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ATHENS In October 1944 German withdrawal from the Balkans was imminent and a force consisting of 2nd Independent Parachute group under the command of brigadier C H V Pritchard, including the 4th, 5th (Scottish), 6th (Royal Welsh) Battalions and 1st Independent platoon (Pathfinders) The Parachute Regiment together with 23 armoured Brigade (in an infantry role) were allocated the task of securing Athens, maintaining law and order and bringing relief to the Greek peoples. On 12th October 1944 a company of 4 PARA seized Megara airfield by Parachute Assault in a 35mph wind. The remainder of the Brigade followed and by 15th October Athens had been secured. The brigade spent the next three months following up the retreating Germans and maintaining Law and Order throughout the country. In Athens, however, vicious riots between rival political factions involved the troops in serious and bitter street fighting against Greek rebels during December and early January 1945. The scope of these activities may be judged by the fact that at the time the Brigade was feeding 20 000 civilians a day and on one day of the final battle they killed 170 rebels, wounded 70 and took 520 prisoners. OUDNA (Tunisia) On 29th November 1942 the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment under the command of Lt Col JD Frost was ordered to seize and destroy German aircraft on the airfield at Oudna some 9 miles from Tunis. This operation was to coincide with a general advance by the ground troops. The operation was hurriedly mounted and resulted in a scattered drop (the drop zone being selected in the air by the lead aircraft) fortunately unopposed at Depienne. The Battalion then marched 12 miles overnight and after a short. Sharp engagement captured and secured the airfield at Oudna. Throughout the 30th November they were attacked by armour and aircraft but these were beaten off. There being no sign of the ground troops the Battalion withdrew into the hills before a major enemy assault could be mounted. Here they received a message that our ground forces had been halted 50 miles to the west. From 1st to 3rd December under constant attack by day and by night from German armour, parachute infantry and aircraft the battalion fought its way back to Medjez to rejoin our lines. Despite loses of some 260 all ranks they reached the allied lines intact whilst 50 of the missing rejoined in small groups over the next few days. FALKLANDS ISLANDS (Operation Corporate) On 2 April 1982 Argentina invaded the Falklands Island Dependencies. With only a single company of Royal Marines to defend them, the Islands and South Georgia were quickly overrun. A British task force was rapidly gathered to retake the islands, with its land element centred on 3 Commando Brigade. At this time 3 PARA was the spearhead battalion and it was attached to 3 Commando Brigade, leaving UK on 9 April aboard SS Camberra. 2 PARA, then the In Role battalion at 5 days notice to move, was also stood to and departed on 26 April on MV Norland. During the long voyage south, both Battalions carried out intensive training. 3 Commando Brigade went ashore at Ajax bay on the night of 21/22 May. 2 PARA established itself on Sussex Mountain protecting the south of the bridgehead without opposition. 3 PARA landed in the north near Port San Carlos driving off a group of about 40 enemy. Over the next week Argentinean air attacks against the beachhead and shipping took place almost daily. On 26 May, 2 PARA were ordered to move south and engage the Argentinean operational reserve on the Darwin/Goose Green peninsula. The attack began during the early hours of 28 May with naval and artillery support. By dawn however, the assault had been stalled as a result of strong enemy defensive positions near Darwin and both the CO and Adjutant were killed trying to capture a machine gun post. The assault continued and by last light the whole peninsula, less the Goose Green Settlement, had been taken. Negotiations with the Argentineans produced their surrender the next day. Over 1250 prisoners were taken and 256 Argentineans killed. After the battle 2 PARA were placed under the command of 5 Infantry brigade. Meanwhile, on 27 may, 3 PARA set off on foot by a northern route to capture Teal Inlet, which it did on 29 May, taking some prisoners. On 11 June 2 PARA moved north to rejoin 3 Commando brigade for the final Battle for Port Stanley. An early but vital objective was Mount Longdon and this was attacked by 3 PARA during the night of 11/12 June. The enemy were well dug in and prepared and it was only after 10 hours of bloody fighting that 3 PARA secured their objective. They then held it for 48 hours under intense and accurate artillery fire. A total of 22 paratroopers were killed during this operation. On the night of 13/14 June 2 PARA passed behind 3 PARA and, supported by 3 PARA mortars, attacked another key objective - Wireless Ridge. This was secured by first light and shortly afterwards the enemy resistance collapsed. Both battalions followed up and were the first troops to enter Port Stanley. In all the two battalions suffered 40 dead and 93 wounded. 68 awards were received. These included two posthumous Victoria crosses won by Lt Col H Jones VC OBE and Sgt I McKay VC. |