2. INTRODUCTION
• The Parachute Regiment forms the airborne infantry element of 16 Air Assault Brigade.
• It provides the capability to deploy an infantry force at short notice, in the most demanding
circumstances. As such, it is trained and ready to form the spearhead for the Army's rapid
intervention capability.
• Watchwords are professionalism, resilience, discipline, versatility, courage and self-reliance. It
is light by design, because this confers speed of reaction, and is expert at air-land
deployments, by helicopter, aeroplane or parachute.
• It is trained to conduct a range of missions, from prevention and pre-emption tasks, to
complex, high intensity war fighting.
• It is also trained to provide direct support to United Kingdom Special Forces, with whom it
maintains close links and to whom it contributes a very significant proportion of manpower.
3.
4. TRAINING
• Parachute training was a 12-day course carried out at the No. 1 Parachute Training School, RAF Ringway.
Recruits initially jumped from a converted barrage balloon and finished with five parachute jumps from an
aircraft.
• Anyone failing to complete a parachute jump was returned to his old unit.
• At the end of the course, new Paras were presented with their maroon beret and parachute wings and posted
to a parachute battalion.
• Parachute training was not without its dangers; three men were killed in the first 2,000 parachute jumps at
Ringway.
• Airborne soldiers were expected to fight against superior numbers of the enemy equipped with artillery and
tanks. So training was designed to encourage a spirit of self-discipline, self-reliance and aggressiveness.
• Emphasis was given to physical fitness, marksmanship and fieldcraft.
• A large part of the training consisted of assault courses and route marching. 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.
5.
6. FORMATION
• The Parachute Regiment was formed to provide the infantry arm of
the airborne formations raised during the Second World War, in
order to deliver a specialised operational capability.
• Airborne forces were required to operate at reach, with a light
logistic footprint, often beyond traditional lines of support.
• Special qualities were therefore demanded of the airborne soldier,
whether launched into battle by parachute or glider.
7.
8. THE REGIMENT
• The Parachute Regiment provides the capability to deploy an infantry force at short notice, in
the vanguard of operations and in the most demanding circumstances.
• As such, it is trained and ready to form the spearhead for the Army's rapid intervention
capability.
• Its watchwords are professionalism, resilience, discipline, versatility, courage and self-reliance.
• It is light by design, because this confers speed of reaction, and is expert at air-land
deployments, by helicopter, aeroplane or parachute.
• It is trained to conduct a range of missions, from prevention and pre-emption tasks, to
complex, high intensity war fighting.
• It is also trained to provide direct support to United Kingdom Special Forces, with whom it
maintains close links and to whom it contributes a very significant proportion of manpower.
9.
10. THE PARATROOPERS
• The Paratrooper is required to be physically fit and mentally
robust.
• He has to demonstrate motivation, self-reliance, initiative and
intelligence.
• Through rigorous selection and hard training the airborne soldier
is expected to develop resilience, self-confidence and a fierce
determination to succeed, whatever the difficulties.
• These qualities have proved a winning factor time and again on
operations.
11.
12. EQUIPMENT
• The Parachute Regiment had their own distinctive uniform: the maroon beret at first with the Army Air Corps cap
badge and from May 1943 the Parachute Regiment cap badge which is still in use today.
• Parachute wings were worn on the right shoulder above the airborne forces patch of Bellerophon riding the flying horse
Pegasus.
• On operations, Paras wore the airborne forces pattern steel helmet instead of the normal British Brodie helmet.
Initially they wore a 'jump jacket' modelled on the German Fallschirmjäger jacket.
• After 1942, the Denison smock was issued as the first camouflaged uniform for the British Army.
• In 1943, a green sleeveless jacket was designed to wear over the Denison smock when parachuting.
• British Paras did not use a reserve parachute, as the War Office considered the £60 cost a waste of money.
• The Parachute Regiment were not issued any special weapons.
• Their small arms were the same as the rest of the army's: the bolt action Lee-Enfield rifle and the Enfield or Webley
revolver or the M1911 pistol.
13.
14. DETAILS
Active: 1941 – present
Allegiance: United Kingdom
Branch: British Army
Type: Airborne Infantry
Size: Four battalions
Part of: 16 Air Assault Brigade Special Forces Support Group
Nickname: The Paras
