Efter Winston Churchills påbud den 22 juni 1940 att den brittiska armén borde utveckla en egen luftburen kapacitet, inrättades en central organisation för ändamålet. En av dess centrala medlemmar var kapten John Lander. Det var Lander som handplockade medlemmar till Pathfinder förbandet och som förhandlade om dess oberoende ställning. Han förutsåg tidigt, medan de luftburna styrkorna höll på att utvecklas, att det skulle behövas en vägvisar enhet (Pathfinders) som vars stridsuppgift var att leda de luftburna förbandens flygplan till rätt plats för de kommande luftlandsättningarna.
Den 21st IPC skapades för att lösa denna Pathfinderuppgift. Enhetens uppgift bestod i att med fallskärm infiltrera målområdet och att där inrätta både visuella markörer och bärbara radiofyrar, (kända som Eureka), så att huvudstyrkans fallskärm- och glidflygplansenheter hamnade på rätt målområde.
21st IPC består av 186 officerare och meniga vid sin fulla styrka och Lander hade befogenhet att fritt rekvirera vilken soldat från vilken enhet inom den brittiska armén som han trodde passade för 21st IPC. Detta måste ha gjort honom till en av de mest impopulära officerarna i armén. Det gav också upphov 21:as öknamn "Airborne Mafia".
Av de förbandets 186 soldater fanns det 26 Österrikiska, tyska, polska och tjeckiska antinazistiska flyktingar. Tidigare medemmar i pionjärkåren som frivilligt ansökte att i stället tjänstgöra vid 21st IPC.
Soldaterna i 21st IPC var mycket effektiva stridsmän. De kämpade med en ohörd effektivitet, särskilt i strider som Arnhem där de slogs från hus till hus i närstrider som var så täta att de ofta rapporterade att de kunde höra tyskarna samtala med varandra innan kulorna och handgranaterna fick fienden att tänka på annat
Pathfinder kompaniet fungerade också som en förtrupp som förvarnade huvudstyrkan om ett valdt landsättnings område till exempel var starkt försvarat. Luftlandsättningsstyrkan kunde då ledas till ett alternativat landsättningsområde. När huvudstyrkan väl var landsatt, var förbandets Pathfinderroll över och enheten övergick till reserv- eller spaningsstyrka.
21st IPC var anslutet till 1:a Luftburna Divisionen och bildades i juni 1942. Förbandet utbildades i norra Afrika och landsattes med fallskärm före den huvudstyrkan mot Primosle Bridge på Sicilien den 13-14 juli 1943. Kompaniet landsattes från havet, vid Taranto Italien den 9 september och hade rollen som reguljärt infanteri. Efter striden återvände 21st IPC till Storbritannien i december. En oberoende Pluton Pathfinders blev kvar i Italien med den 2:a Oberoende fallskärmsbrigaden.
1:a Oberoende Fallsjärmsplutonen luftlandsattes bakom fiendens linjer i Italien under Operation HASTY i juni 1944. Resten av kompaniet stod kvar på stand-by införför en serie inställda operationer i Normandie efter D-dagen.
Den 17 september landade 21st IPC vid utkanten till Arnhem under Operationen Market Garden för att markera landsättningsområden till för första lyftets enheter. En pluton markerade där landningsplatsen som polackernas segelflygplan landade, de landade mitt i striden under tung beskjutning. Kompaniet omringades i Oosterbeek fickan med de överlevande av 1st Airborne Division där de led stora förluster.
Den 1st Oberoende Fallskämsplutonen engagerades i striderna under ockupationen och gatustriderna i Aten under vintern 1944-45.
21st IPC åtföljde 1:a Luftburna divisionen i befrielsen av Norge mellan maj och oktober 1945. 21st IPC gick därefter med 6th Airborne divisionen till Palestina efter kriget, där det slutligen upplöstes i september 1946.
Following Winston Churchill´s edict of 22 June 1940 that the British army should develop its own airborne capacity, a central organisation was set up, one member of which was Captain John Lander. It was he who handpicked members of the Pathfinder force and who negotiated its independent status. He foresaw early on, while the Airborne forces were being conceived, that they would need a pathfinder capability in order to guide the aircraft to the right spot.
The 21st was created to provide that capability. There job was to parachute into the target area and to set up both visual markers and the portable beacons, known as Eureka, to enable the main force to land both by parachute and by glider.
The 21st comprised of 186 officers and men at its fullest complement and Lander could requisition any soldier he thought suitable for the 21st of any rank from any unit in the British army. This must have made him one of the most unpopular officers in the army. It also gave rise to the 21st "Airborne Mafia" reputation.
Of this 186 complement there were 26 Austrian, German, Polish and Czech anti-Nazi Refugees, who volunteered from the Pioneer Corps.
They were very effective indeed as fighting soldiers and were particularly useful in battles such as Arnhem where they were fighting from house to house and could frequetly hear the Germans speaking.
The Pathfinder Company also acted as an early warning if the selected drop zone was heavily defended, possibly diversion to an alternative drop zone. Once the main force was down the pathfinders were employed as a small reserve or reconnaissance force.
The 21st Independent Parachute Company served the 1st Airborne Division and formed in June 1942. It trained in north Africa and paracuted ahead of the main force against the Primosle Bridge in Sicily on 13/14 July 1943. The Company was sea-landed at Taranto Italy on 9th September and fought in the ground role, returning to the UK in December. One Independent Platoon was left behind in Italy with the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade.
Elements of the 1st Independent Platoon jumped behind enemy lines in Italy during Operation HASTY in June 1944, While the rest of the company remained on stand by for a series of cancelled operations in Normandy after D-Day.
On 17th September the Company jumped at Arnhem during Operation MARKET GARDEN marking the drop zones and landing zones for the first lift. One platoon marked the abortive landing site for the Polish gliders, who landed amid the battle under heavy fire. the Company was trapped whitin the Oosterbeek Perimeter whit the survivors of the 1st Airborne Division and experienced heavy casualties.
The 1st Independent Parachute Platoon become involved in the occupation and street fighting in Athens during the winter of 1944-45.
21st Independent Parachute Company accopanied the 1st Airborne Division liberation of Norway between May to October 1945. It subsequetly joined the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine after the war, where it was disbanded in September 1946.
The Pathfinder Company also acted as an early warning if the selected drop zone was heavily defended, possibly diversion to an alternative drop zone. Once the main force was down the pathfinders were employed as a small reserve or reconnaissance force.
The 21st Independent Parachute Company served the 1st Airborne Division and formed in June 1942. It trained in north Africa and paracuted ahead of the main force against the Primosle Bridge in Sicily on 13/14 July 1943. The Company was sea-landed at Taranto Italy on 9th September and fought in the ground role, returning to the UK in December. One Independent Platoon was left behind in Italy with the 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade.
Elements of the 1st Independent Platoon jumped behind enemy lines in Italy during Operation HASTY in June 1944, While the rest of the company remained on stand by for a series of cancelled operations in Normandy after D-Day.
On 17th September the Company jumped at Arnhem during Operation MARKET GARDEN marking the drop zones and landing zones for the first lift. One platoon marked the abortive landing site for the Polish gliders, who landed amid the battle under heavy fire. the Company was trapped whitin the Oosterbeek Perimeter whit the survivors of the 1st Airborne Division and experienced heavy casualties.
The 1st Independent Parachute Platoon become involved in the occupation and street fighting in Athens during the winter of 1944-45.
21st Independent Parachute Company accopanied the 1st Airborne Division liberation of Norway between May to October 1945. It subsequetly joined the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine after the war, where it was disbanded in September 1946.
