.....156 PARA and 10 PARA advanced swiftly on two axes against strong rearguard action from the 1st German Parachute Division and in a few days captured the airfield at Giooia Dell Colle, which was urgently needed for the RAF to provide air support for the Salerno landings.

.....1st Parachute Brigade and 1st Airlanding Brigade landed and took over the advance, pushing on to Foggia 125 miles inland where the division outran its meagre supply and transport system. Main elements of the Eighth Army took over the advance up the east coast. In October the 1st Airborne Division was withdrawn to Taranto and in the following month returned to the UK. The 2nd Independent Parachute Brigade remained in Italy as General Alexander's airborne assault force, but the Germans formed a strong defensive line in the hills and the campaign had already become static with little scope for airborne action. The brigade therefore fought as infantry from November to March, 1944 in the Adriatic sector where they were attached to the New Zealand Division. Here they carried out aggressive patrolling and suffered many casualties during the bitter winter fighting. In April the brigade was moved west to the Cassino Sector where they continued patrolling before being withdrawn to Salerno in May 1944.