This is the story of two British infantry divisions that were highly regarded by Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery, and whose gallant roles in the Second World War deserve to be much better known. 50th Northumbrian or Tyne-Tees Division fought with the British Expeditionary Force in 1940 in the Arras counter-attack. In North Africa, then went from Gazala, El Alamein and Mareth to Tunis and won an astonishing three Victoria Crosses. Montgomery regarded the division as one of his `desert legions' and gave it the dangerous honour of attacking on D-Day on the first wave ashore on Gold Beach. Next came the deadly bocage fighting and later Market Garden. During the Second World War the division suffered over 21,000 casualties. Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks described it as the `most experienced battle-fighting division in the British Army'.
