49th (West Riding) Infantry Division

49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
Active	1908 - 1967
Country	United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
Branch	British Army Territorial Army
Type	Infantry Armoured from 1945
Nickname	The Polar Bears (WWII)
Engagements	First World War Second World War
Battle honours	Somme (1916) Normandy The Odon Scheldt
Commanders
Notable commanders	Maj.Gen.G.H.A. MacMillan
Insignia
Identification symbol	World War I
Identification symbol	World War II

The 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division was formed on 1 April 1908 as the West Riding Division in the Territorial Force of the British Army. The division fought in France & Flanders during the First World War and in the Second World War.

After the Second World War it remained with the Northern Command.

First World War

In 1915, it was designated the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division and given the White Rose of York as its insignia.

Formation 1914 - 1918

146th (West Riding) Brigade 

• 1/5th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
• 1/6th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
• 1/7th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment)
• 1/8th Battalion, The Prince of Wales's Own (West Yorkshire Regiment) (until January 1918)

147th (2nd West Riding) Brigade 

• 1/4th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
• 1/5th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment) (until January 1918)
• 1/6th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)
• 1/7th Battalion, The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding Regiment)

148th (3rd West Riding) Brigade 

• 1/4th Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
• 1/5th Battalion, The King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (until February 1918)
• 1/4th (Hallamshire) Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment
• 1/5th Battalion, The York and Lancaster Regiment

Pioneers 

• 19th (Service) Battalion (3rd Salford), Lancashire Fusiliers (from August 1916)

Second World War

During the Second World war, the 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 Germans. The division withdrew from Norway in May 1940.

The division's 146th Infantry Brigade and 147th Infantry Brigade were thereafter stationed in Iceland. As a result, a new divisional insignia, featuring a Polar Bear standing on an ice floe, was adopted. In 1942, the division was transferred back to the United Kingdom.

Just after D-Day, in June 1944, it moved to Normandy 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". During the rest of the war, the division was variously under the command of the I Corps, the II Canadian Corps, and the I Canadian Corps. Its last major contribution to the war was the Liberation of Arnhem and the fierce battles that led to it.

Order of Battle 1939 - 1945

• 49 Reconnaissance Regiment, RAC
• 228, 229, 230, 294, 756, 757 Field Company, RE
• 231 & 289 Field Park Company, RE
• 23 Bridging Platoon, RE
• 49 Divisional Signals, RSC
• 69, 70, 71, 74, 79, 80, 143, 178, 185 Field Regiment, RA
• 55, 58, 88 Anti-Tank Regiment, RA
• 89, 118 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RA
• 2nd Battalion, The Kensington Regiment (M.G.)
• 49 Royal army Service Corps ( R.A.S.C )

146th Infantry Brigade

(1939–1945)

• • 4th Battalion The Lincolnshire Regiment
  • 1/4th Battalion Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
  • The Hallamshire Battalion The York and Lancaster Regiment

147th Infantry Brigade

(1939–1945)

• • 1/5th Battalion The West Yorkshire Regiment
  • 1/6th Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
  • 1/7th Battalion The Duke of Wellington's Regiment
  • 11th Battalion The Royal Scots Fusiliers
  • 1st Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment

148th Infantry Brigade

(1939-Apr 1940)

• • 1/5th Battalion The Leicestershire Regiment
  • 1/5th Battalion The Sherwood Foresters
  • 8th Battalion Sherwood Foresters
  • 2nd Battalion The South Wales Borderers

70th Infantry Brigade

(May 1942-Aug 1944)

• 10th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
• 11th Bn. Durham Light Infantry
• 1st Bn. The Tyneside Scottish

56th Infantry Brigade

(Aug 1944-1945)

• 2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment
• 2nd Battalion, The Gloucestershire Regiment
• 2nd Battalion, The South Wales Borderers

Commanders

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

• Maj. Gen. Pierse J. Mackesy - 03.09.1939
• Maj. Gen. Harry O. Curtis - 10.06.1940
• Brig. Neville P. Procter - 12.04.1943 (Acting)
• Maj. Gen. Sir Evelyn W. Barker - 12.04.1943
• Maj. Gen. Sir Gordon H.A. MacMillan - 30.11.1944, 06.02.1945
• Brig. R.H. Senior - 27.01.1945 & 24.03.1945 (Acting)
• Maj. Gen. Stuart B. Rawlins - 28.03.1945, 27.04.1945
• Brig. Edward N. Crosse - 18.04.1945 (Acting)
• Brig. H. Wood - 23.08.1945 (Acting)

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):

• 8 (Yorkshire) Armoured Brigade
• 146 (West Riding) Infantry Brigade
• 147 (Midland) Lorried Infantry Brigade
• Artillery included 269 and 270 Field Regiments Royal Artillery

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 unit finally disbanded in 1967.

The polar bear flash is now worn by 49 Brigade.

See also

• List of British divisions in WWI
• List of British divisions in WWII
• British Army Order of Battle - September 1939

External links

• The British Army in the Great War: The 49th (West Riding) Division
• Regiments.org Summary and Lineage
• Composition of the 49th Division
• Generals of World War II
• 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division Polar Bear Association