The Gunner element of the 1st Airborne Division
consisted of the 1st Air landing Light Regiment, the 1st
and 2nd Air landing Anti-Tank Batteries, and the 1st
Forward Observation Unit (Airborne). The guns would be deployed by glider, the
air landing regiment with 75mm pack howitzers, the anti-tank batteries being
equipped with 6 pounder and 17 pounder anti-tank guns.
The air landing regiment had no integral FOO’s, the observers for the battalions and headquarters were supplied by the 1st Forward Observation Unit, who would arrive by gilder or drop by parachute depending on the unit to which they were allocated.
1st Air landing Light Regiment RA
1st Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA
2nd Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA
1st Forward Obseravtion Unit (Airborne) RA
The air landing regiment had no integral FOO’s, the observers for the battalions and headquarters were supplied by the 1st Forward Observation Unit, who would arrive by gilder or drop by parachute depending on the unit to which they were allocated.
1st Air landing Light Regiment RA
1st Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA
2nd Air landing Anti-Tank Battery RA
1st Forward Obseravtion Unit (Airborne) RA
The Gunner plan was to land on day one with two batteries of
75mm pack howitzers and an anti- tank battery. On day two the remaining 75mm
battery and anti-tank battery would arrive. The air landing Regiment would
concentrate in Oosterbeek, the anti- tank guns protecting the bridge and the
defensive perimeter.
Once the guns from XXX corps were in range, they would
augment the gunner support available to the airborne troops.
