Description:

Montgomery Bernard Law

Cream-colored paper sheet signed by World War II military commander Bernard L. Montgomery as “B. L. Montgomery, General”. Signature appears beneath a black and white photo of the General clipped out of a magazine. In very good condition, with some uneven toning only slightly affecting the “B.L.” of signature. With expected folds and wrinkles. Discoloration from glue marks verso, page measuring 6” x 9”. Also accompanied by a green envelope addressed to “Mrs. Emma Bracken, 2270 Fairfield Avenue, Bridgeport 5 Conn, U.S.A.”. Envelope has an embossed British coat of arm seal in its address flap, and was postmarked from London on April 26, 1944.
 
Montgomery was a popular field commander, and easily recognized in the field by his trademark black beret. This clipping shows “Monty” wearing a beret studded with two badges: his rank badge, and the badge of the Royal Tank Regiment. The Field Marshal badge at right depicts a lion rampant in a crown surmounting a pair of red staffs encircled with a laurel wreath. The Royal Tank Regiment badge at left depicts a tank at center, a crowned laurel wreath, and the regiment’s beribboned motto “Fear Naught”.
 
Bernard Law Montgomery (1887-1976) was a career soldier who saw action during World War I, the Anglo-Irish War, the Arab revolt in Palestine, and most significantly during World War II, where he commanded British forces in both the European and African theaters. Montgomery led the Eighth Army into Sicily in early July 1943 in Operation Husky; anxiety over the impending Allied invasion accelerated Benito Mussolini’s ouster the same month. Combined British and American forces had overtaken Sicily by mid-August, enabling Montgomery to lead his triumphant army into the Italian boot in Operation Baytown by that fall. During the next year and a half, the Allied progressed northwards up Italy. The country was liberated when Axis leaders surrendered on May 2, 1945.
 
Emma Bracken (1901-1969) of Bridgeport, Connecticut was an inveterate autograph collector. She asked for and received the autographs of other major military commanders like George S. Patton, Omar Bradley, and Joseph Stilwell. Emma Bracken’s obituary notice appeared in the November 27, 1969 issue of the Bridgeport Telegram twenty-five years later.

A handsome signed portrait of the man who defeated Erwin Rommel!

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