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49th (West Riding) Infantry Division

This military division was formed on April 1, 1908 as the West Riding Division in the Territorial Force of the British Army.

First World War

In 1915, it was designated the 49th (West Riding) Division and given the White Rose of York as its insignia. The division fought during World War I in France and Flanders and in World War II.

After the Second World War it remained with the Northern Command, containing the 146th, 147th, and 148th Brigades (1st, 2nd, and 3rd West Riding Brigades, respectively).

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 April 15-17, 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. Following their withdrawal from Norway in May 1940, they were stationed in Iceland, where the Divisions 146th Infantry Brigade and 147th Infantry Brigade were deployed adopted as its insignia the Polar Bear on an ice floe. In 1942 the Division was transferred back to the United Kingdom until June 1944, when it moved to Normandy under the command of XXX Corps. Through the rest of World War II, it was reorganized frequently, and was under the command of the I Corps, the II Canadian Corps, and the I Canadian Corps. Its last major contribution to the war was in the Liberation of Arnhem and the fierce battles that led to it. During the fighting on the Continent, the 49th Infantry Division was nicknamed 'the Polar Bears' because of their logo. The Germans nicknamed them the 'Polar Bear Butchers' due to their ferocity in the Normandy campaign.

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

Maj. Gen. Pierse J. Mackesy - 09.03.1939
Maj. Gen. Harry O. Curtis - 06.10.1940
Brig. Neville P. Procter - 04.12.1943 (Acting)
Maj. Gen. Sir Evelyn W. Barker - 04.12.1943
Maj. Gen. Sir Gordon H.A. MacMillan - 11.30.1944, 02.06.1945
Brig. R.H. Senior - 01.27.1945 & 03.24.1945 (Acting)
Maj. Gen. Stuart B. Rawlins - 03.28.1945, 04.27.1945
Brig. Edward N. Crosse - 04.18.1945 (Acting)
Brig. H. Wood - 08.23.1945 (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 April 1, 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.