4th Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=The Parachute Regiment


caption=
dates=1941–Present
country=
allegiance=
branch=
type=Versatile Airborne Infantry
role= 4th Battalion—TA Reserve
size= One battalion
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=4th Battalion—Leeds
ceremonial_chief=HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB, OM, AK, QSO, PC, ADC
ceremonial_chief_label=Colonel-in-Chief
colonel_of_the_regiment=General Sir John Reith, KCB, CBE
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=Colonel Commandant
nickname="The Red Devils", "The Paras"
patron=
motto="Utrinque Paratus"
(Latin: "Ready for Anything")
colours=
identification_symbol=
march=Quick—"Ride of the Valkyries"
Slow—"Pomp and Circumstance No 4"
mascot= Shetland Pony ("Pegasus")
battles=
notable_commanders=General Anthony Farrar-Hockley GBE, KCB, DSO & Bar, MC
anniversaries=

The 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (4 PARA) is a Territorial Army (TA) unit of the British Army. It is based across the U.K. Originally the Battalion covered the North of England with its Headquarters located in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. Following the Options for Change review in 1993, 4 PARA amalgamated with the 15th (Scottish) Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (15 PARA) which was downsized and became 15 (Scottish) Company of 4 PARA. As part of further changes in 1999 (Strategic Defence Review) the Battalion also merged with the 10th (Volunteer) Battalion (10 PARA) which then became 10 (London) Company.

History

The present day Battalion is the successor to several T.A. Parachute Battalions which were all raised in 1947, although it can trace its history back to units raised during the Second World War.

The original 4th Parachute Battalion was formed in 1942 and saw service in;
* Algeria ( as part of the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Torch)
* Tunisia (Supporting American forces)

In 1943 Operation Avalanche (Invasion of Italy) was launched and the Battalion was in action at Taranto and Cassino. In October 1944 the Battalion seized by airborne assault (Operation Manna) the airfield at Megara near Athens in Greece. The Battalion spent the rest of the war supporting the 2nd New Zealand Division.

The original 10th Parachute Battalion was a war-formed unit which as part of the British 1st Airborne Division fought at Arnhem (Operation Market Garden). During this action Captain Lionel Ernest Queripel was awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross. A new 10th Battalion was raised in 1947 as part of the T.A. based in London.

The 12th (Yorkshire) and 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalions were dropped at Normandy as part of the 6th Airborne Division during the 'D' Day landings (Operation Overlord) and on 12th June took part in the action at Breville.

In 1945 as part of the 6th Airborne Division both battalions took part in Operation Varsity (the Rhine Crossing). Both Battalions were re-raised in 1947 in the TA, although with no official lineage to their wartime namesakes.

The 15th (Scottish) Battalion was raised in 1947 with HQ in Glasgow whilst 17 PARA was raised the same year in the North-East of England by converting the 9th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry.

One of 15 PARA's past members is the well known Scottish comedian, musician and actor, William "Billy" Connolly, CBE. He served in the Glasgow HQ during the early 1960s and later commemorated his TA experiences in the song, " Weekend Soldier".

On the right sleeve of the smock worn by 15 PARA soldiers just below the wings was a tartan DZ flash. This was similar in design to that used by the lowland Scottish Regiments.

4 PARA was re-formed on 1st April 1967 as a Territorial Army Battalion from a merger of the 12th/13th (Yorkshire and Lancashire) Battalion (this had been formed in 1956 from an amalgamation of the 12th and 13th Battalions) and the 17th (9 DLI) Battalions of The Parachute Regiment.

All of the TA Parachute Battalions formed part of the 44th Parachute Brigade (V) which was disbanded on 31 March 1978. After this 4 PARA came under the administrative command of North-East District with an operational role to reinforce an armoured division in the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR).

In 1982, 4 PARA became part of 15 Infantry Brigade.

In 1999, 4 PARA (Merseyside) was disbanded therefore moving to Pudsey in Leeds, however it moved back to Merseyside (Jubilee Barracks, St Helens) in 2006.

Battalions

10 Company (Greater London)

* White City, London
* Croydon, Surrey

12 Company (North of England)

* Pudsey, Leeds
* Hebburn, Newcastle Upon Tyne
* St Helens, Merseyside

15 Company (Scotland)

* Finnieston, Glasgow
* Edinburgh

Current Operations and Exercises

Recent overseas annual camps have been held in the Czech Republic 1999 (Ex Czech Mate); France 2001 (Ex Gaulish 1); Germany 2002 (Ex Paperchase); Ukraine 2003 (Ex Cossack Steppe); Wyoming, USA 2005 (Ex Stoney Run) and Albania 2006. In addition the Battalion has a number of regular exercises and unit exchanges which it takes part in, these include Ex Paperchase (exchange with German 272 Falschirmjager Battalion); Ex Anthropoid (Patrol competition with Slovak Special Forces); Ex Pathfinder (Exchange with Czech airborne forces) and Ex Market Garden (annual commemoration and jump into Arnhem). The Battalion also regularly sends teams to the annual Exercise Cambrian Patrol competition held at the Sennybridge Training Area. A total of 104 soldiers from the Battalion were mobilised to reinforce the 1st and 3rd Battalions during the invasion of Iraq in 2003 Operation Telic. The Battalion provided a Platoon for Force Protection duties on Op Telic 3 in 2004 and a Company for Op Telic 7 in 2005-2006. Most recently the Battalion mobilised 20 soldiers to support of the 3rd Battalion in Afghanistan Operation Herrick. The Battalion has also provided soldiers for operations in Northern Ireland and the Balkans.

ee also

* 1 PARA
* 2 PARA
* 3 PARA
*United Kingdom Special Forces

External links

* [http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/4632.aspx 4 PARA at Army.mod.uk]
* [http://www.parachute-regiment.com/ Official MOD Regimental Website]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/specfor/para.htm Parachute Regiment on Regiments.org]
* [http://www.parachuteregiment-hsf.org/ http://www.parachuteregiment-hsf.org/]
* [http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org/ http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org]
*http://www.LothianPRA.org.uk