History of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion

FORMATION AND TRAINING

The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was Canada's first airborne unit having been formed on July 1st 1942. There was a possibility that the Germans could land a small force in Canada to reduce Canada's effort in the second world war.  It was felt that a highly mobile unit could quickly react to such an event, if required.  It was suggested that the use of an airborne force could meet the requirements needed.  Mr. Ralston, the Minister of Defense, signed the order for the formation of One Canadian Parachute Battalion (1 Can Para) to protect Canada in the event that enemy troops were landed.  The potential of airborne forces was first visualized by Allied Commanders after the Germans' successful use of airborne forces in Holland and later in the capture of Crete.  The official approval for Allied airborne forces was given by Sir Winston Churchill with a minute to the war office saying:

"We ought to have a corps of at least 5000 parachute troops, including a proportion of Australians, New Zealanders and Canadians together."

The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion would consist of the following:

  1. Battalion Headquarters
  2. Company Headquarters
  3. Alpha, Bravo, Charlie Companies

The battalion would have a total strength of 26 officers and 590 other ranks.  At this period in the war, the United States and England had already established airborne forces and the training schools required to teach tactics.  During the summer of 1942, the initial drawing of troops would be divided into two groups, the first being sent to Fort Benning, Georgia and the second would go to Ringway, England. This would give the Canadians a chance to compare tactics and parachuting techniques of both the US and England, thereby giving them the chance to determine the best methods for the development of the Canadian Parachute Training Wing at Shilo, Manitoba.

The training would consist of an extensive 4 week training program including of the following:

By March 1943, Canada had its elite Parachute Battalion. While completing training, discussions were underway in England about the deployment of this new unit.  The Battalion would be part of the Canadian element in the United Kingdom, but under command and equipped as a British parachute battalion, together with the British 3rd Parachute Brigade, British 6th Airborne Division, under Brigadier James Hill, D.S.O.,M.C.  Some of the possible roles for which the 1st Canada Parachute Battalion was trained for included:  seizing ground which was dominated a bridgehead and holding it until the next formation arrived, delaying the movement of enemy reserves located inside or outside the original bridgehead and to operate with direct co-operation with sea borne assault divisions.  The Battalion completed its first jump on May 4, 1943 and by June 1943 the Battalion was preparing for its move to Ringway in England.

1st Can Para arrived in England in July 1943.  Over the next year, the Battalion began training for special airborne operations.  A course to familiarize the personnel with British methods, equipment and aircraft, which included getting used to jumping with one parachute instead of two and through a hole in the floor of the aircraft, instead of through a door of a C-47 Dakota used by Americans, was needed.  Training included section, platoon, company, and battalion operations with special emphasis placed on weapons and physical training.  Training later included combined operations with the British Airborne units and involved tactics, standard operating procedures (SOPs) including brigade and divisional operations.

 
Five members of 1 Can Para in field gear during training. Training run without equipment at Bulford,
Lt G.H. MacDonald is leading.

 
Jump Tower

The first three weeks consisted of ground training and the first week was devoted to physical conditioning.  This was followed by introduction to other phases such as the suspended harness, the mock tower (35 foot tower) and, in the third stage, the high Tower and the shock harness.  The high tower was approximately 250' high with three "free" arms and one "controlled" arm.  On the controlled arm, Para drops were conducted in a chair suspended beneath a parachute canopy and were also taken up on the shock harness.  This piece of equipment was discontinued in Canada many years ago.  The final stage was "D" stage devoted to making the required number of parachute jumps, which was five.

 
Inspection of the 1st Canadian Parachute Bn
at Bulford by the King and Queen, May 15, 1944.

The first Commanding officer of the battalion, Lieutenant-Colonel G.E.P. Bradbrook, formerly of the Saskatoon Light Infantry, declared that "skill and efficiency in the handling of all weapons....must reach and will reach a higher standard than any other arm of the service".

 
1st Can Para Robby Robson, just returning home to show friends he had qualified as a Paratrooper, 1943.

OPERATION OVERLORD....THE D-DAY INVASION

The Battalion's first taste of combat was the Normandy invasion.  Late on June 5th, 1944, they took off with fifty aircraft carrying the troops and equipment heading for France.  In addition to the troops' fighting equipment, each man carried a knife, toggle rope, escape kit with French currency, and two 24 ration packs totaling 70 pounds.  It should be noted that each paratrooper carried almost 50% more than the acceptable load tables for the invasion aircraft.  Most of this additional load was extra ammunition.  Battalion orders for the D-Day invasion were:

"The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was to land one hour in advance of the rest of the brigade in order to secure the dropping zone (DZ).  Thereafter they are to destroy road bridges over the river Dives and its tributaries at Varaville, then to neutralize the strong points on the cross roads."

"In addition, the Canadians were to protect the left (southern) flank of the 9th Battalion during that battalion's attack on the Meriville Battery and then seize and hold a position astride the Le Mesnil cross roads, a vital strategic position at the center of the ridge."

The commanding officer of 1 Can Para, Lt. Col. G.F.P. Bradbrook, issued the following orders to his company commanders:

"C Company (Major H.M. MacLeod) was to secure the DZ, destroy the enemy headquarters (HQ), secure the SE corner of the DZ, destroy the radio station at Varaville, and blow the bridge over the Divette stream in Varaville.  C Coy would then join the battalion at Le Mesnil cross roads.  A Company (Major D. Wilkins) would protect the left flank of 9th Battalion during their attack on the Merville Battery and then cover 9th Battalion's advance to the Leplein feature.  They would seize and hold the Le Mesnil cross roads.  B Company (Major C. Fuller) was to destroy the bridge over the river Dives within two hours of landing and deny the area to the enemy until ordered to withdraw to Le Mesnil cross roads."

The paratroopers landed between 0100 and 0130 hours on June 6th.  Due to primitive navigation aids, dead reckoning, and anti-aircraft fire, the groups were dispersed over a somewhat wider area than had been anticipated.  The dispersal on the drop resulted in the loss of most of the Battalion's heavy equipment along with 80 men who were taken prisoner.  The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was the first Canadian unit on the ground in France.  In spite of sustaining 117 casualties on the first day of battle, all objectives were rapidly attained, a tribute to the hardiness of the men, the excellence of their training, and the thoroughness of the briefing they had received.  All objectives were met by mid-day, June 6, 1944.  The Battalion continued to fight with great success in France seeing action in the following places:  La Vallee Tantot (August 21), La Haie Tondue, Bonneville sur Tonques, Vauville and Beuzeville, where the enemy had again withdrawn leaving the town to the Allies.  The Battalion rested there for the next few days until the rest of the Brigade moved into the area.  They returned to England on September 7, 1944.

BELGIUM AND THE ARDENNES....THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE

 
Three Para's in a jeep.

On January 2, 1945, the Battalion arrived at the front to aid in pushing the Axis forces back, out of Belgium and the Ardennes.  This would be the Battle of the Bulge.  1 Can Para was positioned to complete patrolling (both day and night) and defend against any enemy attempts to infiltrate the area.  The battalion's push forward took them through the towns of Aye, Marche, Roy and Bande.  The taking of Bande marked the end of the fight for the Bulge and the Battalion's participation in the operation.

 
1st Can Para Robby Robson returning via boat from the Battle of the Bulge and Holland.

The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion were the only Canadians to fight in the Ardennes during World War II.  The battalion's next major offensive operation was in the Netherlands.  Upon arrival, the Battalion moved up to its assigned sector in order to set up defensive positions as patrolling began immediately.  The particular type of patrol activity was a favorite among the men, as it required the Battalion to hurry and alarm the enemy by means of patrols, raids, etc., and to establish bridge heads where and when suitable.  The Allied Forces had gathered to push South and destroy German resistance in preparation for the Rhine Crossing.

The heavy shelling of battalion positions resulted in very few casualties considering the length of time they were there and the strength of the enemy positions.  The battalion maintained an active defense as well as considerable patrol activity until its return to the United Kingdom on February 23rd, 1945.  On March 7, 1945, the battalion returned from leave to start training for what would be the last major airborne operation of the war, Operation Varsity, the crossing of the Rhine.

 OPERATION VARSITY....THE RHINE DROP

 
Gliders on the drop zone.

Operation Plunder was the code name given for the offensive operation which would oversee the invasion of Germany and bring about the end of the Second World War.  Airborne forces would be used to seize areas of tactical importance which could be defended until the main Allied Forces could arrive to relieve the paratroopers.  This massive airborne/glider assault was codenamed "Operation Varsity."  The 17th Airborne Division (United States) and the 6th Airborne Division (British) objectives would be the Wesel and the Rhine River, to be completed as a combined paratrooper and glider operation. In itself, this was complicated enough. However, added to this was a jump in broad daylight.

 

 
Two 1 Can Para members dug-in on the drop zone.

3rd Brigade (1st Can Para, 8th, 9th Battalions), 6th Airborne Division tasks would be the following:

  1. To clear the DZ and establish a defensive position road at the west end of the DZ.
  2. To seize the Schnappenburg feature astride the main road running north and south of this feature.
It was reported that Brigadier Hill stated during his briefing:
"Speed and initiative is the order of the day.  Risks will be taken.  The enemy will be attacked and destroyed wherever he is found.  Gentlemen, the artillery and air support is fantastic.  Beaten and demoralized, pounded by our artillery and bombers, what would you think, gentlemen, if you saw a horde of ferocious, bloodthirsty paratroopers, bristling with weapons, cascading down from the skies?  And you needn't think just because you hear a few stray bullets flying about that some miserable Hun is shooting at you.  That is merely a form of egotism.  But if by chance you should happen to meet one of these huns in person, you will treat him gentlemen, with extreme disfavor."
Brigadier Hill assigned the following tasks to 3rd Brigade:
  1. 8th Battalion (British) would seize the northern part of Wald.
  2. 9th Battalion (British) would seize the southern part of the Wald to include Schnappenburg feature.
  3. 1st Can Para would seize and hold the central area.

The central area consisted of the Western edge of the woods, a main road running north from the Wesel to Emmerich, and to a number of houses.  It was believed this area was held by German Paratroopers.  C Company would clear the northern part of the woods near the junction of the roads to Rees and Emmerich.  Once this area was secure, A Company would advance through the position and seize the houses located near the DZ.  B Company would clear the South-Western part of the woods and secure the battalion's flank.  The following is a quote from Robby Robson, an original member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion:

"At approximately 07:30 hours we emplaned in England and after circling to gather other units that made up the 1st Airborne Army, we headed for the Rhine, where at approximately 10:00 hrs we parachuted under intense fire over the Drop Zone near a town called Wesel.  My plane 'The Red Dog' was hit on the port side causing the engine to burst into flame making it quite 'iffy' as we had to jump through the flames of a plane out of control, and as I was second to last in the stick, I became quite anxious about egressing in time.  'The Red Dog' sadly crashed with its valiant crew.

The outcome of this engagement was the defeat of Germany's famous 1st German Parachute Corps in a day and a half.  In the following 37 days, we pushed 285 miles, driving the German Army into the Baltic Sea and taking Churchill's prize, the city of Wismar. It was here that the Battalion met the Russians and stopped their advance into Denmark.  After linking up with the Russian Army and a day or two celebrating armistice, we were whisked away by trucks from Wismar on the Baltic Sea, to Lübeck where we emplaned for England."

 
1 Can Para parades through Wismar, Germany, at the end of the war.

Losses for the operation were comparatively light, indicating that the lessons from Normandy and Arnhem had been learned.  Despite some of the Parachutists being dropped some distance from their landing zone, the Battalion managed to secure its objectives quickly.  On May 9th, 1945 the surrender of Germany was ratified and the war was over.

 
Jonny, the battalion mascot with Sgt. Peter Kawalski after the dog's first parachute jump.

The unit left England in the middle of June, arriving in Halifax on the first day of summer, the first Canadian unit to return home from overseas service.  After a month's leave, the Battalion reassembled at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. With the end of the war in the Pacific in August, the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was disbanded on September 30th, 1945.

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A member of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion shaking hands with a Red Army Officer near Wismar, Germany, 1945.
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RSM Clark speaking with warrant officers prior to D-Day.  RSM Clark was killed on June 6, 1944 on the D-Day DZ.
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1st Canadian officer directing loading of a bren carrier into a Hamilcar Glider, 1944
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Battalion cadets at Fort Benning, GA, 1942

1st Canadian Paratrooper, boarding plane for Rhine Crossing jump, March 1945.
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King George VI inspecting the battalion prior to D-Day