FIELD MARSHAL BERNARD LAW MONTGOMERY SIGNED VICTORY MESSAGE TO THE 21ST ARMY GROUP
A wonderful keepsake ...

FIELD MARSHAL BERNARD LAW MONTGOMERY SIGNED VICTORY MESSAGE TO THE 21ST ARMY GROUP
A wonderful keepsake from the day of Germany's surrender in Europe, the "PERSONAL MESSAGE FROM THE C-IN-C" of the British 21st Army Group to his entire command, signed and dated by that commander, Field Marshal BERNARD LAW MONTGOMERY (1887-1976). This joyous and optimistic 8 x 12 inch letter was printed, distributed, and read aloud to the troops on the day of the signing of the political surrender in Berlin, May 8, 1945. In it, the grateful field marshal declares, in part: "On this day of victory in Europe�What I have to say is very simple�I would ask you all to remember those of our comrades who fell in the struggle. They gave their lives that others might have freedom�'Well done, thou good and faithful servant'�We must remember to give the praise and thankfulness where it is due�In the early days of this war the British Empire stood alone�we suffered some great disasters; but we stood firm�Let us never forget what we owe to our Russian and American allies�great problems lie ahead�It has been a privilege and an honour to command this great British Empire team in western Europe�We have won the German war. Let us now win the peace�" At upper-left, Montgomery signs the message: "B. L. Montgomery Field-Marshall" and at bottom dates the piece "8 [May 1945]" Fine condition. Commanded by Montgomery, 21st Army Group initially controlled all ground forces in Operation Overlord (the United States First Army and British Second Army). When sufficient American forces had landed, the 21st Army Group was left with the British Second Army and the newly activated First Canadian Army. The group formed the left flank of the three Allied army groups and was responsible for securing the ports upon which Allied supply depended, and also with overrunning German V-1 and V-2 launching sites. It was later heavily engaged in MARKET GARDEN, the liberation of Holland, in the Battle of the Bulge, and the drive into northern Germany. Photo for illustrative purposes only and not included.