GREATEST SINCE WELLINGTON

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 10, Issue 28, 23 September 1946, Page 5

GREATEST SINCE WELLINGTON

VERDICT ON MONTGOMERY OFFICER CHALLENGES COMMENTATOR' An Australian ex-officer with six year’s service challenges the assertion of Captain Liddell Hart, the military commentator, that “Montgomery is the greatest British General since Wellington.” Says the officer-, in a letter to the Sydney Morning Herald: During the war 1939-45 I had the good fortune to encirlce the globe one and a half times as a member of the A-.1.F. in various capacities from private to major, and during that time I came in contact with soldiers of many different nationalities of which I was a member to staff, where I finished my army career. I am not trying to take any credit away from Montgomery, for he did a really grand job, but I would like to point out that at no time during his career has he been a Supreme Commander (where the fuM responsibility of success or failure rests), consequently he has been working under instructions from his seniors, namely, General (now Field-Mar-shal) Alexander in the desert, and finally under General Eisenhower in Europe. I am sure if a vote were taken amongst members of the forces of the British Commonwealth of Nations as to who was the best British General produced in this war the name of Field-Marshal Alexander would easily surpass the rest. ‘I am sure Alexander’s record of this war surpasses that of any other British General, and it is briefly this: (a) The last British General and one of the last soldiers to leave Dunkirk.

(b) The Commander of the withdrawal in Burma (a most difficult and delicate operation). (c) Commander-in-Chief. Middle East, including the successful desert drive in which Montgomery was his Army Commander. (d) Supreme Allied Commander in the Mediterranean. •

Alexander, like most great men, has never looked for limelight. It was interesting to see the pictures of the Victory Parade in London recently published in the Press, Montgomery driving on his own whilst Alexander and Mountbatten, another great leader, drive together.