page_title: 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion
section_title: Normandy
hierarchical_section_title: 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion / Operational history / Normandy
caption_attribution_description: English: A 6th Airborne Division sniper on patrol in the Ardennes, wearing a snow camouflage suit, 14 January 1945.
context_page_description: The 13th (Lancashire) Parachute Battalion was an airborne infantry battalion of the Parachute Regiment, raised by the British Army during the Second World War. The battalion was formed in May 1943 by the conversion of the 2/4th Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment to parachute duties and was assigned to the 5th Parachute Brigade in the 6th Airborne Division.
  In June 1944, the battalion took part in Operation Tonga, the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, and the 6th Airborne Division advance to the River Seine, before being withdrawn back to England. Three months later they were sent to Belgium to help counter the surprise German Ardennes offensive, which became known as the Battle of the Bulge. Later, in March 1945, the battalion took part in the last airborne operation of the war: the River Rhine crossing in Germany. After the war in Europe ended, they were sent to India to conduct operations against the Japanese Empire, however, the war ended before they could begin. As a result, the battalion was sent to British Malaya, Singapore and Java to help disarm the Japanese occupiers and restore law and order.
context_section_description: At 00:50 on 6 June 1944, as part of Operation Tonga, the 13th Parachute Battalion landed in Normandy. The battalions drop was scattered over a large area and only around sixty percent of the battalions men were at the forming up point when they headed off towards their objectives. The battalion had been tasked with securing the area around Drop Zone 'N' and the River Orne and Caen canal bridges that had been captured in a coup-de-main by a glider-borne force from the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, part of 6th Airlanding Brigade. The battalion also had to secure the town of Ranville, which it achieved at around 04:00 against heavy resistance from the Germans. One company from the battalion remained at the landing-zone to provide protection for 591st (Antrim) Parachute Squadron, Royal Engineers, who were to demolish poles and explosives positioned to prevent a glider landing, so that the divisional headquarters could land safely. By midnight the battalion, less 62 men who were missing, was occupying Ranville. Dug in around Ranville the battalion was subjected to artillery and mortar bombardments, and sporadic infantry assaults. This lasted until 17 June when they were relieved by the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and move to Le Mesnil. On 25 June the battalion was sent to rest in the Benourville area.
  On 3 July 100 infantry replacements arrived, and on 5 July the battalion returned to the front line taking over their original positions from the Canadians. By now German activity had lessened, while in the front line the battalion kept up a programme of patrols. Around half of July was spent in the rear areas training as the divisional assault battalion or resting. The battalion returned to the front on 7 August taking over the positions of the No. 46 (Royal Marine) Commando near Sallenelles. German activity was light and the Battalion was employed in carrying out patrols until 13 August when it was once again relieved and went into reserve. While in reserve it practised manoeuvre warfare in anticipation of the expected advance.
  The 6th Airborne Division's advance started 17 August 1944. The 13th Battalion followed up the leading elements on 18 August when it crossed the River Dives at Troarn and attacked Putot en Auge. On 19 August, the battalion was involved in the battle of Hill 13, which cost them 70 dead and wounded. On 22 August, they had reached Pont L'Eveque. By 14:15 the whole battalion had entered the town, in the face of heavy resistance which included fire from anti-aircraft guns that were being used in a ground role. Supported by a troop of Cromwell tanks from the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment, the town was secured up to the bridge. The following day at 06:00 'B' Company assaulted the bridge securing a bridgehead on the far bank. The rest of the battalion soon followed, but by 1330 following fierce German resistance, the battalion was forced to withdraw covered by the 7th Parachute Battalion. The next day, 24 August, the Germans withdrew from the bridge followed by the battalion which established a blocking position at Les Authieux sur Calonne to cut off the German retreat. Remaining in position until 26 August they resumed the advance, passing through Saint Maclou to Pont Audemer, and eventually reached Genneville where the advance was stopped. On 3 September the battalion's remaining 16 officers and 270 men left France for Southampton.
caption: Airborne Sniper in the Ardennes 17 January 1945
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