4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment

Parachute Regiment
Cap badge of the Parachute Regiment
Active	1942–Present
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	British Army
Type	Infantry
Role	Airborne forces
Size	Battalion
Part of	16 Air Assault Brigade
Garrison/HQ	Leeds
Nickname(s)	The Red Devils The Paras
Motto(s)	Utrinque Paratus (Latin for "Ready for Anything")
March	Quick—Ride of the Valkyries Slow—Pomp and Circumstance No 4
Mascot(s)	Shetland Pony (Pegasus)
Commanders
Colonel-in-Chief	HRH The Prince of Wales, KG, KT, GCB, OM, AK, QSO, PC, ADC
Colonel Commandant	General Sir John Reith, KCB, CBE
Notable commanders	General Anthony Farrar-Hockley GBE, KCB, DSO & Bar, MC
Insignia
Identification symbol

The 4th Battalion, Parachute Regiment (4 PARA), is an Army Reserve unit of the British Army and is based across the United Kingdom. Originally the Battalion covered the North of England, with its headquarters located in Pudsey, West Yorkshire. Following the Options for Change review in 1993, 4 PARA amalgamated with the 15th (Scottish) Battalion of the Parachute Regiment (XV PARA), which was downsized and became 15 (Scottish) Company of 4 PARA. As part of further changes in 1999 (Strategic Defence Review), the Battalion also merged with the 10th (Volunteer) Battalion which then became 10 (London) Company.

Under the Army 2020 plan, it will form as a reserve air assault infantry battalion of 16th Air Assault Brigade.

The original 4th Parachute Battalion was formed in 1942 and saw service in;

In 1943 Operation Avalanche (Invasion of Italy) was launched and the Battalion was in action at Taranto and Cassino. In August 1944, the battalion was part of Operation Rugby in Southern France. In October 1944 the Battalion seized by airborne assault (Operation Manna) the airfield at Megara near Athens in Greece. The battalion spent the rest of the war supporting the 2nd New Zealand Division. Then from 1945 served with the 6th Airborne Division in Palestine.