1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade was established in Great Britain during the ww2 as the first unit of that size and character within the Polish Army.
The reason for creating parachute units came from France. It was to train volunteers in diversion activities and to use them in occupied Poland, particularly during the possible uprising. As France surrendered, the plans were put into practice only after evacuation of the Polish Army into Great Britain.
The establishment of the Brigade was mainly possible due to engagement and persistance of colonel Stanislaw Sosabowski. His aim was to transform a group of disappointed - due to French collapse - and unactive soldiers into a highly organized and skilled team.
The Parachute Brigade was based upon members of the 4th Riflemen Brigade under Sosabowski's command. Originally, it consisted of unassigned officers who were provided various trainings as background for the future parachute training. Soon afterwards a specialistic training centre called "Monkeys' Paradise" was created in order to improve soldiers' physical condition. Consequently, a Parachute Tower was constructed and regular sky-diving courses were organized in British Parachute School in Ringway.
Perfectly prepared trainees made profound impression on general Wladyslaw Sikorski, the Commander-in-Chief who observed a training on the 23rd September 1941. Therefore, he established the 1st Parachute Brigade and accepted an unique Parachute Badge. Since then the 23rd of September was the holiday of the Brigade.
The main target of the training was to establish an assault unit to be moved to Poland in order to support resistance movement fighting against Germans. As the only possible transportation way was by air, "The shortest way" became the motto of Polish Parachuters.
Since its official creation, the transformation process began - to change the Brigade from an experimental one into an entirely fighting unit. Candidates for parachuters derived from volunteers of various units, refugees from France, Poland, internment camps as well as Poles forced to service in the German army who - when taken as captives - declared they will to fight against Germans. Another substantial part consisted of the soldiers who left the Soviet Union under general Anders.
As the flow of newcommers was relatively slow, the unit did not reach its full potential until the end of the war. Yet, it represented substantial power. As an elite unit, it was directly in the Commander-in-Chief disposal.
Unfortunately the main task of the Brigade could not be fulfilled due to the technical factor (a too big unit to be moved by air to Poland) as well as the political one (Stallin's objection). As the British - who needed support - did not accept unaction of such a well-trained unit, general Kazimierz Sosnkowski, the next Commander after tragically died general Sikorski, decided to leave the Brigade to the Allies disposal. Therefore the 1st Polish Independent Parachute Brigade became a part of the 1st Aliance Airborne Army.
The Allies planned to use the Brigade in several assaults but none of them was put into practise due to fast progress of the allied forces and weak resistance of the enemy. It experienced the baptism of fire during bridge gains and crossing of the Maas, Waal and Rhine rivers. The action is known as "Market-Garden" operation.
When the ww2 finished, the Brigade was moved to Germany where it served as an occupying unit until June 1947. It was disbanded on the 30th June 1947.