MONTGOMERY BERNARD LAW (1887-1976). Field Marshal britannique.

Lot 148
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7000 - 8000 EUR
MONTGOMERY BERNARD LAW (1887-1976). Field Marshal britannique.
Signed autograph MANUSCRIPT, signed « B.L. MONTGOMERY General G.O.C.-in-C. Eighth Army », Eighth Army. Personal Message from the Army Commander. To be read out to all the troops, 12 November 1942; 3 pages in-fol., in pencil; annotations in other hands at head “Army Com[man]d[e]r wishes to see a proof when ready” and “To be presented & issued as Army Com[man]d[e]r’s special message before LIGHTFOOT [code name of the military operation]” (staple holes and small tears at upper left corner); in English. Montgomery’s stirring message to his troops after the victory at El Alamein. The comprehensive victory of El Alamein, Montgomery’s greatest achievement and famously described by Churchill as ‘the end of the beginning’ of the war, took place over the 14 days from 23 October, and was the first major Allied victory of the war. Montgomery’s message raises six points: 1. When we began the Battle of Egypt on 23 October I said that together we would hit the Germans and Italians for six right out of North Africa. We have made a very good start and today, 12 Nov, there are no German and Italian soldiers on Egyptian territory except prisoners. In three weeks we have completely smashed the German and Italian Army… 2. The following enemy formations have ceased to exist as effective fighting formations... 3. This is a very fine performance ... I feel that our great victory was brought about by the good fighting qualities of the soldiers of the Empire rather than by anything I may have been able to do myself ... 4. Secondly, I know you will all realise how greatly we were helped in our task by the R.A.F. We could not have done it without their splendid help and co-operation. I have thanked the R.A.F. warmly on your behalf. 5. Our task is not finished yet; the Germans are out of Egypt but there are still some left in North Africa. There is some good hunting to be had further to the west ... And this time, having reached Be
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