Quote:
Originally Posted by Mike Jackson
I agree in part, but I don't understand who the "non operational troops who performed purely administrative roles with the Airborne Divisions" might have been. I cannot believe that there was a non-combatant element who were exempt from going "by air to battle" on the Establishment of an AB Div.
Mike
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Mike
As I understand it, these would be the essential admin troops who would not deploy by air - clerks, typists, storemen, laundries etc, who kept the Divisions running whilst in camp. They would follow on as the 'tail' after an airborne deployment (e.g. the seaborne tail following on after 6th Airborne's D-Day assault or the tail who met the remnants of 1st Airborne south of the Rhine after Arnhem). They don't add combat power, so don't need to go in by air or use valuable air assets, but nevertheless were on the strength of the Divisions.
Colin