15 (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion the Parachute Regiment
XV PARA - photos from the 60s on Facebook

The 15th (British) Parachute Battalion was formed in 1945 from the 1st Battalion the Kings Regiment in India.
It belonged to the 77th Indian Brigade, part of the 44th Indian Airborne Division. It was disbanded in December 1946 and reformed in 1947 as the 15th (Scottish) Parachute Battalion (TA) under the command of Lt Col AS Pearson.

In 1967 it was re-designated 15 PARA (SV) and came under command of 44th Parachute Brigade (Volunteer

15 (Scottish Volunteer) Battalion the Parachute ... Website where you can read more about 15 Para

ParaData website

Billy Connolly Weekend Soldier

The 15th (British) Parachute Battalion

15 PARA suffered the highest loss of TA soldiers during a major NATO exercise in September 1974 when a parachute miss-drop south of the Kiel Canal resulted in the drowning of six paratroopers. Much heavy-drop equipment and other soldiers parachuted into the canal, which was still open when the drop occurred. Ships lights may have been mistaken for DZ markers. By 1989 the Battalion formed part of the Parachute Regiment Group (PRG), a NATO reinforcement contingency for the 1st (UK) Armoured Division in BAOR Germany.
At that time 15 PARA’s main role was that of Fighting in a built up area or FIBUA and spent much of its time training for FIBUA Operations should the unthinkable happen and the Russian Army breached the East / West border.

To that end many FIBUA exercises where held in locations in the UK and West Germany at Cope Hill Down (UK), Bonn land (BAOR), Imber Village (UK), Paramali Village (Cyprus) and Whinney Hill (UK). 15 PARA along with her sister regiments of 4 PARA and 10 PARA also took part in major NATO exercises in West Germany but mostly playing the part of the “ENEMY” for other NATO forces. The Battalion also took part in Exchange Exercises with the US and German Airborne forces and as a result struck up a long lasting relationship with these other countries.

Members of 15 PARA came from all walks of life such as Brick Layers, Joiners, Electricians, Plumbers, Students, Prison officers, Policemen, and even Ex Regular soldiers from other regiments, which became on occasion a major asset for the battalion and its own members. Selection for entry into the TA Parachute regiment was carried out at the various TA Drill Halls in Scotland at each Platoon’s own Pre Para Training Team and coming together on various weekends to train as a Battalion recruit training cadre and with the final few remaining coming together as 15 PARA recruits at the Depot Para and Airborne Forces at Browning Barracks in Aldershot, Hants.

Here recruits put forward for Pre Parachute Selection would spend two weeks being assessed and tested before being awarded their coveted Maroon beret and Parachute Regiment cap badge in preparation for attending RAF Brize Norton at a later date to complete a 2 week Basic Military parachute course which would result in them being awarded there British Parachute wings and become full members of "15 PARA" ... Sadly because of Defence cuts and the MOD's "OPTIONS FOR CHANGE" in the early 90's the Battalion was forced to amalgamate with her sister Battalion 4 PARA (V) in April 1993, much to the dismay of the members of 15 PARA (SV). They where however allowed to retain a token gesture of a rifle company (15th Scottish Company) which was still to have its base in Glasgow, Scotland.