50th Parachute Brigade (India)

50th Indian Parachute Brigade 50 (Independent) Parachute Brigade
Active	1941 – present
Country	Operation Cactus Operation Vijay
Commanders
Notable commanders	Brigadier Mohammad Usman Brigadier Sagat Singh Brigadier Farukh Bulsara

The 50th Parachute Brigade is a

History

The brigade was initially raised as part of the

.

After formation, the brigade had the following structure:[1]

• Brigade Headquarters
• Brigade Signal Section
• 151st Battalion The Parachute Regiment (British)
• 152nd Parachute Battalion (Indian)
• 153rd Parachute Battalion (Gurkha)
• 411st (Royal Bombay) Parachute Engineer Section
  Indian Engineers

Engagements

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947-48

The 50th Parachute Brigade saw extensive action in the Kashmir operations of 1947-48. The 1st, 2nd and 3rd battalions of the Parachute Regiment each won a battle honour in the Jammu & Kashmir theater. The brigade commander, Brig. Mohammad Usman, was killed in action on July 3, 1948, and was awarded the Maha Vir Chakra posthumously.^[2]

Liberation of Goa 1961

The brigade took part in the

On the morning of 18 December, the 50th Parachute Brigade moved into Goa in three columns.

1. The eastern column, comprising the 2nd battalion, Parachute Regiment, advanced via the town of Ponda in central Goa.
2. The central column, comprising the 1st battalion, Parachute Regiment, advanced via the village of Banastari.
3. The western column - the main thrust of the attack - comprised the 2nd battalion, Sikh Light Infantry as well as an armoured division which crossed the border at 0630 hours in the morning and advanced along Tivim.

The western column, facing no resistance, reached the town of Betim at 1700 hours, just a 500 metre wide river crossing away from

, the capital town. In the absence of orders, the units set camp at Betim and proceeded to secure areas up and down the riverfront.

The order to cross the river was received on the morning of 19 December, upon which two rifle companies advanced on Panjim at 0730 hours and secured the town without facing any resistance. On orders from Brig. Sagat Singh, the troops entering Panjim removed their steel helmets and donned the Parachute Regiment's maroon berets. As the men marched into the town, they were welcomed as liberators by the locals.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1965

The 50 Parachute Brigade was tasked with capturing of the Jallo railway bridge. Despite being a newly raised battalion 6 Para of the Parachute Regiment with superb battle drill and fighting spirit attacked the Jallo railway bridge enduring stiff resistance and heavy artillery fire. The unit successfully captured and occupied the bridge on September 17 raising the success signal ‘Ghora’.The officers and men in the brigade were overjoyed with this operationally critical capture.

Indo-Pakistani War of 1971

In 1971, the brigade saw numerous actions both in the eastern and western theatres. For the first time in the annals of independent India's history, an airborne infantry battle group, formed around the 2nd battalion, Parachute Regiment, was dropped at Tangail, which contributed substantially to speeding up the liberation of Bangladesh. Elements of 2 Para became the first Indian troops to enter Dhaka. The 50th Parachute Brigade saw action initially in Bangladesh with 2 Para in the airborne role, 7 Para as the advance guard, and the rest of the brigade in a ground role. The brigade then moved to assist its sister brigade in the western sector, thus becoming the only formation to see action on both fronts.

Operation Cactus

In response to an attempted coup d'état in the

made up the first wave, followed by the 7th battalion, Parachute Regiment as the second wave. The paratroopers arrived in Hulhule nine hours after the appeal from President Gayoom. They immediately secured the airfield, crossed over to Male using commandeered boats and rescued President Gayoom. The paratroopers restored control of the capital to President Gayoom's government within hours.

Kargil War

The 50th Parachute Brigade, at the time consisting of the 6th, 7th and 1st battalions of the Parachute Regiment and an ATGM detachment of the 19th battalion, Brigade of the Guards, was deployed in the Mushkoh Valley as the Army HQ reserve. Elements of the brigade were awarded with the COAS Unit Citation for their performance in clearing the Mushkoh valley intrusions.

Structure

The 50th Parachute Brigade comprises the following units:

• Three Parachute Regiment battalions (in rotation)
• One Parachute Field Regiment (
  17 Parachute Field Regiments
  in rotation)
• 60 Parachute Field Hospital (AMC)
• 411 (Independent) Parachute Field Company (
  Bombay Sappers
  )
• 622 Parachute Composite Company (ASC)
• 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade OFP (Ordnance)
• 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade Signal Company (Signals)
• 2 (Independent) Parachute Field Workshop Company (EME)
• 252 (Parachute) Air Defence Battery (
  AAD
  )
• 50th (Independent) Parachute Brigade Provost Section (CMP)

The

company.

The Airborne Special Forces Battalions of the Parachute Regiment rotate to form part of the brigade, alternatively serving their field tenures in counter-insurgency/high-altitude areas. One of the two field regiments (

17 (Parachute) Field Regiment (Zojila & Poongali Bridge)

) also forms part of the brigade while the other serves out its field tenure on rotation.

See also

• List of Indian Army Brigades in World War II
• Mohammad Usman
• Pathfinders
• List of Airborne Artillery Units
• List of paratrooper forces
• Paratrooper

References