6th Airborne Division

E239900

The 6th Airborne Division was a British World War II airborne infantry division known for its parachute and glider-borne operations, including its crucial role in the D-Day landings and subsequent campaigns in Northwest Europe.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (45)

Predicate Object
instanceOf British Army division
airborne infantry division
military unit
alliedForce Allied operations in Western Europe
surface form: Allied forces in Northwest Europe
branch British Army
campaign Advance to the Seine
surface form: Advance to the River Seine

Crossing of the Rhine
Battle of Normandy
surface form: Normandy campaign

Rhineland campaign
commander Major-General Eric Bols
Major-General Richard Nelson Gale
surface form: Major-General Richard Gale
componentUnit 3rd Parachute Brigade
5th Parachute Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade
Divisional artillery units
Divisional engineer units
Divisional signals units
conflict World War II
surface form: Second World War
country United Kingdom
decorations numerous individual gallantry awards to its personnel
disbanded post-Second World War
formed 1943
garrisonDuringWar United Kingdom
legacy helped establish British airborne doctrine
remembered for its role on D-Day and in Northwest Europe
notableFor combined parachute and glider operations
holding extended defensive positions after airborne landings
rapid night airborne assaults
notableOperation Battle of Normandy
D-Day
surface form: D-Day landings

Operation Mallard
Operation Overlord
Operation Tonga
Operation Varsity
Rhine crossing in March 1945
opposedBy German Army in France
German Army
surface form: German Army in Germany
partOf 21st Army Group
surface form: British 21st Army Group (in Northwest Europe)
roleOnDDay captured key bridges over the River Orne and Caen Canal
disrupted German counterattacks against Sword Beach
secured the eastern flank of the Normandy beachhead
specialization airborne warfare
glider-borne infantry
parachute infantry
theatre Northwest Europe

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (12)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

I Airborne Corps commandedUnit 6th Airborne Division
British Second Army includedUnit 6th Airborne Division
First Allied Airborne Army subordinateUnit 6th Airborne Division
this entity surface form: 6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)
No. 38 Group RAF supportedUnit 6th Airborne Division
British I Airborne Corps subordinateUnit 6th Airborne Division
Merville Battery assaultedBy 6th Airborne Division
Pegasus (emblem of British airborne forces) associatedWith 6th Airborne Division
this entity surface form: 6th Airborne Division (United Kingdom)
Operation Deadstick unit 6th Airborne Division
Memorial Pegasus dedicatedTo 6th Airborne Division
Bénouville Bridge capturedBy 6th Airborne Division
Bénouville Bridge hasMonumentTo 6th Airborne Division