6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division.
During the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, the brigade took part in Operation Mallard, holding the southern flank of the bridgehead over the Orne River. In August 1944, along with the rest of the 6th Airborne Division, it took part in the advance to the River Seine. Withdrawn to England in September, the brigade returned to mainland Europe to counter the surprise German offensive in the Ardennes, better known as the Battle of the Bulge. Their final airborne mission of the war was Operation Varsity in March 1945, an assault crossing of the Rhine, after which they advanced through Germany, reaching the Baltic Sea at Wismar by the end of the war.
The brigade was withdrawn from Germany at the end of May 1945 and was sent, together with the rest of 6th Airborne Division, to British Palestine to provide internal security. Following the arrival of the 1st Parachute Brigade, however, the 6th Airlanding Brigade was no longer needed there and was returned to normal infantry duties, renamed the 31st Independent Infantry Brigade.
Read more about 6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom): Background, Formation, Operational History, Order of Battle
Famous quotes containing the word brigade:
“Rational free spirits are the light brigade who go on ahead and reconnoitre the ground which the heavy brigade of the orthodox will eventually occupy.”
—G.C. (Georg Christoph)