projectors.[Guard, p.37]
All members of the battalion had to undergo a twelve-day parachute training course carried out at No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) ...
. Initial parachute jumps were from a converted barrage balloon and finished with five parachute jumps from an aircraft.[ Anyone failing to complete a descent was returned to his old unit. Those men who successfully completed the parachute course, were presented with their ]maroon beret
The maroon beret in a military configuration has been an international symbol of airborne forces since the Second World War. It was first officially introduced by the British Army in 1942, at the direction of Major-General Frederick "Boy" B ...
and parachute wings.[Guard, p.224][Guard, p.226]
Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy, armed with heavy weapons, including artillery and tanks. So training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness. Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksman
A marksman is a person who is skilled in precision shooting using projectile weapons (in modern days most commonly an accurized scoped long gun such as designated marksman rifle or a sniper rifle) to shoot at high-value targets at longer-than- ...
ship and fieldcraft
Fieldcraft is the techniques involved in living, traveling, or making military or scientific observations in the field and the methods used to do so. The term "fieldcraft" is used in a broad range of industries including military, oil and gas, wi ...
.[Guard, p.225] A large part of the training regime consisted of assault course
An assault is the act of committing physical harm or unwanted physical contact upon a person or, in some specific legal definitions, a threat or attempt to commit such an action. It is both a crime and a tort and, therefore, may result in crim ...
s and route marching
A loaded march is a relatively fast march over distance carrying a load and is a common military exercise.
A loaded march is known as a forced foot march in the US Army. Less formally, it is a rucksack, ruck march in the Canadian Armed Forces and ...
. Military exercises included capturing and holding airborne bridgeheads, road or rail bridges and coastal fortifications.[ At the end of most exercises, the battalion would march back to their barracks. An ability to cover long distances at speed was expected: airborne platoons were required to cover a distance of in 24 hours, and battalions .][
]
Operational history
Normandy
On 6 June 1944, the 12th Parachute Battalion, under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Johnny Johnson, landed in Normandy at 00:50. The battalion was first tasked with securing the village of Le Bas de Ranville, despite the battalions' drop being heavily dispersed (only two thirds could be accounted for), the village was secured by 04:00 and the battalion began digging in around the village. The 12th held their ground until relieved by elements of the 3rd British Infantry Division advancing from the beaches. During this time the 12th Parachute Battalion was bombarded with heavy mortar and artillery fire, and repelled two German counter-attacks by the 125th Panzer Grenadier Regiment; the first was defeated after destroying a Tiger tank and taking a number of prisoners, and the second was repulsed with the help of an air-landed anti-tank battery which had recently arrived. The battalion then relieved the Glider-borne infantry of the 2nd Battalion, Ox and Bucks Light Infantry at the River Orne and Caen canal bridges.
On 7 June the battalion held a defensive line protecting the bridgeheads south of Ranville when they came under attack by eight Panzer IV tanks and an infantry company of the 21st Panzer Division
The 21st Panzer Division was a German armoured division best known for its role in the battles of the North African Campaign from 1941–1943 during World War II when it was one of the two armoured divisions making up the Deutsches Afrikakorp ...
.[Harclerode, p.335] The attack was beaten off for the loss of three tanks, but caused several casualties amongst 'A' Company, including the crew of their only supporting 6 pounder anti-tank gun.[Harclerode, p.335] The battalions' commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Johnson was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Service Order for the action, Private Francis James Hall of the battalion was awarded the Military Medal
The Military Medal (MM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other arms of the armed forces, and to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The award ...
for destroying two of the Panzers
Nazi Germany developed numerous tank designs used in World War II. In addition to domestic designs, Germany also used various captured and foreign-built tanks.
German tanks were an important part of the Wehrmacht and played a fundamental role du ...
in quick succession.
On 9 June two companies of the battalion were ordered to support the Royal Ulster Rifles in their assault on Honorine la Chardonnerette. The village proved too heavily defended and R.U.R. were order to withdraw. During the withdrawal Lance-Sergeant John Fennell Nankivell of the 12th Battalion Mortar platoon was awarded the Military Medal for continuing to man the battalion Mortar while under heavy sniper fire to cover the withdrawal of the rest of the company.
On 12 June the battalion, now under strength and being held in reserve was ordered to assault the village of Breville with the support of one company from the 12th Battalion Devonshires and the 22nd Independent Parachute Company. The successful capture of the village prevented the German army from using it as a staging area to launch attacks on the River Orne and Caen canal bridgeheads. The Germans never seriously attempted to break through the 6th division's lines again. However the attack cost 12th Parachute Battalion 126 killed (including Lieutenant Colonel Johnson. Lord Lovat who came to observe the battle was wounded at the same time as Johnson was killed. Shelled by Allied Artillery whilst on the start line). This left its three rifle companies with only thirty-five men between them.
River Seine
After a period of rest and reorganisation the battalion rejoined the 5th Parachute Brigade in preparation for the breakout offensive towards the River Seine. On 20 July, the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division fought in the First World War in the trenches of the Western Front, in the fields of France and Flanders. During the Second World War, the divis ...
moved into the line between the 6th Airborne Division and the 51st (Highland) Infantry Division
The 51st (Highland) Division was an infantry division of the British Army that fought on the Western Front in France during the First World War from 1915 to 1918. The division was raised in 1908, upon the creation of the Territorial Force, as ...
. On 7 August the division's commander, Major-General Richard Gale, was ordered to prepare the 6th Airborne to move onto the offensive, they would be advancing on the left flank of the 49th Division, with their objective being the mouth of the River Seine. The three divisions east of the Orne together became I Corps I Corps, 1st Corps, or First Corps may refer to:
France
* 1st Army Corps (France)
* I Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars
* I Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of the Imperial French A ...
; its commander, Lieutenant-General John Crocker
General Sir John Tredinnick Crocker, (4 January 1896 – 9 March 1963) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both world wars. He served as both a private soldier and a junior officer in the First World War, and as a distinguished br ...
, knowing that the 6th Airborne had almost no artillery, vehicles or engineer equipment, did not expect it to advance very quickly. To reach the Seine, the division would have to cross three major rivers.
On 17 August the 3rd Parachute Brigade
The 3rd Parachute Brigade was an airborne forces brigade raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The brigade was initially part of the 1st Airborne Division, but remained in Britain when that division was sent overseas, and becam ...
led the division's breakout from the start line, by 18 August the brigade had crossed the River Dives and reached the outskirts of Goustranville. Here the division halted, and the 5th Parachute Brigade took over the attack, their first objective being the village of Putot en Auge.[Harclerode, pg.354] The 13th Parachute Battalion attempted to carry out a bayonet assault on Hill 13 however they were forced to withdraw under heavy fire after a German counterattack.[Harclerode, p.356] The 7th Parachute Battalion secured the area east of Putot en Auge, while the 12th Parachute Battalion assaulted the village itself, taking 120 German prisoners and several heavy weapons.[Harclerode, p.356]
On 21 August, the 3rd Parachute Brigade advanced towards the River Touques at Pont-l'Évêque facing very heavy resistance from German infantry and armour. Here the brigade held firm while the 5th Parachute Brigade advanced through them, and reached Pont-l'Évêque on 22 August. Both the 12th and 13th battalions attempted to force bridge heads across the Touques river. Under the cover of a smoke barrage, the 12th Battalion attempted to cross at a railway embankment at Saint Jean. The Germans opened fire when they were around 400 yards (370 m) from the river; only ten men from the battalion succeeded in crossing, and then became trapped on the far bank. Running low on ammunition, and without support, they eventually withdrew. Sergeant Dennis Edmund Griss of 'A' Company was awarded the Croix de Guerre for the action. The 13th battalion attempted to cross the first branch of the river but facing fierce German resistance they also withdrew. The next day, patrols from the 7th Parachute Battalion discovered that the Germans had withdrawn during the night, and they therefore crossed the river and secured the high ground to the north, closely followed by the rest of the brigade. On 26 August the 5th Parachute Brigade and the Dutch Motorized Brigade raced to capture Pont Audemer, the crossing over the River Seine, but the Germans were able to destroy the bridge just 20 minutes before their arrival. Despite being "quite inadequately equipped for a rapid pursuit", in nine days of fighting the 6th Airborne Division had advanced 45 miles (72 km) and captured 400 square miles (1,000 km2) of enemy held territory. The division was soon withdrawn from the fighting and returned to the United Kingdom.
Ardennes
The 6th Airborne Division was called to intervene in the German offensive through the Ardennes on 20 December 1944.[saunders, p.279] On the 29th of that month they attacked the tip of the German thrust and the 5th Parachute Brigade was ordered towards Grupont. The battalion, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Darling, was involved for several months of heavy patrolling, in Belgium and, in February, the Netherlands opposed to the 7th Parachute Division (Fallschirmjäger
The ''Fallschirmjäger'' () were the paratrooper branch of the German Luftwaffe before and during World War II. They were the first German paratroopers to be committed in large-scale airborne operations. Throughout World War II, the commander ...
), the 6th Airborne Division was then withdrawn to England.
Germany
By March 1945 the 12th Parachute Battalion had returned to England for reorganisation and training. The battalion was next participating in the Rhine crossing, Operation Varsity
Operation Varsity (24 March 1945) was a successful airborne forces operation launched by Allied troops that took place toward the end of World War II. Involving more than 16,000 paratroopers and several thousand aircraft, it was the largest ai ...
. At 10:14 on 24 March the battalion dropped west of Hamminkeln
Hamminkeln () is a town in the Wesel (district), district of Wesel, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is situated on the river Oude IJssel, Issel, approximately 10 kilometers north of Wesel and 15 km south of Bocholt, Germany, Bocholt. I ...
, north west of Wesel
Wesel () is a city in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. It is the capital of the Wesel district.
Geography
Wesel is situated at the confluence of the Lippe River and the Rhine.
Division of the city
Suburbs of Wesel include Lackhausen, Obrighove ...
, amidst considerable 88mm fire.
The drop had left the battalion dispersed and disorientated, they first assembled at a similar but incorrect rendezvous. Upon realising their mistake and proceeding to the correct area, they suffered casualties after coming under fire from German troops dug in along the drop area. The battalion located the German positions, countered them and took several prisoners. The 12th and 13th battalions then made their way off the drop zone and, after a struggle, established themselves on the Brigade's main objective, covering the road to Hamminkeln.
On 26 March the battalion advanced through Hamminkeln where HQ was established. 'A' Company of the 12th also took 40 POWs who surrendered without resistance.
During the night of 28 March, 13th Parachute Battalion captured the high ground above the village of Erle. Simultaneously 12th Battalion marched 20 miles (32 km) across country, and were ready to assault Erle once daylight came. The battalion then assaulted at dawn capturing the village after an hour's fight and taking 100-200 POWs.
On 6 April advancing in the direction of the River Leine, the 12th Parachute Battalion maintained an advance for 30 hours, including 30 miles in 10 hours, and as a result of four major skirmishes, had killed or captured three hundred enemy troops and a considerable amount of war materiel. Following this advance they were furthest troops into Germany of any in British 2nd Army.
The 5th Parachute Brigade continued its advance through Germany towards the Baltic sea, often supported by tanks of the 6th Guards Tank Brigade.
Far East
Following the war in Europe the battalion deployed with the 5th Brigade to Far East. The end of the war precluded any combat operations against Japanese forces. The brigade took part in the unopposed liberation of Malaya and Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, bor ...
. The battalion was then deployed to Malaya under the command of the 23rd Indian Infantry Division
The 23rd Indian Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign. It was then reformed as a division of the independent Indian Army in 1959.
History
The division was raised on 1 ...
. In December 1945 the 23rd Indian Division and 5th Parachute Brigade successfully occupied civil administration buildings in Batavia, including all police stations. Many public officials were suspected of collaboration with the nationalist insurgents and were quickly interrogated and dismissed from the force.
Palestine
In 1946 the 5th Brigade was sent to join the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine
The 6th Airborne Division in Palestine was initially posted to the region as the Imperial Strategic Reserve. It was envisioned as a mobile peace keeping force, positioned to be able to respond quickly to any area of the British Empire. In fact the ...
, upon arrival in August news was received the 5th Parachute Brigade would be disbanded. Members of the 12th Parachute Battalion were distributed among other parachute units of the division.
Territorial Army
When the Territorial Army was reformed after the war, a new 12th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (TA) was formed in 1947. The battalion was re-designated 12 PARA (TA) in 1948, and again became part of the 5th Parachute Brigade, attached to 16th Airborne Division (TA). In October 1956, the 12th Battalion was amalgamated with the 13th Battalion as the 12/13 PARA (TA). A further amalgamation with 17 PARA in 1967, formed the present day 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment.
Notes
;Footnotes
;Citations
References
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{{Use dmy dates, date=June 2017
British Parachute Regiment Battalions
East Riding of Yorkshire Yeomanry
Military units and formations disestablished in 1946
Military units and formations established in 1943
Airborne units and formations of the United Kingdom
1943 establishments in the United Kingdom
1946 disestablishments in the United Kingdom