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Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War, the Irish War of Independence, and the Second World War.
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politics · British Army officer (1887–1976) · military officer · writer · politician · general field marshal · also Bernard Montgomery, Bernard Law Montgomery, Bernard L. Montgomery, General Montgomery, Field Marshal Montgomery, Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery
Born 17 November 1887 · Died 24 March 1976 · Q152025
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Bernard Montgomery in Desert Island Disks p009y0ss
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as soon as I saw what was happening I took certain steps myself to ensure that if the Germans got to the Meuse they would certainly not get over the river. And I carried out certain movements so as to provide balanced dispositions to meet the threatened danger... i.e., I was thinking ahead.
I think possibly one of the most interesting and tricky battles I have ever handled.
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“as soon as I saw what was happening I took certain steps myself to ensure that if the Germans got to the Meuse they would certainly not get over the river. And I carried out certain movements so as to provide balanced dispositions to meet the threatened danger... i.e., I was thinking ahead.”
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“I think possibly one of the most interesting and tricky battles I have ever handled.”
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“common knowledge at Tac that Churchill had come to sack Monty”
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“pursue his current favourite subject, the sacking of Monty”
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“Go on hitting, drawing the German strength, especially some of the armour, onto yourself—so as to ease the way for Brad [Bradley].”
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Maintained that "Putting Monty in command of the northern flank had no effect on the battle"
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Died 1976-03-24.
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At his home Isington Mill in Isington, Hampshire, aged 88
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“The United States has broken the second rule of war. That is: don't go fighting with your land army on the mainland in Asia. Rule One is, don't march on Moscow. I developed those two rules myself.”
“Opis: złośliwy komentarz do wydania przez Montgomery’ego pamiętników, które przyniosły mu 170 tysięcy funtów.”
“Anyone who votes Labour ought to be locked up.”
“Opis: komentarz z gazety „Times” dotyczący udziału Montgomery’ego w polityce po II wojnie światowej.”
“It was a bad mistake on my part – I underestimated the difficulties of opening up the approaches to Antwerp.”
“most important problem was that they had no clear objective, and allowed local commanders to set military policy. At the end of their meeting, Montgomery asked Dayan to tell the Americans, in his name, that they were”
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And after a visit to China declared himself impressed by the Chinese leadership led by Mao Tse-tung
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Awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (1951).
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Montgomery became Eisenhower's deputy
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Awarded Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold II (1947).
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Won Distinguished Service Medal (1947).
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And in a secret 1948 report to Prime Minister Clement Attlee's government proposed a "master plan" to amalgamate British Africa territories and to exploit the raw materials of Africa, thereby counteracting the loss of Br
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Awarded Knight of the Garter (1946).
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Career landmark: Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom) (1946–1948).
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Awarded honorary citizen of Brussels (1945).
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Awarded Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (1945).
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Awarded Order of Victory (1945).
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Awarded Knight of the Order of the Elephant (1945).
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Awarded Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the Netherlands Lion (1945).
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Awarded Grand Commander of the Order of George I (1944).
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Awarded Grand Cross of the Legion of Honour (1944).
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Awarded Order of Suvorov, 1st class (1944).
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Awarded Grand Cross of the Order of Military Virtue (1944).
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“real show down on the eastern flanks, and to loose a Corps of three armoured divisions in the open country about the Caen-Falaise road ... The possibilities are immense; with seven hundred tanks loosed to the South-east of Caen, and the armoured cars operating far ahead, anything can happen.”
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Awarded Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit (1943).
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A new field commander was required in the Middle East, where Auchinleck was fulfilling both the role of C-in-C of Middle East Command and commander Eighth Army
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“I shall be sorry to leave Palestine in many ways, as I have enjoyed the war out here”
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Organised an amphibious combined operations landing exercise that impressed the new C-in-C of Southern Command, General Sir Archibald Wavell
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Betty suffered an insect bite which became infected, and she died in her husband's arms from septicaemia following amputation of her leg
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Montgomery was promoted to substantive lieutenant-colonel and became the Commanding officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment and saw service in Palestine and British India
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Met and married Elizabeth (Betty) Carver, née Hobart
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As a company commander and was promoted to major in July 1925
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In his first known courtship of a woman, Montgomery, then in his late thirties, proposed to a 17-year-old girl, Betty Anderson
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After the establishment of the Irish Free State and during the Irish Civil War, Montgomery wrote to Colonel Arthur Percival of the Essex Regiment:
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Awarded Croix de guerre 1914–1918 (1919).
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Awarded Mentioned in Despatches (1915).
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Awarded Distinguished Service Order (1914).
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And in 1912 became adjutant of the 1st Battalion of his regiment at Shorncliffe Army Camp
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Bishop Montgomery became secretary of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, and the family returned to London
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And Bernard and his brother Harold were educated at The King's School, Canterbury
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Henry was made Bishop of Tasmania, then still a British colony, and Bernard spent his formative years there
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Born 1887-11-17.
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“He either fears his fate too much, Or his deserts are small, Who dare not put it to the touch, To win or lose it all.”
The fourth child of nine, to a Church of Ireland priest, Henry Montgomery, and his wife Maud (née Farrar)
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