Osprey Elite 143 : Canadian Airborne Forces since 1942

Canada's 1st Parachute Battalion earned a fearsome reputation on D-Day and in the two months of grim fighting that followed. It jumped again in the Rhine crossings, and fought its way deep into Germany by VE-Day and was disbanded soon afterwards. In the post-war era soldiers struggled to keep airborne skills alive until an ambitious new Airborne Regiment was raised in 1968. Since its controversial disbandment in 1995, the airborne torch has been carried onwards by the Parachute Companies of three Canadian infantry regiments who have recently served in Afghanistan. This book details the fascinating history of the Canadian Airborne forces. Text by Bernd Horn PhD and Michel Wyczynski with illustrations by Carlos Chagas.

Contents

• Creation of an Airborne Capability 1942
• 1st Canadian Para Battalion 1942-45
• Normandy, Low Countries, Germany
• Canadian SAS 1946-48
• Mobile Striking Force : Defence of Canada Force 1949-67
• The Canadian Airborne Regiment 1968-95
• Decentralized Parachute Capability 1995 to the Present