British Army Airborne a Patch Title Border Regiment Airlanding Red Variant A

British Army 1st Battalion Border Regiment Airborne Shoulder Title 1st Airlanding Brigade 1st Airborne Division 1942 Red Variant A

Embroidered on wool khaki loose gauze back 25mm by 64mm one inch by two and one half inches.

The 1942 Pattern

• Red wool title.
• White embroidered lettering directly onto the wool.
• Simple construction with loose gauze backing.
• Represents the early Airlanding Brigade shoulder title worn after the Border Regiment joined Britain’s airborne forces

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Patch Description

This original red 1st Battalion Border Regiment shoulder title dates from 1942, when the Battalion became one of Britain’s first glider infantry units within the newly formed 1st Airlanding Brigade of the 1st Airborne Division. Manufactured on red wool with white embroidered lettering and a loose gauze backing, it was worn on the battledress uniform by Border Regiment soldiers serving in airborne forces.

The simple embroidered title identifies one of the British Army’s most distinguished airborne infantry battalions. Unlike parachute units, the Border Regiment entered battle by Horsa assault glider, landing alongside heavy weapons, vehicles and supporting equipment during major airborne operations.

The Battalion had previously fought with the British Expeditionary Force during the Battle of France in 1940 before evacuation from Dunkirk. After returning to Britain it joined 31st Independent Infantry Brigade, which was converted into 1st Airlanding Brigade in 1941 as part of Britain’s expanding airborne forces.

The Border Regiment’s first combat airborne operation was Operation Ladbroke, the assault on Sicily in July 1943. Heavy losses were suffered when many gliders crashed into the sea before reaching their landing zones. After rebuilding its strength, the Battalion fought in Italy before returning to Britain to prepare for the invasion of Northwest Europe.

In September 1944 the Battalion participated in Operation Market Garden, landing by glider near Arnhem. It fought around the landing zones and later within the shrinking Oosterbeek perimeter until the surviving troops withdrew across the Rhine after nine days of intense combat.

Following the war the Battalion served briefly in Norway and Trieste before the 1st Airborne Division was disbanded in November 1945 and the Border Regiment returned to its conventional infantry role.

Original airborne shoulder titles from the Second World War are increasingly difficult to obtain and remain highly sought after by collectors of British Airborne, Arnhem, Market Garden and glider forces memorabilia.

Unit History

1 Battalion Border Regiment went to France with the British Expeditionary Force and fought in the Battle of France as part of 42 Infantry Division and were evacuated from Dunkirk. On return to Britain the Battalion was transferred to the mountain warfare trained 31 Independent Infantry Brigade.

31 Independent Infantry Brigade was converted to glider infantry and was renamed 1st Glider Brigade forming part of the 1 Airborne Division in October 1941. 1 Bn Border Regt took part in Operation Ladbroke spearheading the invasion of Sicily with a glider assault on 9 July 1943 and suffered heavy casualties with many gliders landing in the sea. The Battalion returned to North Africa at the end of July to regroup and after getting back to strength move to southern Italy in September 1943 for combat operations. Following action the Battalion was relocated back to the UK with 1 Airborne Division in November 1943 to train for Operation Overlord the invasion of France. 1 Bn Border Regt did not take part in the D Day operations but were selected for Operation Market Garden airborne landings at Arnhem Holland on 17 September 1944 fighting around the landing grounds and the reducing perimeter at Oosterbeek until overrun or retreating across the Rhine on 26 September 1944.

The Battalion returned to the UK to regroup and took part in the Liberation of Norway in May 1945 before moving to Trieste as part of the Allied Occupation Force. The 1 Airlanding Brigade and 1 Airborne Division disbanded in November 1945 with its airlanding battalions returning to conventional infantry. 

This patch dates from 1942.

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