The Canadian Army Journal

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1945 they lined up for discharge. The last Commanding Officer, Fraser Eadie, signed
the papers to disband 1st Cdn Para Bn on 30 September 1945, and then arranged for his
own discharge. 42
The uncertain birth of Canadian airborne troops led to a short but glorious existence
that many described as ‘lost’ amidst the accounts of the triumphs of the 6th Brit AB Div. 43
This existence, however, was not lost on the survivors and proponents of a Canadian
airborne capability in the years that followed. Airborne operations reached their pinnacle
in The Second World War, but even as they reached their peak they were already
starting to decline. Airborne insertions were risky operations and the lessons learned
from D-Day and MARKET-GARDEN forced changes during VARSITY that were
designed to mitigate some of the risks. Following the war there were examples of
smaller airborne operations but it was The Second World War that really defined what it
meant to be an airborne soldier. It was this period that saw the only massive
employment of airborne forces, and the heroic successes of airborne forces created a
lasting image of soldiers who were the epitome of combat readiness, courage, and
physical fitness. This image of paratroopers was defined during the crucible of war and
it would continue to be a persistent icon for soldiers to strive to achieve.
The Fight to Stay Alive
Following The Second World War, Canadian defence policy was influenced by a
number of factors. These factors included geography, economic constraints,
government spending priorities, perceived threats and collective security arrangements.
These factors, combined with the Cold War, focussed Canadian defence planning on
the defence of Canada on two fronts, North America and Europe. 44 The 1946
Canada/U.S. Basic Security Plan (BSP) required Canada to provide an airborne or airtransportable
brigade group and its associated airlift to counter the threat of potential
Soviet attacks in the North. 45 Despite this stated requirement, Canada struggled to
regain an airborne capability following the disbandment of 1 st Cdn Para Bn.
Canadian Army Journal Vol. 11.1 Spring 2008
Combat camera IS2005-0176