49 brigade

does anyone have any history on 49 brigade? It is the unit i am in and i would like to know more about it. I know that the brigade badge came from when the brigade was staioned in Iceland a Officer was attacked by a poler bear (or something like that) hence the poler bear badge:

 

Good old Wikipedia has a bit.

British 49th Infantry Brigade - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


And there's a website still under construction:

49 Brigade


JT

 

I have a feeling that they were christened (rather unflatteringly) "The Nijmegen Homeguard". Cannot for the life of me remember who said it, one of the veterans that I am in touch with. Maybe Sapper has heard of them being called that.

 

I have a feeling that they were christened (rather unflatteringly) "The Nijmegen Homeguard". Cannot for the life of me remember who said it, one of the veterans that I am in touch with. Maybe Sapper has heard of them being called that.

Although quoted on a previous post it is in here apparently said by the soldiers themselves:

<table border="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td style="font-weight: bold;" align="left" valign="top"> Author</td> <td align="left" valign="top">Delaforce, Patrick</td> </tr> <tr> <td style="font-weight: bold;" align="left" valign="top"> Price</td> <td align="left" valign="top"> Normal price £10.99 — Discount price £9.34 — You save £1.65 <convert> </td> </tr> <tr> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Biblio</td> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">0750910623; pp. 224 35 illustrations, maps, bibliog , index</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Binding</td> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Paperback</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Published </td> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">October 1995</td> </tr> <tr> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Publisher</td> <td class="text-small" align="left" valign="top">Sutton Publishing
</td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2" align="left" valign="top"> view customer reviews

Christened the "Polar Bear Butchers" by the infamous Lord Haw Haw after its involvement in the ferocious battles following D-Day at Cristol, Fontenay, Tessel Wood and Rauray, the 49th Infantry Division thrust its way out of the beach head and fought with distinction in the bloody campaign to liberate Europe in 1944-5.
Originally a territorial unit with its roots in the West Riding of Yorkshire, the 49th Infantry Division was formed in 1907 and fought with honour thoughout World War I, earning three Victoria Crosses. With the onset of World War II, the division saw action in the ill-fated Norwegian campaign in 1940, before it was appointed to garrison Iceland where it stayed for two years. During this time at the edge of the Arctic Circle, the 49th earned its title and divisional insignia of the "Polar Bears".
In August 1944, under the command of the Canadian Army, the Polar Bears acted as Monty's left flank after the invasion of France. Following the battle for Normandy, the Polar Bears played a key role in the capture of Le Havre, campaigned vigorously in Belgium and garrisoned the "island" between Arnhem and Nijmegen during the winter of 1944. They helped take Arnhem and then liberated Utrecht and Hilversum; and the Recce regiment were the first to arrive with their armoured cars in Amsterdam. In the final weeks of the war the Polar Bears played a humanitarian role by bringing desperately needed food supplies to the starving population of Holland.
In their 11 months of combat during 1944-5, the Polar Bears suffered 11,000 casualties and earned a Victoria Cross.
The author draws on contributions from the soldiers who fought with the Polar Bears - privates, NCOs and officers alike. In their own words they tell just what it was like as they fought through from Normandy to the relief of Holland.alabaster force; waiting for the balloon to go up - arctic, mountain or assault division?; countdown and channel crossing - "vengeance of the Gods"; arrival and first action - "we'd got our first blood"; the Hallams' action at Audrieu - Canadian massacre; the Lincolns' skirmish at St Pierre; infantry and tank co-operation; the KOYLI's battle for Cristot - "world seemed to end"; the dukes attack Le Parc de Boislande; build-up to operation Epsom - "a sombre and depressing scene"; operation Martlet, stage I - "blind man's buff"; the KOYLI's attack on Tessel Wood - "it was the hell of a day"; operation Martlet, stage II, 26 June - "feeling of utter desolation"; operation Martlet, stage III, 27 June - "Albacore"; Operation Epsom - "the Western flank"; the end of the 6th Bn Duke of Wellingtons; prelude to the Rauray battle - "a wee bit of bother"; the Rauray battle - "locked in mortal and bloody combat with the Polar Bear Butchers"; holding the line - "listening all the time"; the capture of Vendes and Barbee Farm - "it was a charnel house"; Caen - mosquitoes, night bombing and joining the Canadians; break-out from the Caen sector - "eventually the dam burst"; the sad end to the 70th brigade - "intense gloom and despair"; the new arrivals - the 56th (Sphinx) Independent Brigade; the swan to the Seine - hot pursuit; the taking of Le Havre - "din of battle, organized chaos and danger"; a week in limbo - "a time of great eleation"; battles in southern Holland, September- "stop firing, you bloody fools"; the battle for Mendicite - Harper's Victoria Cross; battles in southern Holland - October; the battle for Roosendaal - "the Leicesters: poor blighters"; Breda - the River Mark and the taking of Willemstadt; November - farewell to "Bubbles" Barker; on the island, December - "a fearsome sight"; on the island, January - "booby traps and midget submarines"; on the island, February - "the Nijmegen home guard"; on the island, March - "the thaw brought dead German bodies"; April, operation Destroyer - the taking of Arnhem, "you have come back"; operation Dutch cleanser - "singing "Tipperary""; round-up - the liberation of Utrecht and Amsterdam.
This book is no longer available, but we may be able to obtain a second-hand copy. If you would like to use the Search Service please go to History Bookhop Search Service.
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A little bit more here, too:

49th West Riding Division Normandy 1944 - The Polar Bears