Montgomery, << mont GUHM uh ree or mont GUHM ree, >> Bernard Law (1887-1976), was a British Army commander in World War II. His victories in North Africa and Europe made him much admired in the United Kingdom.
Montgomery was born in London on Nov. 17, 1887. He became an infantry lieutenant in 1908. At the outbreak of World War II in 1939, Montgomery was a major general. He took command of the Third Division and led it for nine months in France. He was rescued with his men from Dunkerque in May 1940 (see Dunkerque ). Montgomery then commanded the defense zone of southeastern England, where he prepared defenses against an expected German invasion.
In 1942, Montgomery took command of the Eighth Army in North Africa and restored its weakened morale. That October, he attacked German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrikakorps at El Alamein, Egypt, and eventually drove the Germans into Tunisia.
After the African campaign, Montgomery took part in the invasion of Sicily and in early fighting on the Italian mainland. He then helped plan the invasion of France. Montgomery led the 21st Army Group that landed in Normandy in June 1944 and was promoted to field marshal in August.
After the war, Montgomery became head of the British zone of occupation in Germany. In 1946, he received the title Viscount Montgomery of Alamein in recognition of his war service. He served as chief of the British Imperial General Staff from 1946 to 1948, and then as chairman of the commanders in chief of the Western European Union from 1948 to 1951. Montgomery served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) from 1951 to 1958. He died on March 24, 1976.
See also Dieppe Raid ; Operation Market Garden .
