AIR BORNE TROOPS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25212, 29 April 1943, Page 4

AIR BORNE TROOPS

MAY LEAD INVASION DIVISIONS IN BRITAIN LONDON, Apl. 23. . * While Germany is strengthening her much-publicised Atlantic Wall, designed to guard the European coast against the invasion which is expected daily, there are forces completing their training in Britain which, properly employed, could reduce the value of fixed fortifications. These are air-borne troops. A senior air-borne forces officer, Brigadier F. A. M. Browning, said to war correspondents: “We expect to have the honour of leading in any invasion.’’ An inexplicable feature of last month’s huge invasion exercises in Britain was that air-borne troops were not employed. Questions brought the answer that it would have “ interfered with their training.” Surprises in Store It has become accepted by the people here with more stoicism than imagination that a landing in Europe must involve casualties on the Dieppe scale. A sea-borne attack alone undoubtedly would be very costly, even with very powerful air support, which certainly would be available. The enemy’s coastal defences are very , strong and mobile armoured forces stationed at strategic centres could be switched, to any threatened point. Senior British air-borne officers claim that they have greatly improved on the German tactics. Brigadier Browning said: “We do not think the Germans have been very clever in their air-borne tactics. We have things up our sleeve which will surprise them.” The air-borne officers are confident of the ability of their arm to carry out a vital part in an invasion, but many of them doubt whether the vAlqe of properly employed air-borne forces even yet is fully appreciated. The British air troops in Tunisia, although apparently unimaginatively and somewhat timidly employed, often without adequate support, ;have- done such excellent service that the German commander has been constrained to issue a special order urging stiffer resistance against the “ Red Devils,” as the enemy has christened them because of their maroon berets. A British air-borne division consists of brigades of paratroops and gliderborne troops. It is completely airborne, The entire divisional personnel, equipment, and ancillary services—headquarters, medical services, sappers, and even military police—are carried by air, and landed either by parachutes or gliders. It is a regular army formation, not designed, as many people think, for daredevil, isolated operations although air-borne troops can and Jbave been used successfully for coups de main—but for operations properly integrated with other land forces. The air-borne troops’ principal value is that they can be launched with speed and surprise against the enemy’s rear, and carry out “ vertical envelopment.” Probable Tasks Brigadier Browning said that the probable task of the air-borne troops would be: To capture a point in the rear of the enemy, cut communications, and isolate him from reinforcements. To attack from the rear while the main forces .made a frontal attack. To capture the enemy airfields. To assist seaborne landings. To land close behind armoured divisions when the latter have broken through, thus providing infantry and artillery co-operation required by armoured forces. To raid special objectives. To assist, by landing with arms, patriots in enemy-occupied countries.

In the event of an invasion of the Continent, there are well-trained airborne forces of the highest calibre available in Britain, including Allied troops, notably the Fighting French Parachute Corps, Many progressive Allied officers feel that these forces should be increased substantially. : ;