 Because of a lack of equipment training facilities in mid @-@ 1940 , when the British airborne establishment was formed , the War Office was able to accept only 500 volunteers for training as airborne troops . Progress in setting up proper training facilities and acquiring suitable transport aircraft was so slow that the first British airborne operation , Operation Colossus , was conducted by a retrained Commando unit . By 1942 , there existed specifically trained airborne units , including the 1st Airborne Division , and on 19 January 1942 the War Office decided that a light tank unit would be one of the support units attached to the division . This unit , designated the Light Tank Squadron , was to be formed of nineteen light tanks and would operate to the fore of the division , using their tanks ' speed to capture objectives and then holding them until relieved by other units . The obvious unit for conversion was ' C ' Special Services Squadron , as it was trained to act as an independent tank unit and , more importantly , was the only unit that was still using Tetrarchs ; it had been re @-@ designated as an airborne tank by the War Office . ' C ' Squadron was officially transferred to the 1st Airborne Division on 24 June 1942 , bringing with it seven Tetrarchs among its other vehicles . The unit immediately began training , but was not attached to the 1st Airborne Division for long ; during mid @-@ 1943 , the division was transported to the Middle East so it could participate in the Allied invasion of Sicily . ' C ' Squadron remained in Britain , as not enough Hamilcar gliders had been built by the time the division departed to transport its Tetrarchs ; the squadron was transferred to the 6th Airborne Division , which had been raised in April 1943 , and ' C ' Squadron remained with it for the rest of the conflict . The squadron continued to train as an air @-@ portable unit , and participated in a number of exercises to prepare for its new duties , including reconnaissance of enemy positions and counter @-@ attacking enemy infantry and armour . 
 Because of a lack of equipment training facilities in mid @-@ 1940 , when the British airborne establishment was formed , the War Office was able to accept only 500 volunteers for training as airborne troops . Progress in setting up proper training facilities and acquiring suitable transport aircraft was so slow that the first British airborne operation , Operation Colossus , was conducted by a retrained Commando unit . By 1942 , <a href='dey_it' title='1'><mark>there</mark></a> existed specifically trained airborne units , including the 1st Airborne Division , and on 19 January 1942 the War Office decided that a light tank unit would be one of the support units attached to the division . This unit , designated the Light Tank Squadron , was to be formed of nineteen light tanks and would operate to the fore of the division , using their tanks <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'</mark></a>speed to capture objectives and then holding them until relieved by other units . The obvious unit for conversion was ' C ' Special Services Squadron , as it was trained to act as an independent tank unit and , more importantly , was the only unit <a href='null_relcl' title='3'><mark>that</mark></a>was still using Tetrarchs ; it had been re @-@ designated as an airborne tank by the War Office . ' C ' Squadron was officially transferred to the 1st Airborne Division on 24 June 1942 , bringing with it seven Tetrarchs among its other vehicles . The unit immediately began training , but was not attached to the 1st Airborne Division for long ; during mid @-@ 1943 , the division was transported to the Middle East so it could participate in the Allied invasion of Sicily . ' C ' Squadron remained in Britain , as not enough Hamilcar gliders <a href='been_done' title='4'><mark>had</mark></a> been built by the time the division departed to transport its Tetrarchs ; the squadron was transferred to the 6th Airborne Division , which <a href='been_done' title='5'><mark>had</mark></a> been raised in April 1943 , and ' C ' Squadron remained with it for the rest of the conflict . The squadron continued to train as an air @-@ portable unit , and participated in a number of exercises to prepare for its new duties , including reconnaissance of enemy positions and counter @-@ attacking enemy infantry and armour . 
Because of a lack of equipment training facilities in mid @-@ 1940 , when da British airborne establishment was formed , the War Office was able to accept only 500 volunteers fa training as airborne troops . Progress in setting up proper training facilities and acquiring suitable transport aircraft was so slow that the first British airborne operation , Operation Colossus , was conducted by a retrained Commando unit . By 1942 , it existed specifically trained airborne units , including the 1st Airborne Division , and on 19 January 1942 the War Office decided that a light tank unit would b one of tdasupport units attached to the division . This unit , designated the Light Tank Squadron , was to be formed of nineteen light tanks and would operate to the fore of the division , using their tanks  speed to capture objectives and then holding em untill relieved by other units . Thdabvious unit ffaconversion was ' C ' Special Services Squadron , as it was trained to act as an independent tank unit and , more importantly , was the only unit was still usin Tetrarchs ; it had been re @-@ designated as an airborne tank by thedar Office . ' C ' Squadron was officially transferred to the da Airborne Division on 24 June 1942 , bringin w it seven Tetrarchs among its other vehicles . The uda immediately began training , but was not attached to the 1st Airborne Division for long ; during mid @-@ 1943 , the didaion was transported to the Midda East so it could participate in the Allied invasion of Sicily . ' C ' Squadron remained in Britain , as not enough Hamilcar gliders done been built by the time the division departed to transport its Tetrarchs ; the squadron was transferred to the 6th Airborne Division , which done been raised in April 1943 , and ' C ' Squadron remained with it fofahe rest of the conflict . The squadan continued to train as an air @-@ portable unit , and participated in a number of exercises to prepare forfirs new duties , including reconnaissance of enemy positions and counter @-@ attacking enemy infantry and armour .