Operation Varsity a veteran division; it had taken part in Operation Overlord, the assault on Normandy in June the previous year. However, the U.S. 17th Airborne Division, under Major General William Miley, had been activated only in April 1943 and had arrived in Britain in August 1944, too late to participate in Operation Overlord. The division did not participate in Operation Market Garden. It did, however, participate in the Ardennes campaign but had yet to take part in a combat drop. The U.S. 13th Airborne Division, under Major General Eldridge Chapman, had been activated in August 1943 and was transferred to France
British airborne operations in North Africa a new command, and was replaced by Brigadier Gerald Lathbury. Shortly afterwards the brigade rejoined 1st Airborne Division and began training for the airborne landings that would take place during Operation Husky, the Allied invasion of Sicily. During its time in North Africa, the 1st Parachute Brigade had captured more than 3,500 enemies as prisoners of war (POWs) and suffered well over 1,700 casualties. To take Lieutenant Colonel John Frost's 2nd Parachute Battalion as an example, it had entered North Africa with a strength of 24 officers and 588 other ranks, absorbed some 230 replacements in January 1943, and left