Canadian Airborne Regiment The Canadian Airborne Regiment ( ) was a Canadian Forces formation created on April 8 , 1968 . It was not an administrative regiment in the commonly accepted British Commonwealth sense , but rather a tactical formation manned from other regiments and branches . It was disbanded in 1995 after the Somalia Affair . Origin and organizational aspects . The concept of the Airborne . The main proponent of the Airborne was General Jean Victor Allard who , as commander of the Army ( i . e . Mobile Command ) and then Chief of Defence Staff , created it between 1965 and 1968 as a large rapid - reaction , light mobile force , suitable for overseas brigade - size missions . It was designed as a flexible short - term immediate response available to the government when it accepted an overseas reinforcement or intervention mission within NATO , or elsewhere . It would be replaced in a brigade ' s proposed mission area , after no more than a few weeks , once the main body of a heavier brigade was mobilized and transported with its fighting vehicles and support to the area . ( See Gen . Allard ' s memoirs , Chap . 12 . ) Over time , and a succession of chiefs of defence , the Airborne remained an object of conflicting concepts of operations , military structure and linguistic identity . Originally designed as a quick - reaction immediate - response force that could , if absolutely necessary , use parachute s , it was quickly transformed into a highly specialized parachute force , to be used for special parachute missions in the regular order of battle . ( See Allard ' s memoirs . ) This , in turn , created controversy since there was no accepted requirement for such a Canadian Forces capability in operational plans , other than the rather pedestrian task of jumping into remote locations in the Canadian Arctic . The original concept of the Airborne envisaged a rotation of young infantry soldiers and officers through its units , serving a maximum of two years . It was to be an essential and exciting posting for all young infantry leaders prior to their promotion to sergeant or captain in their own regiment . Allard wrote : " this regiment would not reflect the identity of a Victorian - era regiment because its members would serve in it for only a short period ( Chap 12 ) . " However , under Allard ' s successors , the Airborne became instead another separate regiment , specializing in parachuting , and keeping its members for as long as possible . It adopted all the symbols of a line regiment , including badges , colours , and history ( creating a historical link with Canadian war - time parachute battalions ) . In particular , it sought to replace the identity of its members from Canada ' s line regiments with that of the Airborne . This aborted the original operational purpose of the Airborne and , significantly , planted the seeds of an ongoing conflict of identity and loyalty within the Canadian infantry family . Allard wrote that " those who took this route showed an absolute ignorance of the requirement for quick - reaction in today ' s world . " Location . On Allard ' s retirement , the unit was established in Edmonton , Alberta , in 1968 . This was a large Air Transport Command base . The prairie weather is ideal for specialized parachute training , and Edmonton is the " gateway to the North " . But the location in western Canada was disputed by some for operational reasons in that Canada ' s rapidly declining troop strength was consequently heavily skewed to that part of the continent where neither its population nor its NATO commitments justified . There was a full brigade in the West , plus the Airborne . In central and eastern Canada , there were only four battalions of infantry . The Edmonton location also created linguistic problems . The Airborne ' s French - speaking elements had initially been left at CFB Valcartier in Quebec , but they too were moved to Alberta in 1970 . There , it became difficult to keep them up to strength , particularly as many married leaders refused to make their career in an environment unsuitable for their families . Finally , in the face of recruiting and retention problems , as well as operational concerns , the Airborne was moved to CFB Petawawa in Ontario , where it remained until it was disbanded . In 1970 a mechanized infantry battalion was added to the regiment and was named 3rd Canadian Mechanized Commando . This unit was an element of the 4th Canadian Mechanized Brigade and was stationed in CFB Baden , Germany . Although it was part of the regiment it did not have a parachute role . It was disbanded in 1977 . Organization , size , and identity . The Airborne Regiment also suffered from frequent reorganizations . Initially conceived as a small brigade , its lack of resources forced it from the start to become a rather large tactical " regiment " with two infantry " commandos " , one English - speaking and the other mostly French - speaking , as well as one artillery battery , one engineer field squadron , one signal squadron , and a service company . A tug - of - war thus started between advocates of an exclusive " airborne " identity versus Canada ' s other infantry regiments , whose support was needed to promote a flow of soldiers and , in particular , leaders . An uneasy compromise was reached after 10 years , in 1979 , when the Airborne was reorganized into three infantry commandos each identified with , and supported from , one of Canada ' s three line infantry regiments . Over time , this support was generally excellent , and the commandos became a legitimate part of their regimental family of origin . There were , however , occasions when the quality of that support was questioned ( see Somalia Affair ) . The resources provided for the Airborne continued to dwindle . In 1977 , when the regiment moved to CFB Petawawa from Edmonton , it became the core of the Airborne Battle Group within the new Special Service Force , an all - arms light brigade group , tasked with the rapid reinforcement of NATO forces in Norway or Denmark . Its airborne artillery and engineer elements were reassigned to their parent units of the brigade . The total peacetime strength of the regiment was down to 750 all ranks . In 1992 , the Canadian Airborne Regiment was reduced to battalion size ( 601 members ) . Its commandos lost their status as distinct administrative units commanded by Commanding Officers and became companies of the Airborne , commanded by an Officer Commanding , albeit maintaining their links with their regiments of origin . In the 1970s a mechanized infantry battalion had been created within Canada ' s down - sized brigade in Germany and named 3 Canadian Mechanized Commando ; its dress , colours and other symbols were those of the Canadian Airborne Regiment . This designation was a convenient mechanism for manning it from Canada ' s two English - speaking infantry regiments , allowing both to maintain NATO expertise . However , its role was strictly that of a mechanized infantry battalion and had nothing to do with the parachute operations of the regiment in Canada . The Canadian Airborne Regiment was ordered to be disbanded by the Minister of National Defence after the Somalia Affair on September 1 , 1995 . This move occurred during a period marked by severe defence budget cuts and internal reorganization . Although General John de Chastelain , Chief of Defence Staff , publicly disagreed with the minister on this decision , it is likely that the lack of an obvious role in the force structure outlined in the " 1994 Defence White Paper " , as well as a record of controversy during its peace - time history , allowed much of National Defence Headquarters leadership to tacitly concur with the minister ' s reaction to the Somalia Affair . Operational service . In Canada . The Airborne deployed twice at home in the 1970s : once in response to the October Crisis in Quebec in 1970 , then in 1976 to provide counter - terrorism support during the Montreal Olympics . Cyprus . The Canadian Airborne Regiment ' s first overseas tour was to Cyprus in April 1974 , viewed at the time as an ordinary peace - keeping task . The contingent was structured around its 1 Commando and its field ( engineer ) squadron . However , in July 1974 , an attempt by agents of the dictatorship then ruling Greece to seize power and unite the island with Greece was met by military intervention from Turkey , which invaded Cyprus on July 20 . In a two - stage offensive , Turkish troops took control of 38 % of the island . Many Greek Cypriots fled south while many Turkish Cypriots fled north . In the first phase , the 1 Commando consolidated its positions on the Green Line in Nicosia , while the rest of the regiment deployed rapidly from its base in Edmonton . On 14 August the second wave of the Turkish invasion began and both sides began to target UN positions . After the ceasefire , the Turks and Greeks began building defensive positions . Meanwhile , the Airborne troops , with British support , took command of the international airport to deny further troop movement , then intervened with patrols to prevent escalation of the conflict , patrolling the buffer zone between the lines , assisting with the delivery of relief supplies to refugees and organizing exchanges of PoWs . The Airborne lost two killed ( Paras Berger and Perron of the Royal 22 Régiment ) and 30 wounded , while also earning several significant decorations . The Airborne continued its peacekeeping rotations to Cyprus , returning to the island in 1981 , 1985 ( 3 Commando under 2nd Regiment Royal Canadian Horse Artillery ) and 1986 ( less 3 Commando ) . Somalia 1992 . Since the Airborne was designed to deploy rapidly into " hot " situations , its 1 , 2 , and 3 Commando units , with attached support — a total of 900 soldiers — were sent to Somalia late in 1992 . The operation was called Operation Deliverance and formed part of the overall U . S . - led Operation Restore Hope . The unit had recently been reduced to battalion size and was still in the throes of reorganization as well as the severe cut - backs by the government at the time . Its positive accomplishments in Somalia have been overshadowed by the torture and murder of Somali teenager Shidane Arone , which became known as the Somalia Affair . The unit was subsequently disbanded . The Somalia Affair was a Canadian military scandal in the mid - 1990s . It began with the brutal 1993 beating death of a Somali teenager , Shidane Arone , at the hands of two Canadian soldiers participating in the United Nations humanitarian efforts in Somalia . The crime , documented by photos , shocked the Canadian public and brought to light internal problems in the Canadian Airborne Regiment that went beyond the two soldiers directly involved . Also of interest are the theories that the experimental malaria drugs that they were taking could have caused some of the behaviour . Questions were asked about why 2 Commando was chosen for that mission despite disciplinary problems at the time . Perhaps most damaging to the leadership of the Canadian military was how it reacted after the events became public , as accusations of covering up the event surfaced . Eventually a public inquiry was called . Despite being controversially cut short by the government at the time led by Prime Minister Jean Chrétien and Minister of National Defence David Collenette , the Somalia Inquiry found deep problems in the leadership of the Canadian Forces . The affair led to the disbanding of Canada ' s elite Canadian Airborne Regiment , greatly damaged the morale of the Canadian Forces , and damaged both the domestic and international reputation of Canadian soldiers . Lineage of The Canadian Airborne Regiment . The Canadian Airborne Regiment traces its origin to the Second World War – era 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion ( 1 Can Para ) and the First Special Service Force ( FSSF ) which was administratively known as the 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion . The regiment bears battle honours on its Regimental Colours from both units , including Normandy Landing , Dives Crossing and Rhine in the case of the former , and Monte Camino , Monte Majo , Monte La Difensa / Monte La Remetanea , Anzio and Rome in the case of the latter . 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion . The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was Canada ' s original airborne unit , formed on July 1 , 1942 . Volunteers completed jump training in England then underwent four months of training at Fort Benning , Georgia , and the Parachute Training Wing at Shilo , Manitoba . Part airman , part commando , and part engineer , the paras underwent dangerously realistic exercises to learn demolition and fieldcraft in overcoming obstacles such as barbed wire , bridges , and pillboxes . By March , Canada had its elite battalion , which returned to England to join the 6th Airborne Division as a unit of the Britain ' s 3rd Parachute Brigade . The battalion ' s service in the European theatre included the airborne invasion on D - Day , a short reinforcement stint in Belgium and the Netherlands , the airborne crossing of the Rhine and the subsequent advance to Wismar where they met the Russians . With victory in Europe and the Pacific War ending in August , the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was disbanded . The battalion was perpetuated in the infantry commandos of The Canadian Airborne Regiment , whose colours carried the battle honours : Normandy Landing , Dives Crossing , The Rhine , and North - west Europe 1944 – 1945 . First Special Service Force . The Canadian Airborne Regiment also drew much inspiration from the history of the First Special Service Force . The Regiment bears the FSSF battle honours Monte Camino , Monte Majo , Monte La Difensa / Monte La Rmetanea , Anzio and Rome on its Regimental Colour . As well the unconventional nature of the First Special Service Force , similar to the British SAS and the current U . S . Army Special Forces and elsewhere , was not replicated in the more conventional role of the Canadian Airborne Regiment . Nevertheless , its accomplishments served as a model for many members of the new " Airborne " . The First Special Service Force was a unique joint formation of Canadian and American troops assigned to perform sabotage operations in Europe in World War II . Simply named " special forces " to conceal its " commando " or " ranger " purpose , this unit later gained fame as the " Devil ' s Brigade " . The Canadians were designated the " 2nd Canadian Parachute Battalion " . Members were handpicked and sent to Helena , Montana , for special training . The Canadians wore American uniforms and equivalent ranks to eliminate any questions of command among the troops . Their work - up took place in three phases , with extensive physical training throughout the program . The first phase included parachute training , small unit tactics and weapons handling — all officers and ranks were required to master the full range of infantry weapons from pistols and carbines to bazooka s and flame thrower s . Next came explosives handling and demolition techniques , then a final phase consisted of skiing , rock climbing , adapting to cold weather , and operation of the Weasel combat vehicle . Exercises in amphibious landings and beach assaults were added later . The first deployment of FSSF to the Aleutian island of Kiska disappointed the troops when it was found that the Japanese forces expected there had already evacuated , but the exercise was considered good experience . The force was next sent to Italy , where German forces entrenched in two mountains were inflicting heavy casualties on the 5th US Army . The first regiment , 600 men , scaled a cliff by night to surprise the enemy position . Planned as a three - to four - day assault , the battle was won in just two hours . The force remained for three days , packing in supplies for defensive positions and fighting frostbite , then moved on to the second mountain , which was soon overtaken . In the end , FSSF suffered 511 casualties including 73 dead and 116 exhaustion cases . The commander , Colonel Robert Frederick , was wounded twice himself . FSSF saw continued action throughout the Mediterranean , at Monte Sammucro , Radicosa , and Anzio . For the final advance on Rome , 1SSF was given the honour of being the lead force in the assault and became the first Allied unit to enter the " Eternal City " . Their success later continued in southern France and then at the France - Italian border . Often misused as line troops , the force suffered continuously high casualties until it was finally withdrawn from combat . On the December 5 , 1944 , in the town of Menton in southern France , the First Special Service Force was disbanded . Its battle honours included Monte Camino , Monte La Difensa , Monte La Remetanea , Monte Majo , Anzio , Rome , Advance to the Tiber , Italy 1943 – 44 , Southern France and Northwest Europe . The Canadians rejoined their home units and the Americans were assigned to either Airborne units or the newly formed 474th Infantry Regiment . Frederick became the youngest Major - General ever in the American army , at the age of 37 , and took command of the 45th Division . The success , esprit and discipline of FSSF became a template for building modern special forces worldwide . Post - war parachute units . In 1947 , the Canadian Special Air Service Company was created with former members of the 1CanPara and FSSF at its core . It was commanded by Major Guy D ' Artois , a Canadian hero of the French Maquis . However , in 1950 , Canada was once again mobilizing , this time for Korea and NATO Europe . Each of Canada ' s three traditional Regular Force regiments ( The Royal Canadian Regiment , Princess Patricia ' s Canadian Light Infantry and Royal 22 Régiment ) expanded to three battalions . A brigade commitment , consisting of airborne and air - delivered troops to defend Canada ' s North , was undertaken . Battalions of this Brigade were all airborne . It was structured , over the next 20 years , into the " Mobile Strike Force " and subsequently reduced in size to the " Defence of Canada Force " . This parachute role , was switched from one battalion to another within each of Canada ' s regular infantry regiments , as they rotated to and from Korea and , subsequently , to Europe . The brigade ' s elements remained garrisoned in their respective bases across the country and seldom exercised as a complete brigade . Each of the battalions was trained to fly into Canada ' s North , and seize an airhead or location that could be developed for airlanded operations . When the role changed from one battalion to another , within each regiment , a small nucleus of specialized instructor - planners and riggers generally transferred over to the new battalion ; however , the rest of the unit quickly undertook the requisite parachutist qualifications , generally with much enthusiasm ; the requirement that parachutists be " volunteers " was rarely an issue in converting these tightly - knit infantry units . There were also airborne artillery , signals , medics , and engineer elements in the brigade . In 1958 the " Mobile Strike Force " was restructured as " The Defence of Canada Force " , resulting in a reduction to one parachute company in each battalion . At this time the airborne artillery was disbanded and other support elements reduced . The parachute component in each battalion consisted of battalion tactical headquarters , and a large company group ( i . e . four platoons ) with support detachments of mortars , machine guns , pioneers and reconnaissance detachments . A large reserve of trained parachutists was built up in the other companies . In 1968 , many of the officers and soldiers of the " Defence of Canada Force " provided the nucleus of expertise for the new Canadian Airborne Regiment , being created at CFB Edmonton , Alberta , with its French - speaking element at CFB Valcartier , Quebec . Current parachute capability of the Canadian Forces ( not Canadian Airborne Regiment ) . After the disbandment of the Canadian Airborne Regiment in 1995 , the Canadian army reverted to its former practice of maintaining a parachute company within one of the battalions of each of the regular infantry regiments . The commandos , at that time , returned to their regimental " homes " and became a company of the light battalion of each of their regiments ( the 3rd Battalion The Royal Canadian Regiment , the 3rd Battalion Princess Patricia ' s Canadian Light Infantry and the 3rd Battalion Royal 22 Régiment ) . In April 2005 , the Canadian government ' s new defence policy statement was made public . It included a concept of first responders for international tasks consisting of " special forces " ( such as Joint Task Force 2 ) supported by one of the light battalions ( presumably on a rotational basis ) , including the parachute capability of its integral para company . As a result , the Canadian Special Operations Regiment ( CSOR ) was formed .