Canada. Canadian Armed Forces. Canadian Airborne Regiment. Commando, 2 : The Airborne Regiment traces its origins back to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, which fought with British 6th Airborne Division during the Second World War. The creation of the air-transportable Mobile Striking Force (MSF) shortly after the war was intended to quickly transport jump-trained infantry anywhere in Canada, especially to defend against Soviet paratroopers landing in the North. In the summer of 1948, the PPCLI were the first of three battalions to undergo parachute training. Due to command and equipment shortfalls, by 1958 the MSF had been reduced to one company from each infantry regiment and was known as the Defence of Canada Force. Assigned to Mobile Command, the Canadian Airborne Regiment was formed on 8 April 1968. The Regiment was tasked as a parachute unit to be held in a high state of alert and operational readiness in order to provide a rapid deployment airborne force capable of supporting several roles, among them, Aid to the Civil Power, defence of Canada, United Nations missions, and limited or general combat operations. The initial Regiment contained the following elements: Airborne Headquarters and Signal Squadron, 1st Airborne Commando, 2nd Airborne Commando, 1st Airborne Battery, 1st Airborne Field Squadron and the 1st Airborne Service Company. When the Airborne was expanded by one more Commando unit, the manpower came and was divided between the three "parent" regiments in the Canadian Forces. Thus, the three Commando units within the Airborne were almost like three small battalions within a Brigade. The main body of the Regiment was located in Edmonton, however, 1 Commando less one company was stationed at CFB Valcartier. On 15 July 1977, the Regiment was placed under the command of the Special Service Force and moved to CFB Petawawa. Emphasis remained on maintaining individual parachute and soldiering skills, but after a series of disciplinary scandals arising from the Airborne's 1992-93 peacekeeping mission in Somalia, the unit was disbanded 5 March 1995. RG24 General Inventory
