Bernard Law MONTGOMERY
(1887 - 1976)

("1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein") British Field Marshal. He commanded part of the British Expeditionary Force in France 1939-40 and took part in the subsequent evacuation from Dunkirk. In August 1942 he took command of the 8th Army, then barring the German advance on Cairo; his victory at El Alamein in November turned the tide in N Africa and was followed by the expulsion of Rommel from Egypt and rapid Allied advance into Tunisia. In February 1943 Montgomery's forces came under US general Eisenhower's command, and they took part in the conquest of Tunisia and Sicily and the invasion of Italy. Montgomery was promoted to Field Marshal 1944 and commanded the Allied forces during the opening phase of the invasion of France June 1944, and from August the British and commonwealth troops that liberated the Netherlands, overran N Germany, and entered Denmark.

He received the German surrender May 3, 1945 at his 21st Army Group headquarters on Luneberg Heath. He was in command of the British occupation force in Germany until Feb 1946, when he was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff. Created 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein 1946.