49th (West Riding) Division

The Division was a first line Territorial Army formation. Elements of the division served in Norway in 1940 and Iceland from 1940 until 1942.

Divisional Units took part in the battle for Tilly-sur-Seulles, 11th–14th June, capturing the village of Cristot (just outside Tilly) from the 12th SS Panzer Division. The complete Division then took part in the battle on the River Odon (Operation EPSOM), 26th-29th June. Later in the campaign, the Division advanced eastwards along the coast, crossing the River Dives.

(Major General EH Barker).


70th Infantry Brigade.

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

146th Infantry Brigade.

4th Bn. The Lincolnshire Regiment.
1st/4th Bn. The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry.
The Hallamshire Bn. The York and Lancaster Regiment.

147th Infantry Brigade.

11th Bn. The Royal Scots Fusiliers.
6th Bn. The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding). Left on 6th July
7th Bn. The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding).

1st Bn. The Leicestershire Regiment. Joined on 6th July.


Divisional Troops.

49th Reconnaissance Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps.
2nd Bn. Princess Louise’s Kensington Regiment.

69th (West Riding) Field Regiment Royal Artillery.
143rd (Kent Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
185th Field Regiment, Royal Artillery.
55th (Suffolk and Norfolk Yeomanry) Anti-Tank Regiment, Royal Artillery.
89th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Artillery.

294th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
756th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
757th Field Company, Royal Engineers.
289th Field Park Company, Royal Engineers.
23rd Bridging Platoon, Royal Engineers.

49th (West Riding) Divisional Signals, Royal Corps of Signals.

146th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps…
160th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
187th Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps.
16th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
17th Field Dressing Station, Royal Army Medical Corps.
35th Field Hygiene Section, Royal Army Medical Corps.

460th Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
482nd Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
483rd Infantry Brigade Company, Royal Army Service Corps.
118th Divisional Troops Company, Royal Army Service Corps.

70th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
146th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.
147th Infantry Brigade Workshop, Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.

9th Divisional Postal Unit, Royal Engineers.

49th Divisional Provost Company, Corps of Military Police.