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have the paras ever retreated during a war? not being cheeky just wondered

Cheers
Si

I think the term would be "withdraw" as paras never "retreat". Cant remember which battle it was but that time they went into opperation under faulty intellegence and ended up dropping onto an abandonned airfield, 50 miles behind enemy lines, they had to withdraw to friendly grounds? I'm sure they have withdrawed several times in the past, but any Para office would probably never use the word "retreat"

Read a Bridge too Far by Cornelius Ryan. a bloody great film also.
Believe it or believe not but I'm watching it right now !!!!!!

Mal,
I believe the term you are looking for is " Tactical Withdrawl."

When you are dropped in the middle of the enemy, which way do you advance and which way do you withdraw. Once you have acheived objective then the idea is to either hold that objective or you destory it then rejoin the main body of the the Army, is this a retreat or achieving your objective.

Tactical Withdrawal huh? Sounds good

Or advancing in the opposite direction of battle......

The technical term is " leg it!!!"

retreated , Tactical Withdrawal , I do believe it would be called fighting in a different direction.

Tactical Withdrawl. I think thats the same as Coitus Interuptious [excuse spelling I don't know Latin].

Well I am inclined to look at it as as completing your mission, you are just following your orders, so how can it be a retreat. You are not always required to stand and fight like Bruneval it was an in and out job. All objectives met then withdraw with your looted radar equipment, is this in your opinion a retreat, or just obeying orders.