 The divisions first two missions – Operation Biting , a parachute landing in France , and Operation Freshman , a glider mission in Norway – were both raids . Part of the division was sent to North Africa at the end of 1942 , where it fought in the Tunisia Campaign , and when the Allies invaded Sicily in July 1943 , the division undertook two brigade sized landings . The first , Operation Ladbroke , carried out by glider infantry of the 1st Airlanding Brigade and the second , Operation Fustian , by the 1st Parachute Brigade , were far from completely successful . The 1st Airborne Division then took part in a mostly diversionary amphibious landing , Operation Slapstick , part of the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943 . 
