Description
Object description
British officer served as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa, Italy, GB and North West Europe, 1942-1946
Content description
REEL 1 Recollections of period as Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to General and Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, 1942-1946: memories of Brigadier Edgar 'Bill' Williams; question of importance of Montgomery instilling confidence into his men; reserving of energy; question of lack of credit given to subordinates; opinion of Patrick Spooner; question of relations between Montgomery and General Herbert Lumsden; Montgomery's memory; story of Montgomery's choice of Henderson as Aide-de-Camp (ADC); question of delay in breakout after Battle of El Alamein, Egypt, 11/1942; question of Montgomery having young officers around headquarters; journey with Montgomery to Cairo, Egypt, 12/1942 including story of elephant eating hat; question of Montgomery not having regular soldiers on his staff; painting of portrait of Montgomery and staff; Montgomery's relations with A P Herbert; story of A P Herbert's visit with Montgomery to Paris, France.
REEL 2 Continues: interviewer reading letter from Montgomery regarding painting of portrait; loss of Montgomery's belongings in bombing; role of 'press officer'; interviewer reading from letter from Montgomery; question of Montgomery doctoring letters and diaries; question of never waking Montgomery during night; story relating to crossing English Channel during D-Day, 6/6/1944; time of day when Montgomery wrote diary; effect of waking Montgomery during Battle of Mareth, Tunisia, 3/1943; memories of Prime Minster Winston Churchill's visit to Eighth Army in Western Desert, Egypt; question of reading Montgomery's diaries.
REEL 3 Continues: visits of King George VI to Montgomery's headquarters; question of Royal Family's attitude towards Montgomery; Montgomery's relations with Lord Louis Mountbatten; story of member of Montgomery's staff being allowed to return to GB shortly after D-Day to sort out engagement; paying staff officer's bill at Claridge's Hotel, London; Montgomery's bet about reaching Tunis, Tunisia; story of flying to meet American General George S Patton in Sicily, Italy; lack of competitiveness between Montgomery and General George S Patton on Sicily, Italy; question of Montgomery overusing good troops and relations with troops on Sicily, Italy; start of visits to troops on Sicily, Italy; Montgomery's air transport; Montgomery's attempts to raise morale of troops.
REEL 4 Continues: memories of Montgomery's relations with his son David; Montgomery's lack of contact with his family; discussion of Montgomery not using name Bernard; question of Montgomery keeping his distance from his staff officers; members of Montgomery's staff; contrast between Generals Miles Dempsey and Oliver Leese; amusing story of telegram asking if Montgomery wanted Field Marshal Harold Alexander's caravan; question of Montgomery not wanting outside opinions; other members of Montgomery's staff.
REEL 5 Continues: Montgomery's methods of communication; Montgomery's headquarters signals system; question of Montgomery's puritan attitudes; catering arrangements; story of rug owned by Henderson that Montgomery wanted to buy. Discussion relating to manuscript of Hamilton's biography of Montgomery.
REEL 6 Continues: Discussion relating to manuscript of Hamilton's biography of Montgomery including question of air transport, incident when Montgomery was woken by General Oliver Leese during Battle of Mareth Line, 3/1943, King George VI visit to Tripoli, Libya, daily routine in desert, period at Claridge's Hotel in London, capture of German near Montgomery's caravan in Normandy, France and Montgomery's reaction to General Charles de Gaulle's visit to Bayeux, Normandy, France, 6/1944.
REEL 7 Continues: Confused brief discussion relating to proof reading of manuscript of Nigel Hamilton's biography of Field Marshal Montgomery.