The unit was formed as 395 (Para) Air Dispatch Troop based in Hackbridge as part of 562 Parachute Squadron Royal Corps of Transport.

As potential aircrew, those who wished to become Air Despatchers in the Troop needed to pass aircrew medicals and some applicants were not suited to the complex (when compared to other basic army training) nature of Air Despatch technical training.

Both of these factors permanently reduced the Troops intake.Beyond standard military and Air Despatch technical training, other training included the following, depending on the role which individuals carried out: - Driving military lorries, cranes, fork lifts etc.

for transporting, air loading and recovering air dropped stores (similar to the Regular Army ‘Driver Air Despatcher’ trade) - Operating Drop Zones - Sea Survival - Resistance to Interrogation - Military Parachuting (initially the entire troop and later the Parachute Section) - Helicopter Handling (As Instructors and as Landing Point Commanders) The Troop also had its own support roles which enabled it to operate independently, including Clerks, Chefs and Storemen.

Individual reinforcements provided support during the First Gulf War (1991) and 395 Troop was mobilised to backfill 47 Air Despatch Squadron during operations in Iraq in 2003: During the period that the troop was mobilised it also provided support the Submarine Parachute Assistance Group and to 1312 Flight RAF in the South Atlantic.