The 1st Paratroopers Battalion

The 1st Paratroopers Battalion is one of the three infantry battalions of the Belgian Para Commando Brigade. The unit is located in Diest. The City of Diest has accepted  the godparenthood of the battalion on 17 May 1997.

Organisation

The 1st  Paratroopers battalion counts about 500 men, all volunteers and Para and Commando qualified. The Battalion is organised into four companies:

• a staff company with:
  • the company staff
  • a signals platoon
  • a supply platoon
  • a maintenance platoon
  • a medical support section
  • a mortars platoon of the staff company, which has depending on its mission:
    • 6 mortars 4,2 inch
    • 6 mortars 81mm

• 3 infantry companies with:
  • a small staff
  • 2 infantry platoons, a third platoon can be activated in war time, with:
    • 2 infantry sections
    • 1 Anti-Tank squad, equipped with two MILAN firing posts

Missions

As part of the missions of the Para Commando Brigade the battalion can :

• be committed to the Allied Command Europe Mobile Force as an Immediate Reaction Force
• take part in the Multi National Division Centre contingency as a Rapid Reaction Force
• be part of a Belgian intervention force

In the framework of these allocations the 1st Paratroopers Battalion can be appointed to:

• execute an airborne and/or airmobile operation
• execute a classical operation, which generally is attributed to a light or mechanised infantry battalion, such as the defence of the national territory
• execute a rescue operation
• execute peace keeping operations

The training in the battalion

Due to the great number of missions that can be carried out, the training is characterised by a great variety of activities:

• Each year, the battalion goes to Otterrburn training area (UK) to maintain and sharpen its skills in infantry tactics and techniques.
• Out trough out the year, each company trains in commando and para techniques and participates with the battalion in a mountaineering training .
• Several times a year, each company has the opportunity to train and conduct exchange programs with foreign units in Belgium or abroad.
• The battalion and/or the companies take part in several National and International exercises.
• Every member of the Battalion has to pass annual medical and fitness tests.
• To keep his para and commando qualification, every member has to execute at least four operational parachute jumps.

Foreign Operations

Congo (1960):	the battalion frees the European settlers in the besieged city of Luluaburg. More operations are executed in Elisabethville and Jadotville.
Rwanda and Burundi (1961-1962):	the battalion re-establishes the public order
Congo (1964):	In November, the battalion executes a humanitarian operation in Congo where it liberates hundreds of hostages in Stanleyville and Paulus. In less then 48 hours the same unit executes two more parachute missions.
Sahel (1974):	Elements take part in humanitarian missions in the Sahel.
Zaïre (1978):	In May the Battalion is airlifted to Zaïre. Accompanied by other units of the Para-Commando Regiment an assault-landing is executed in Kolwezi, where about 2000 expiates are evacuated.
Zaïre (1991):	In September, during the operation "BLUE BEAM" of the Para-Commando Regiment, the battalion secured the evacuation of Europeans in Kolwezi, Lubumbashi, Likasi and Kinshasa.
Somalia (1992-1993):	the battalion carries out a peace enforcement operation, called "RESTORE HOPE", in a combined operation with American forces.
Rwanda (1993-1994):	The battalion accomplishe a peace keeping operation (UN mission) called UNAMIR. One of the missions is "CLEAN CORRIDOR" : the battalion has to secure the road from the north leading into KIGALI to allow one battalion of the RPF (Patriotic Front of Rwanda) to join Kigali and to protect its own negotiators.
Congo (1997):	On 24 March the battalion takes part in the mission "GREEN STREAM". The Battalion is propositioned in Brazzaville and Pointe Noire in order to prepare the evacuating of European expiates out of Zaïre.

History

The First Belgian Paratrooper Company is founded in Great Britain on 8 May 1942 by volunteers coming from all over the world. The unit obtains its "wings" or paratrooper qualification at the Ringway Para Trainingschool and is located in Fritzhill. After two years of intensive training under the command of Captain Blondeel the unit is finally declared operational and, as the "Belgian Squadron", becomes part of the famous "SAS Brigade". In July 1944 the first Belgian squads are parachuted in France, east of Falaise to execute information- and interference missions. More drops are executed in the region of Beauvais (FR), the French Ardennes, Gedinne(BE) , Hoge Venen (BE), Limburg (BE) and in Holland as far as Friesland (NL). Their actions are in order to support the march of the Allied forces towards the North. During the von Rundstedt offensive in the Ardennes (BE) the unit is regrouped and equipped with armoured jeeps. As a reconnaissance squadron, they execute security- and reconnaissance missions in order to support the 6th British Para Division.

In the beginning of April 1945 the Belgian SAS Regiment consists of three reconnaissance squads which are deployed in the north of Holland and in Germany. After the capitulation on 8 May 1945 they participate in "Counter Intelligence"- missions in Germany and Denmark. The Belgian SAS Regiment is the first allied unit to set foot in Belgium and the only Belgian unit permanently in combat between July 1944 and May 1945. The SAS Paratrooper Regiment is located in Tervuren  in July 1945 and immediately starts the training. In August 1945 an SAS trainingcentre is set up in Westmalle. It moves to Poulseur on 31 March 1946. On 15 October 1948 the centre closes its doors and on that same day the SAS regiment leaves Tervuren to install at  Leopoldsburg where it stays until 1953. In the course of that year it moves to Diest which is its present barracks.

The integration of all Para- and Commando- units into one Para-Commando Regiment had already been achieved. After the Second World War, this squadron has been used as back bone of the First Para battalion. The battalion wears "The Red Beret" as well as "The SAS Badge" inherited from its predecessors of the Second World War.

Standard

Declaration N° 2837 of 26 August 1946 by the Regent Prins awards the regiment a standard. His Royal Highness the Prins hands it over to lieutenant-colonel   Blondeel on 22 October 1946. It is now kept by the 1st Paratroopers Battalion.

The Battalions standard contains the following citations:

• Normandie
• België
• Ardennen
• Emden
• Oldenburg