The 1st Parachute Brigade was an experienced formation, initially under command of the 1st Airborne Division before being detached from the division to fight in North Africa. The brigade had taken part in the landings in Algeria in November 1942 and the subsequent Battle of Tunisia, during which each of the brigade's three parachute battalions had taken part in their own battalion-sized parachute landings.Reynolds, pp.30–32 It was during this campaign that the 1st Parachute Brigade had been given their nickname the Red Devils by the Germans.Reynolds, p.34 A British parachute battalion had an establishment of 556 men in three rifle companies. Each of the companies were divided into a small headquarters and three platoons. The platoons had three sections; each section had a Bren light machine gun and a 2-inch mortar as well as the men's own personal weapons.Guard, p.37 The only heavy weapons in the parachute battalion were in the 3-inch Mortar platoon and the Vickers machine gun platoon which were part of the battalion headquarters.Peters and Buist, p.55
