Description:

Montgomery Bernard Law 1887 - 1976
Bernard Law Montgomery signed broadside announcing invasion of Italy.

Buff colored 8" x 10" printed broadside entitled "Personal Message from the Army Commander" signed "B. L. Montgomery General Eighth Army" in black fountain pen in upper right corner. Autosigned signature found in the bottom right corner. In very fine condition with expected wear including paper folds and some light pencil inscriptions. Memorandum dated "10 July 1943" consists of six bullet points "To be read out to all Troops" as a morale booster prior to battle. Montgomery explains that the British Eighth Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Canadians, and Americans will shortly initiate military action against Mussolini's remaining Fascists in mainland Italy.

Some telling excerpts can be found below:

"The time has now come to carry the war into Italy, and into the Continent of Europe. The Italian Overseas Empire has been exterminated; we will now deal with the home country"

"Together we will set about the Italians in their own country in no uncertain way; they came into this war to suit themselves and they must now take the consequences; they asked for it, and they will now get it"

"The task in front of us is not easy ... The three of us together - Navy, Army and Air Force - will see the thing through. I want all of you, my soldiers, to know that I have complete confidence in the successful outcome of this operation"

"Therefore, with faith in God and with enthusiasm for our cause and for the day of battle, let us all enter into this contest with stout hearts and with determination to conquer"

"Good luck and good hunting in the home country of Italy"

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. This broadside sets a determined, optimistic, and righteous tone for the upcoming Allied campaign.

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