Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein

Bernard Law Montgomery, arguably the most celebrated British military commander of the twentieth century, began his army career in 1908 and by the date of his retirement in 1958 had risen to the rank of Field Marshal, as well as being created Viscount Montgomery of Alamein. He first saw action as an infantry officer in the opening months of the First World War until badly wounded in October 1914, serving on the staff for the rest of that conflict. From 1939 to 1940 he was a Divisional Commander in France and, after the evacuation from Dunkirk, assumed command in Britain successively of the 5th and 12th Corps and then South East Command.

In August 1942 he was sent to Egypt to take over the 8th Army and, following the victory at El Alamein, spearheaded the steady push through North Africa, before continuing it first into Sicily and then Italy itself. In early 1944 he was given command of the 21st Army Group for the invasion of mainland Europe and after the fighting in Normandy guided them through the liberation of North West Europe in a successful but controversial advance which culminated in the surrender ceremony in May 1945 on Lüneburg Heath.

After commanding the British Army on the Rhine, Montgomery served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff between 1946 and 1948 before playing an important role in the formation and development of NATO until 1958. After his retirement he wrote a number of books about his career and military affairs, including his memoirs. He died in March 1976.

Signatories of the Lüneburg Heath Instrument of Surrender, 4 May 1945.

The extensive papers kept by Field Marshal Montgomery cover most aspects of his career but relate principally to his career during and after the Second World War. Of particular note are his diaries; operational, planning and training documents, notably for Operation Overlord; SHAEF Directives; Personal Messages to the troops under his command; correspondence with other prominent senior officers and public servants; and reports relating to the operations in which he was involved.