The Polar Bears - Patrick Delaforce

Formed in 1907 in the West Riding of Yorkshire as a Territorial unit, the 49th Infantry Division fought with honour throughout the First World War, earning three Victoria Crosses. With the onset of the Second World War the Division saw action in the ill-fated Norwegian campaign of 1940, before spending two years as the Iceland garrison.

From August 1944, under Canadian command, the Polar Bears acted as Monty's left flank, playing a key role in the capture of Le Havre, campaigning vigorously in Belgium and garrisoning the 'island' between Arnhem and Nijmegen during the winter of 1944. They went on to liberate Arnhem, Utrecht and Hilversum. The Division's reconnaissance armoured cars were the first Allied troops to arrive in Amsterdam on 7 May 1945. In the final weeks of the war the Polar Bears played a humanitarian role, bringing desperately needed food supplies to the starving people of Holland.