CAPTURED GENERAL

Greymouth Evening Star, 20 July 1946, Page 6

CAPTURED GENERAL

GAVE MONTGOMERY AID ON NAZI TACTICS DINNER AT FIELD MESS LONDON, July 18. Field-Marshal Lord Montgomery, in a speech at ■ a Mansion House luncheon after receiving the Freedom of the City of London, revealed why he gave a dinner to the Afrika Corps commander, von Thoma, in his field mess after capturing him during the Alamein battle, thereby provoking some criticism at the time. Field-Marshal Montgomery said: “I got from Thoma certain information about the military methods of Rommel, his commander, that stood me in good stead in later battles and which unquestionably saved many British lives.”

Field-Marshal Montgomery added that he always had photographs of Rommel, Kesselring, von Rundstedt, and others in his caravan. “I used to study the photograph of my opponent at the time and try to get into his brain,” he said. He paid a tribute to the British ‘soldier, saying that much had rightly been heard of the great deeds of Empire brothers and Allied friends, “but the unconquerable figure of the British soldier bore the heaviest burden of the war and carried us to victory. His characteristics were independence, indomitable good humour, and tolerance. Ho has an immense capacity to adapt himself to the unexpected. He is a rocklike figure in battle and refuses to be carried away by temporary stresses. He has an inward cheerfulness which enables him to laugh at discomfort and mock at danger. His spirit enabled us Io overcome all our early reverses and win the last battle.” __ .. .