49th (West Riding) Infantry Division

West Riding Division
49th (West Riding) Division
49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
49th (West Riding) Armoured Division
49th (West Riding and Midland) Infantry Division

Second pattern, replaced the first pattern in late World War II
Active 1908–1919
1920-1945
1947-1967
Country  United Kingdom
Branch Territorial Army
Type Infantry
Armoured from 1947
Size Division
Nickname(s) The Polar Bears (World War II)
Barker's Bears (World War II)
Engagements First World War
Second World War
Battle honours Somme (1916)
Normandy
The Odon
Scheldt
Commanders
Notable
commanders		 Evelyn Barker
Gordon Holmes MacMillan
Insignia
Identification
symbol
World War I
Identification
symbol
World War II first pattern[1][lower-alpha 1]

The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was an infantry division of the British Army. The division was formed in the Territorial Force on 1 April 1908 as the West Riding Division. The division fought in the Great War in the trenches of the Western Front, in the fields of France and Flanders. During World War II the division fought in the Norwegian Campaign and in North-western Europe. After the Second World War it was disbanded in 1946, then reformed in 1947. It remained with the Northern Command until finally disbanded in 1967.

First World War

The division was originally raised as the West Riding Division when the Territorial Force was created in 1908. In 1915, during the Great War, it was designated the 49th (West Riding) Division and given the White Rose of York as its insignia.

Formation 1914–1918

146th (1st West Riding) Brigade
147th (2nd West Riding) Brigade
148th (3rd West Riding) Brigade
Pioneers

Second World War

4.2-inch mortar of the 2nd Kensington Regiment, 49th (West Riding) Division in action at Turnhout, Belgium, 1 October 1944
2nd Essex patrol the streets during the liberation of Arnhem, 14 April 1945.
Universal Carriers of 49th (West Riding) Division's Reconnaissance Regiment are welcomed by Dutch civilians on the outskirts of Kampen, 19 April 1945

During World War II, the 49th Division first saw action beginning on 15–17 April 1940 when two of its brigades took part in the short and ill-fated landings in Norway that were intended to retake the ports of Trondheim and Narvik from the German Army. The campaign was a complete disaster and the division withdrew from Norway in May 1940.

The division's 146th and 147th Infantry Brigades were thereafter stationed in Iceland and the 148th Infantry Brigade became a training brigade and was no longer a part of the division.[3] As a result, a new divisional insignia, featuring a polar bear standing on an ice floe, was adopted. The idea was from the divisional commander, Major General Evelyn Barker. In 1942, the division was transferred back to the United Kingdom where the 70th Brigade, from the disbanded 23rd Division, was assigned to the 49th Division.

Just after D-Day, in June 1944, the 49th Division moved to France as part of XXX Corps. During the fierce fighting in Normandy, the Nazi propaganda broadcaster Lord Haw-Haw referred to the division as "the Polar Bear Butchers". In October 1944 the 70th Brigade was disbanded due to a shortage of trained infantrymen in the British Army and the 56th Independent Infantry Brigade was assigned to the division, remaining with it for the rest of the war. During the rest of the war, the division served mainly with the First Canadian Army and was variously under the command of I Corps, the II Canadian Corps, and the I Canadian Corps. The 49th Division's last major contribution to the Second World War was the Second Battle of Arnhem and the fierce battles that led to it. During the course of the war the division suffered very heavy casualties of 11,000 wounded or missing in action with around 1,642 killed in action. In late September 1944 the division was awarded its first and only Victoria Cross of the Second World War, belonging to Corporal John William Harper of the Hallamshire Battalion, York and Lancaster Regiment.

Order of battle Second World War

The 49th Infantry Division was constituted as follows during the war:[4]

146th Infantry Brigade[5]

147th Infantry Brigade[6]

148th Infantry Brigade (left June 1940)[6]

70th Infantry Brigade (from 18 May 1942, disbanded 20 August 1944)[7]

56th Infantry Brigade (from 20 August 1944)[8]

Divisional Troops

Post 1945

The division was disbanded in Germany in 1946, but reformed in the Territorial Army in 1947, having been renamed the 49th (West Riding) Armoured Division. It was based in Nottingham, consisting of (on 1 April 1947):

In 1956, it was renamed the 49th (West Riding and Midland) Infantry Division, its base moved to Leeds, and the 8th Armoured Brigade was removed from its order of battle. Finally, it underwent its last major change in 1961, when it was renamed to the 49th (West Riding and North Midland) Division/District, and the 147th Infantry Brigade was removed from its composition. The Division/District finally disbanded in 1967, becoming simply X District.[9]

The polar bear flash was last worn by 49th Brigade, Under Army 2020, 49 (E) Brigade was merged with 7th Armoured Brigade to become 7th Infantry Brigade on 13 February 2015.[10]

Commanders

Dates in British form (dd.mm.yyyy) indicating the date they entered the command (or resumed command when there are multiple dates).

Memorial

49th Infantry Division Memorial, Ypres

At the Site John McCrae just outside Ypres there is a memorial to the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division. It is located is immediately behind Essex Farm Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery, on top of the canal bank.[11] It is shaped like an obelisk and accessed via a flight of stairs leading up the canal bank from the cemetery.

Recipients of the Victoria Cross

See also

Notes

    1. ↑ The image of a hunting polar bear, with its head down, looking for seals, was thought by the new G.O.C., Maj. Gen. E.H. Barker, to be "...droopy timid looking...", and had it replaced by the head up, more aggressive looking version.[2]

    References

    1. ↑ Cole p. 44
    2. ↑ Delaforce p. 21
    3. ↑ "John Crook's service in Iceland".
    4. ↑ Joslen, pp. 79-80.
    5. ↑ Joslen, p. 331.
    6. 1 2 Joslen, p. 332.
    7. ↑ Joslen, p. 301.
    8. ↑ Joslen, p. 296.
    9. ↑ https://www.army.mod.uk/structure/History.aspx, accessed August 2012.
    10. ↑ "49 (East) Brigade Officially Disbanded". Forces TV. Retrieved 2 May 2015.
    11. ↑ CWGC: Essex Farm Cemetery, access date 2015-05-12

    Bibliography

    External links

    Further reading

    Divisions of the British Army
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