2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment

The Second Battalion, Parachute Regiment (2 PARA), is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Adam Dawson OBE, MC.

2 PARA is an airborne light infantry unit capable of a wide range of operational tasks, based at Merville Barracks, Colchester Garrison, England. Personnel regularly deploy outside the United Kingdom on operations and training.

All personnel 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
The 2nd Battalion was formed on 30 September 1941, as the 2nd Parachute Battalion, and later became part of the Army Air Corps. The battalion took part in their first active operation over the night of the 27–28 February 1942, Operation Biting, the raid on Bruneval in France. On 1 August of the same year the battalion was renamed the 2nd Battalion, the Parachute Regiment.

The battalion was part of the 1st Parachute Brigade, 1st Airborne Division, and fought in the British airborne operations in North Africa, Operation Fustian in Sicily, Operation Slapstick on the Italian mainland and, most famously, the Battle of Arnhem in September 1944.

After the Second World War the battalion was reformed and served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine. It was then amalgamated with the 3rd Parachute Battalion and renamed the 2nd/3rd Battalion and shortly afterwards disbanded. A new 2nd Battalion was formed later the same year by renumbering the 5th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion.

In 1951 the battalion was deployed to Ismaïlia, Egypt, after civil unrest in the region and to protect the Suez Canal. In July 1956, 2 Para went to Cyprus to counter EOKA insurgency. They then took part in Operation Musketeer in November of the same year as part of 16 Independent Parachute Brigade, landing by sea and occupying El Cap.

In June 1961, as part of an 8,000 strong battle-group, 2 Para was sent to Kuwait to forestall a threatened invasion by Iraq. In early 1965 the battalion was rushed to Singapore in response to a threat of invasion of Borneo by Indonesia. In the following Indonesian Confrontation, B Company repulsed an attack by an Indonesian battalion in the jungle at Plaman Mapu. In March 1969, 2 Para went to the Caribbean island of Anguilla to restore the British administration. They landed by boat from three Royal Navy frigates together with 40 police officers, and were later awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace ‘for acts of humanity and kindness overseas’.

In the 1970s the battalion was sent to Northern Ireland as part of Operation Banner for the first of many tours.

In 1982 the battalion was part of the force sent to the South Atlantic in Operation Corporate, as part of 3 Commando Brigade. The battalion were the first troops from the main assault body to land on the islands. Landing on the shore at San Carlos Water (codename: Blue Beach) Their first battle was the Battle of Goose Green, on 28 May. This was followed by the Battle of Wireless Ridge before they participated in the recapture of Port Stanley.

In August 2001 the battalion was part of the NATO Operation Essential Harvest in Macedonia. This was followed in 2002 by Operation Fingal, in Afghanistan. The battalion took part in Operation Telic in Iraq and Operation Herrick in Afghanistan.