3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment

Infobox Military Unit
unit_name=Third Battalion, The Parachute Regiment


caption=
dates=1941–Present
country=United Kingdom
allegiance=
branch=Army
type=Versatile Airborne Infantry
role=
size= 650 men
command_structure=
current_commander=
garrison=Colchester Garrison
ceremonial_chief=
ceremonial_chief_label=
colonel_of_the_regiment=
colonel_of_the_regiment_label=Colonel Commandant
nickname="Gungy Third"
patron=
motto="Utrinque Paratus"
(Latin: "Ready for Anything")
colours=
identification_symbol=
identification_symbol_label=
identification_symbol_3=
identification_symbol_3_label=Abbreviation
march=
mascot=
battles=
notable_commanders=
anniversaries=

The Third Battalion, The Parachute Regiment (3 PARA) is a battalion sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whos Commanding Officer is Lieutenant Colonel Huw Williams.

Roled as an Airborne light infantry unit and is capable of a wide range of operational taskings. Based at Merville Barracks, Colchester Garrison, their barracks in England, personnel regularly deploy outside of the United Kingdom on operations and training.

All personnel will have completed the Pre Parachute Selection (P Company) course at Depot PARA at Catterick, North Yorkshire (previously Aldershot, Hampshire) entitling them to wear the Maroon beret.

History

1940-1949

* 1941
30 September: 3rd Parachute Battalion, Parachute Corps
* 1942
1 August: 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
* 1944
21 September: Captured by the Germans at Arnhem
* 1946
Reconstituted and amalgamated with 2nd Battalion to form 2nd/3rd Battalion
* 1948
July: 3rd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment re-formed at Itzehoe from 7th Battalion
* 1949
November: England: Aldershot (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)

1950-1959

* 1950
July 19: King George VI presents the Regiment with their first Kings and Regimental colours. Aldershot.
* 1951
June: Egypt
* 1954
England: Aldershot (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
* 1956
January: Cyprus (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
5 November: Operation Musketeer, Suez Canal, Egypt (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
November: Cyprus (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
December: England: Aldershot (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
* 1958
June: Cyprus (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
18 July: Jordan (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)
November: Cyprus (16 Independent Parachute Brigade)

1960-1969

* 1961
October: Bahrain
* 1962
May: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England
* 1964
April: Bahrain
Aden
* 1965
7 April: New Barrack complex (Montgomery Lines) opens. Aldershot, England
October: British Guiana
* 1966
February: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England

1970-1979

* 1971
January: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
June: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England
* 1973
March: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
July: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England
* 1974
June: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
August: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England
* 1977
March: Osnabrück, Germany (5 Field Force) (BAOR)
* 1978
February: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
June: Osnabrück, Germany (5 Field Force) (BAOR)

1980-1989

* 1980
June: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England (8 Field Force)
December: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
* 1981
April: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England (8 Field Force)
* 1982
January: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England (5 Infantry Brigade)
* 1980
December: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
* 1981
April: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England (5 Infantry Brigade)
* 1982
April: Operation Corporate, Falkland Islands (3 Commando Brigade)
June: Tidworth, Wiltshire, England (5 Infantry Brigade)
* 1983
November: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England (5 Infantry Brigade)
Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England (5 Airborne Brigade)
* 1986
June: UNFICYP Tour, Cyprus
December: Aldershot
* 1987
January - June: Military support to the Civil Police at Gatwick Airport
June: Aldershot
* 1989
February 20: Residential Tour. Operation Banner, Holywood Barracks, Belfast, Northern Ireland (39 Infantry Brigade)

1990-1999

* 1991
February: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England (5 Airborne Brigade)
* 1992
March: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
June: Montgomery Lines, Aldershot, England (5 Airborne Brigade)
* 1995
July: Connaught Barracks, Dover, England (ACE MF(L))

2000-Present

* 2000
August: Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester, England (16 Air Assault Brigade)
* 2001
December: Operation Banner, Northern Ireland
Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester, England (16 Air Assault Brigade)
* 2003
February: Persian Gulf (16 Air Assault Brigade)
March: Iraq (16 Air Assault Brigade)
England: Colchester (16 Air Assault Brigade)
* 2005
Helmand, Afghanistan (16 Air Assault Brigade)
Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester, England (16 Air Assault Brigade)
* 2006
April: Operation Herrick IV, Helmand, Afghanistan (16 Air Assault Brigade)
November: Hyderabad Barracks, Colchester, England (16 Air Assault Brigade)
* 2008
April: Operation Herrick VIII, Helmand, Afghanistan (16 Air Assault Brigade)
October: Merville Barracks, Colchester, England

Commanding Officers

* 1941-1942 Lieutenant Colonel G W Lathbury, DSO, MBE
* 1942-1943 Lieutenant Colonel R G Pine-Coffin, DSO, MC
* 1943-1944 Lieutenant Colonel E C Yeldham
* 1944 Lieutenant Colonel J A C Fitch
* 1944-1945 Lieutenant Colonel R T H Lonsdale, DSO
* 1945-1946 Lieutenant Colonel E P D Brandish
* 1946-1947 Lieutenant Colonel G P Rickord, DSO
* 1947-1948 Lieutenant Colonel T H Birkbeck, DSO
* 1948-1950 Lieutenant Colonel P D Maud, MBE
* 1950-1953 Lieutenant Colonel W D Tighe-Wood, MC
* 1953-1954 Lieutenant Colonel V W Street, DSO, OBE, MC
* 1954-1957 Lieutenant Colonel P E Crook, DSO, OBE
* 1957-1960 Lieutenant Colonel M Forrester, DSO, OBE, MC
* 1960-1962 Lieutenant Colonel R C Gibbs, DSO, MC
* 1962-1965 Lieutenant Colonel A H Farrar-Hockley, DSO, MBE, MC
* 1965-1967 Lieutenant Colonel F H Scobie, OBE
* 1967-1969 Lieutenant Colonel F A Ward-Booth
* 1969-1971 Lieutenant Colonel P I Chiswell, MBE
* 1971-1973 Lieutenant Colonel S G Lorimer
* 1973-1975 Lieutenant Colonel K Spacie, OBE
* 1975-1978 Lieutenant Colonel P S Morton, OBE
* 1978-1980 Lieutenant Colonel K Coates, MBE
* 1980-1982 Lieutenant Colonel H W R Pike, DSO, MBE
* 1982-1985 Lieutenant Colonel R A Smith, OBE, QGM
* 1985-1987 Lieutenant Colonel C D Farrar-Hockley, MC
* 1987-1988 Lieutenant Colonel R D Llewellin
* 1988-1991 Lieutenant Colonel H M Fletcher, OBE
* 1991-1994.Lieutenant Colonel T W Burls, MC
* 1995-1998 Lieutenant Colonel R H Gash
* 1998-2000 Lieutenant Colonel A C P Kennett, MBE
* Lieutenant Colonel Stuart Tootal DSO OBE
* Lieutenant Colonel Huw Williams MBE

ee Also

* 1 PARA
* 2 PARA
* 4 PARA

References

External Links

* [http://www.army.mod.uk/infantry/regiments/4631.aspx 3 PARA at Army.mod.uk]
* [http://www.genuki.org.uk/big/paras/index.html Parachute Regiment War Dead]
* [http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org/ Palace Barracks Memorial Garden]
* [http://www.exairborneforces.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?t=5528&sid=7c48a06e052ddaf890d49cffb1ba1799 Exairborne Forces history page]