The Polar Bears

"During the campaign in North West Europe, the Polar Bears were a completely British division with units drawn from Yorkshire, Durham, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Tyneside Scottish, Lincolnshire, Leicestershire, Kent Yeomany, and Suffold Hussars. In August 1944, they were joined by the South Wales Borderers, the Gloucesters, and the Essex regiments. For twenty months they were led by Major General Evelyn 'Bubbles' Barker until in November 1944 he was promoted to be a Corps commander. In their eleven months of combat during 1944-5, the Polar Bears suffered 11,000 casualties and earned a Victoria Cross. Following the successful formula adopted for this other divisional histories, Patrick Delaforce draws on contributions fro the soliders 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"--Page 4 of cover.