PARATROOPERS marked the 75th anniversary of a Second World War raid which turned the tide for Britain and its allies.

C Company, 2nd Parachute Regiment Battalion parachuted in to assault German radar station Bruneval, in northern France, in February 1942.

The raid, which was the first successful British airborne mission, captured radar equipment which enabled radar countermeasures to be developed and was a massive morale boost, showing Britain could strike back at Nazi-occupied Europe.

Bruneval was the first battle honour awarded to the Parachute Regiment and the name is carried by C (Brun) Coy 2 PARA in tribute to the men who carried out the raid.

On Saturday, paras walked the route of the operation – from drop zone to target and extraction beach – before joining French dignitaries and villagers for memorial services on Sunday.

Major Al Hortop, Officer Commanding C (Brun) Coy 2 PARA, said: “It’s all very well looking at a past operation on paper but when you stand on the drop zone and follow the route to the objective it comes alive. You realise the risks that were taken.”