Commander of the Allied ground forces in Normandy
At a Normandy briefing on 12 June 1944, he told the troops: “We have got to go off and do a job together very soon now.”
Bernard Montgomery was a British field marshal shaped by First World War experience and an intense commitment to troop training. In the Second World War he rebuilt the Eighth Army before leading it at El Alamein, then commanded Allied operations in Sicily and Italy. Recalled to Britain for the Normandy invasion, he commanded the 21st Army Group and all Allied ground forces in the opening phase, pressing to enlarge the initial assault and secure a broad lodgement. His methodical, tightly controlled style reduced some risks but also drew criticism for slowing operations and accepting costly battles.
Career Timeline
- 1908Commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment
- 1914–1918Served on the Western Front; chief of staff, 47th London Division
- 1942–1943Commander, Eighth Army; led at El Alamein
- 1943Commander, Eighth Army; led the Sicily and Italy invasions
- 1944Commander, 21st Army Group; led Allied ground forces in the opening of Normandy
- 1944–1945Commander, 21st Army Group, north-western Europe campaign
- 1946–1948Chief of the Imperial General Staff
- 1951–1958Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe