Got hold off this nice item today: Hi Philip, would be interested in any content regarding after the war before disbandment Oct 46, regards Steve
Phillip Patrick Delaforce wrote his book 'The Polar bears" - Monty's left flank of which I have a copy and it follows the Division from 1939 to the end of the war. he tells that tale as it was and is an excellent read, my persoanl interest in this division is that my cousin was killed at Rauray with the 11th DLI in an abortive charge against the 12th SS Panzers - with rifles ! - in the late june '44 prior to the Epsom battle there are Polar Bear memorials at both Roosendaal and Utrecht ISBN - 0 -75370-265-7 Chancellor Press Cheers
just received the newsletter today Issue 35 with the following Last Post: Gunner H. Ingleton No.7021582 69 Field Regiment Sergeant T.W.J. Clarke No.4081290 South Wales Borderers and 10 DLI Private M.Plumb No.14396643 2 Glosters Sergeant H. Tolman No.2575795 Division HQ signals Sergeant B. Smith No.2068680 756 Field Company RE Major F. Wallerstein 7 Royal Tank Regiment Gunner S. Stringer No.1134103 55 Anti Tank Regiment Staff/Sergeant F. Lodge No.4691774 1/4 Lincolns Sapper W. Plumb No.2156034 757 Field Company RE R.Cross Essex Regiment
...my persoanl interest in this division is that my cousin was killed at Rauray with the 11th DLI in an abortive charge against the 12th SS Panzers - with rifles ! - in the late june '44 prior to the Epsom battle there are Polar Bear memorials at both Roosendaal and Utrecht ....and an incredible Memorial only about a mile from Rauray itself!
....and an incredible Memorial only about a mile from Rauray itself! Link to the thread of the photos I took there in 2011. http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/war-cemeteries-war-memorial-research/37125-49th-infantry-division-polar-bears-monument-fontenay-le-pesnel.html
Hi Gert - I'm fairly sure that is the same polar bear memorial I posted. It's near Loenen, not in Apeldoorn (perhaps in Apeldoorn district?). Apeldoorn was liberated by 1st Canadian Div.
No worries. Not far from Loenen is this memorial at Dieren commemorating where the 49th Div and 1st Can Div made contact on 16 April 1945.
Clarke's Memorial Page is a little thin - it can be seen here - Clarke Thomas William John Pte 4081290 - 70 Brigade Any more detail you can let me have on him? I don't have anything on Sapper Plumb 757th at all as the name did not appear in either the War Diary or as a Casualty. Any information available on him by any chance, and I'll add him to the Personnel List for the Field Company? Regards John L Dixon