The 6th Airborne Division order of battle only lists those units assigned to the division, units only attached for short periods of time are not included.
The 6th Airborne Division was the second of two airborne divisions formed by the British Army during the Second World War. Raised in 1943, the division fought in the Normandy landings (Operation Deadstick, Operation Tonga, Operation Mallard, Battle of Breville), the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944 and January 1945. The division then participated in Operation Varsity the second airborne assault over the River Rhine during the war. Afterwards the division advanced north to the Baltic sea, reaching Wismar by the end of the war.
In the immediate post war period the 1st Airborne Division was disbanded leaving the 6th as the only airborne division in the British Army. Near the end of 1945, the division was named the Imperial Strategic Reserve and posted to the Middle East and deployed in an internal security role, during unrest in the British mandate of Palestine. By 1948, the British Army numbers had returned to peace time levels and the division was disbanded leaving the independent 2nd Parachute Brigade as the only regular army airborne formation.
The Second World War formation, that participated in the Normandy landings, and Rhine Crossing.
3rd Parachute Brigade8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion1st Canadian Parachute Battalion5th Parachute Brigade7th (Light Infantry) Parachute Battalion12th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion6th Airlanding Brigade12th Devonshire Regiment2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry1st Royal Ulster RiflesDivisional troops6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment, Royal Artillery2nd Forward Observer Unit, Royal Artillery3rd Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery4th Airlanding Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery2nd Airlanding Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Artillery3rd Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers591st Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers249th Field Company. Royal Engineers286th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Division Postal Unit, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Divisional Signals21st Independent Parachute Company (Pathfinders)127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance195th (Airlanding) Field Ambulance63rd Company, Royal Army Service Corps398th Company, Royal Army Service Corps716th Company, Royal Army Service Corps6th Airborne Division Ordnance Field Park6th Airborne Division Workshop6th Airborne Division Provost CompanyThis represents the division formation on arrival in the Middle East.
2nd Parachute Brigade4th Parachute Battalion5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion3rd Parachute Brigade3rd Parachute Battalion8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute Battalion6th Airlanding Brigade2nd Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry1st Royal Ulster Rifles1st Argyll and Sutherland HighlandersDivisional troops6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Regiment2nd Forward Observer Unit1st Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers9th Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers286th Airborne Park squadron, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Division Postal Unit, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Divisional Signals21st Independent Parachute Company63rd Composite Company (Airborne), Royal Army Service Corps398th Composite Company (Airborne), Royal Army Service Corps716th Company (Airborne Light), Royal Army Service Corps127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance195th (Airlanding) Field Ambulance74th Field Hygiene section6th Airborne Division Ordnance, Field Park Royal Army Ordnance Corps6th Airborne Division Workshops. Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers6th Airborne Division Battle School6th Airborne Division Training School6th Airborne Division Provost Company317th Field Security Section16th Field Cash Office (Light)6th Airborne Division Air Photographic Interpretation Section2nd Mobile Photographic Enlargement SectionBy January 1947, the 6th Airlanding Brigade, the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, the 21st Independent Parachute Company had been disbanded and the 286th Airborne Park Squadron were renumbered the 249th.
1st Parachute Brigade1st Parachute Battalion2nd Parachute Battalion17th Parachute Battalion2nd Parachute Brigade4th Parachute Battalion5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion3rd Parachute Brigade3rd Parachute Battalion8th (Midlands) Parachute Battalion9th (Eastern and Home Counties) Parachute BattalionDivisional troops3rd The King's Own Hussars53rd (Worcester Yeomanry) Airlanding Light Regiment2nd Airlanding Anti-Tank Regiment2nd Forward Observer Unit1st Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers9th Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers249th Airborne Park Squadron, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Division Postal Unit, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Divisional SignalsNo. 1 Wing, Glider Pilot Regiment63rd Composite Company (Airborne), Royal Army Service Corps398th Composite Company (Airborne), Royal Army Service Corps716th Company (Airborne Light), Royal Army Service Corps127th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance195th (Airlanding) Field Ambulance74th Field Hygiene section6th Airborne Division Ordnance, Field Park Royal Army Ordnance Corps6th Airborne Division Workshops. Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers6th Airborne Division Battle School6th Airborne Division Training School6th Airborne Division Provost Company317th Field Security Section16th Field Cash Office (Light)6th Airborne Division Air Photographic Interpretation Section2nd Mobile Photographic Enlargement SectionThe division had been reduced to two parachute brigades and supporting troops, the majority of which served in Palestine, while the 2nd Parachute Brigade was based in England.
1st Parachute Brigade1st Parachute Battalion2nd/3rd Parachute Battalion8th/9th Parachute Battalion2nd Parachute Brigade (Based in England)4th/6th Parachute Battalion5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion7th (Light Infantry) Parachute BattalionDivisional troops3rd The King's Own Hussars33rd Airborne Light Regiment66th Airlanding Anti-Tank Regiment334th Forward Observer Unit1st Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers3rd Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers (Based in England)9th Airborne Squadron, Royal Engineers147th Airborne Park Squadron, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Division Postal Unit, Royal Engineers6th Airborne Divisional Signals63rd Company (Parachute Brigade), Royal Army Service Corps (Based in England)398th Company (Parachute Brigade), Royal Army Service Corps716th Company (Parachute Brigade), Royal Army Service Corps23rd (Parachute) Field Ambulance (Based in England)195th (Parachute) Field Ambulance224th (Parachute) Field Ambulance74th Field Hygiene Section16th Field Hygiene Section17th Field Hygiene Section6th Airborne Division Ordnance Field Park, Royal Army Ordnance Corps1st Airborne Workshops, Royal Army Ordnance Corps2nd Airborne Workshops, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (Based in England)3rd Airborne Workshops, Royal Army Ordnance Corps6th Airborne Division Battle School6th Airborne Division Training School6th Airborne Division Provost Company317th Field Security Section16th Field Cash Office (Light)6th Airborne Division Air Photographic Interpretation Section2nd Mobile Photographic Enlargement Section
