44th Parachute Brigade (V)

The 44th Parachute Brigade (Volunteers) was formed on 1st April 1967 from 44th Independent Parachute Brigade Group (TA). The Brigade was the only Territorial Army Parachute formation in the Army's order of battle. The following units were part of the Brigade:

* Brigade Headquarters and Defence Platoon - Chelsea
** 606 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 620 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 621 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 622 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 623 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 624 TACP(FAC)(V)
** 625 TACP(FAC)(V)
* 289 Parachute Battery, Royal Horse Artillery (V) - East Ham (this unit left the Brigade in 1977 when it converted to 289 Commando Battery (V), Royal Artillery)
* 131 Independent Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers (V - HQ London with Troops in Birmingham, Hull and Grangemouth (In 1978 this became 131 Independent Commando Squadron (V) Royal Engineers)
* 44 Parachute Brigade Signal Troop, Royal Signals (V) - Chelsea
* 4th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment - HQ Pudsey with Companies in Liverpool, Oldham, Gateshead and Norton
* 10th (Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment - HQ White City, London with Companies in White City, Finchley, Croydon and Aldershot
* 15th (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion, The Parachute Regiment - HQ Glasgow with Companies in Glasgow, Aberdeen and Edinburgh
* 16th (Volunteer) Independent Company, The Parachute Regiment - Lincoln
* 562 Parachute Squadron Royal Corps of Transport (Volunteers) - Southall with detachments A Troop at West Ham and B Troop in Dulwich.
* 144 Parachute Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps (V) - HQ London with detachments in Nottingham, Glasgow and Cardiff
* 44 Parachute Ordnance Field Park, Royal Army Ordnance Corps (V) - Heston
* 1 Parachute Provost Platoon, Royal Military Police (V) - Tulse Hill

The 44th Parachute Brigade (V) was disbanded on 31st March 1978. Only the 3 TA Parachute Battalions and 144 Field Ambulance retained their parachute role; 289 Battery RHA and 131 Squadron RE were converted to Commando units (289 changing from RHA to RA) while the remainder of the Brigade units were either converted or disbanded.

ee also

*United Kingdom Special Forces
*British Army
*Modern equipment and uniform of the British Army

External links and Sources

*http://www.arrse.co.uk/cpgn2/Forums/viewtopic/t=11477.html - order of battle source
* [http://www.parachute-regiment.com/ Official MOD Regimental Website]
* [http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/specfor/para.htm Parachute Regiment on Regiments.org]
* [http://www.parachuteregiment-hsf.org/ http://www.parachuteregiment-hsf.org/]
* [http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org/ http://www.palacebarracksmemorialgarden.org]
*http://www.LothianPRA.org.uk