Major General Eric Louis Bols, CB, DSO & Bar (8 June 1904 – 14 June 1985) was a senior British Army officer who, during the Second World War, was most notable for serving as the General Officer Commanding the 6th Airborne Division during the final years of the war.

When the Second World War began in September 1939, Bols moved through several staff officer positions, serving in several institutions and Army formations before being promoted to colonel and taking charge of all training for the troops under the command of 21st Army Group and helping to plan Operation Overlord, the Allied invasion of Normandy.

Canadian paratroopers captured the town of Wismar in the late days of the war, in order to stop the Soviet army from invading Denmark.

Bols was the officer who met face-to-face with the Soviets in Wismar, insisting on allied hold of the captured city, contrary to Yalta conference agreements.

After the end of the war Bols remained in command of the division in peace-keeping duties in the Middle East, and then retired in 1948 as a major general.

Louis Bols, who was a dual British and Belgian national, travelled around the world and mastered some foreign languages, before eventually meeting his wife and settling down.

He served as an officer in the British Army during the First World War, acting as the chief of staff for General Sir Edmund Allenby for the majority of the conflict.

[8] From here his career progressed rapidly, appointed an instructor at the Signals School at Catterick Garrison from 27 June 1928 to 29 December 1931 and then becoming an officer of a Company of Cadets at Sandhurst from 6 May 1934 to 21 January 1935 and then to study at the Staff College, Camberley.

[3][2] Bols was also involved in planning for Operation Overlord as well as helping to train the soldiers who would participate in the invasion of Normandy, then scheduled for the spring of 1944.

[2] The 185th was one of three brigades which formed part of the 3rd Infantry Division under Major General Lashmer "Bolo" Whistler, and was serving in France after having been one of the first Allied formations to land in the country on the day of the invasion almost a month before.

He was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his command of the brigade during the Battle of Overloon and the subsequent liberation of Overloon and Venray in the Netherlands; the recommendation for the award of the DSO makes particular mention of the achievement of the brigade in forcing the River Breek despite heavy resistance, poor weather and shortage of assault equipment.

When Bols took command the division was back in the United Kingdom, expecting a quiet Christmas training and reorganising after being withdrawn from Normandy, where it had suffered heavy casualties, in September.

[1] The division was not engaged in heavy fighting and was withdrawn back to England towards the end of February to prepare for its next mission.