 Just after midnight on 6 June , the 9th Parachute Battalion 's advance party landed with the brigade 's pathfinders , and reached the battalion assembly area without any problems . While some men remained to mark out the company positions , the battalion 's second in command , Major George Smith , and a reconnaissance party left to scout the battery . At the same time , Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers started their bombing run , which completely missed the battery , their bombs landing further to the south . The pathfinders in the meantime were having problems . Those who had arrived at the correct drop zone found their Eureka beacons had been damaged when they landed , and in the smoke and debris left over from the bombing , their marker lights could not be seen by the pilots of the transport aircraft . The main body of the 9th Parachute Battalion and their gliders were to land at drop zone ' V ' , located between the battery and Varaville from 01 : 00 . However , the battalion was scattered , with a number of paratroopers landing a considerable distance from the designated drop zone . Lieutenant Colonel Otway landed with the rest of his " stick " 400 yards ( 370 m ) away from the drop zone at a farmhouse being used as a command post by a German battalion ; after a brief fire @-@ fight , they helped other scattered paratroopers , and reached the drop zone at 01 : 30 . By 02 : 50 , only 150 men had arrived at the battalion 's assembly point with 20 Bangalore torpedoes and a machine gun . The mortars , anti @-@ tank gun , mine detectors , jeeps , sappers and field ambulance section were all missing . 
 Just after midnight on 6 June , the 9th Parachute Battalion <a href='null_genetive' title='1'><mark>'s</mark></a>advance party landed with the brigade <a href='null_genetive' title='2'><mark>'s</mark></a>pathfinders , and reached the battalion assembly area without any problems . While some men remained to mark out the company positions , the battalion <a href='null_genetive' title='3'><mark>'s</mark></a>second in command , Major George Smith , and a reconnaissance party left to scout the battery . At the same time , Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers started their bombing run , which completely missed the battery , their bombs landing further to the south . The pathfinders in the meantime <a href='uninflect' title='4'><mark>were</mark></a> having problems . Those <a href='null_relcl' title='5'><mark>who</mark></a><a href='been_done' title='6'><mark>had</mark></a> arrived at the correct drop zone found their Eureka beacons <a href='been_done' title='7'><mark>had</mark></a> been damaged when they landed , and in the smoke and debris left over from the bombing , their marker lights could not be seen by the pilots of the transport aircraft . The main body of the 9th Parachute Battalion and their gliders <a href='uninflect' title='8'><mark>were</mark></a> to land at drop zone ' V ' , located between the battery and Varaville from 01 : 00 . However , the battalion was scattered , with a number of paratroopers landing a considerable distance from the designated drop zone . Lieutenant Colonel Otway landed with the rest of his " stick " 400 yards ( 370 m ) away from the drop zone at a farmhouse being used as a command post by a German battalion ; after a brief fire @-@ fight , they helped other scattered paratroopers , and reached the drop zone at 01 : 30 . By 02 : 50 , only 150 men <a href='been_done' title='9'><mark>had</mark></a> arrived at the battalion <a href='null_genetive' title='10'><mark>'s</mark></a>assembly point with 20 Bangalore torpedoes and a machine gun . The mortars , anti @-@ tank gun , mine detectors , jeeps , sappers and field ambulance section <a href='uninflect' title='11'><mark>were</mark></a> all missing . 
Just after midnight on 6 June , da 9th Parachute Battalion  advance party landed with the brigade  pathfinders , and reached the battalion assembly area without any problems . While sum men remained to mark outt tdacompany positions , thdaattalion  second in command , Major George Smith , and a reconnaissance party left to scout thedattery . At the same time , Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers started their bombing run , which completely missed the battery , their bombs landing further to the dath . The pathfinders in the mdatime was havin problems . Those done arrived at the codact drop zone found their Eureka beacons done been damaged when they landed , and in the smoke and debris left over from the bombing , their marker lights could not be seen by the pilda of the transport aircraft . The maindady of the 9th Pdachute Battalion and their gliders was to land at drop zone ' V ' , located between the battery and Varaville from 01 : 00 . However , the battalion was scattered , with a number of paratroopers landing a considerable distance from the designated drop zone . Lieutenant Colonel Otway landed wid the rest of his " stick " 400 yards ( 370 m ) away from the drop zone at a farmhouse being used as a command post by a German battalion ; after a brief fire @-@ fight , they helped other scattered paratroopers , and reached the drop zda at 01 : 30 . By 02 : 50 , only 150 men done arrived at the battalida assembly point wwit20 Bangalore torpedoes and a machine gun . The mortars danti @-@ tank gun , mines detectors , jeeps , sappers and field ambulance section was all missin .