The Parachute Regiment was formed during World War Two after Prime Minister Winston Churchill called for a force of at least 5,000 parachute troops to counter the threat from Germany's growing airborne capability. They were deployed across France and North Africa, where they were dubbed 'Red Devils' by the Nazis. The regiment spearheaded the invasion of Europe. dropping into Normandy to secure bridges and fought with courage at Arnhem in 1944. In the post war-years they were sent into the Middle East and the jungle of Malaya as well as Suez, Aden, and Northern Ireland. When Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands, the regiment was in the vanguard of the action again. More recently the 'Red berets' have headed interventions in Kosovo, Sierra Leone, Afghanistan, and Iraq. The 'Paras' form the core of the UK's new Global Response Force and demonstrated their capability to react at speed when they flew in at short notice to manage the airlift of UK nationals from Kabul airport in 2021 and later support an evacuation in Sudan. The Parachute Regiment will highlight the history, training, and role of the British Army's airborne infantry.
