The Polish 3rd Carpathian Rifle Division , also commonly known as Christmas Tree Division due to the characteristic emblem, was an Allied

Allies

In everyday English usage, allies are people, groups, or nations that have joined together in an association for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out between them...

 unit fighting during World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

 on the Italian Front

Italian Campaign (World War II)

The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...

. It was formed in 1942 of the Polish Independent Carpathian Brigade and the forces of General Władysław Anders' 2nd Polish Corps evacuated from the USSR.
The division participated in the North African and the Italian Campaigns (1941-1945) as part of the British Eighth Army.