Italeri 6034 British Paratroopers Red Devils (WWII)

British 1st Parachute Division 1st Airborne Division ), commonly known as the Red Devils, was formed in 1941. The unit gained the status of an elite, which was due to several reasons: SAS soldiers (who made up its 1st parachute battalion) had a significant share in its creation, the soldiers of the formation underwent very demanding training, and were also characterized by high combat qualities. The initiative of its creation came from the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, impressed by the German achievements in Crete in 1941, and its first commander was General Frederick AM Browning. The first operations conducted by the divisions of the division were raids in the areas of German-occupied France and Norway. In 1942, part of the unit was transferred to North Africa, where it fought in Tunisia. Brigade of The 1st Parachute Division was also used during the landing in Sicily in July 1943 and on the Apennine - also in 1943. Interestingly, the division did not take part in the Normandy landings in June 1944, but was used in the unsuccessful Market-Garden operation in September of the same year. In the course of the operation, she suffered very high losses. The unit was disbanded in November 1945.