Two letters by Sir Winston Churchill in which he moans about Army General Bernard Montgomery in one and invites him on holiday in another have come to light.
The extraordinary letters were written 10 years apart by the wartime Prime Minister. The first was typed up in 1947 while Churchill was furious with Field Marshall Montgomery for 'meddling' in political matters.
The political leader accused 'Monty' of being 'impudent' and said that he should 'mind his own business' in the scolding letter, penned two years after they worked together to defeat the Nazis.
The second letter was written in September 1957 and documents the time Churchill invited Monty to holiday with him at a villa in the South of France. Both notes are coming up for sale with auctioneers International Autograph Auctions.
Churchill (left) fell out with Field Marshall Montgomery (right) just two years after they defeated the Nazis in World War Two following the Army general's intervention in a National Service Bill he hoped the Tories would help pass smoothly through Parliament. When Churchill saw the letter written by his friend to a Conservative MP, he branded him 'impudent' in 1947. But another note has now surfaced showing how their relationship had improved by 1957
Pictured, left: Sir Winston Churchill's withering response to the Army General's intervention in the matter of the National Service Bill in 1947. Pictured, right: The 1957 letter in which the wartime leader invites 'Monty' to join him on holiday at a villa in the south of France
Richard Dave, of IAA, said: 'When you think of Churchill and Montgomery you think of the two leaders, one political and one military, who saw Britain through the war. You would imagine the two men must have got on fairly well.
'But clearly Churchill didn't have a high opinion of Monty's political nouse. He was very frank about it in the letter he wrote to a mutual acquaintance.
'The second letter that we have is quite the opposite and he talks about looking forward to seeing Monty on holiday. The two letters could not be more different.'
Churchill's scolding letter was written after the military supremo had approached a Conservative politician to lobby him to get the National Service Bill through Parliament.
Montgomery’s initial letter to a Toy MP claimed ‘if the National Service Bill gets delayed or hung up, we are completely sunk’. He wrote: 'It is necessary to get it through the House quickly without a lot of argument and trouble.'
The general added: 'I do hope that the Conservative Party will lend a hand and will not be too troublesome. I also hope that they will not ask awkward questions about the Chiefs of Staff. Perhaps you could use your influence to help the show.'
The letter that earned Sir Winston Churchill's ire: This private note was sent by Field Marshall Montgomery as he hoped to secure safe passage through the House of Commons for the National Service Bill, lobbying the Conservative Party not to ask too many awkward questions about the legislation and saying that for the sake of the Army the bill should pass through 'quickly and smoothly'
After being forwarded the letter by MP Sir John Anderson, Churchill called Montgomery's note 'impudent' in his withering response.
In the note marked 'private', dated April 28, 1947, Churchill, then leader of opposition, writes: 'Thank you for sending me Montgomery's letter.
'I think he would do much better to keep clear of politics, of which he knows little. We do not require to be lectured by him, especially when so much of his recent conduct is unexplained.
Pictured: Churchill and Montgomery in 1951, shaking hands at the Empress Hall in London four years after the wartime leaders had a spat when the Army general weighed in on the National Service Bill
'It really might be wise for you to hint to Montgomery that he had much better mind his own business and leave politicians to mind theirs. Reading it again, I think his letter most impudent. Thank you for showing it to me all the same.'
The first letter is tipped to sell for £1,500 while the holiday letter is valued at £3,000. Montgomery commanded the British Eighth Army from August 1942 in the Western Desert until the final Allied victory in Tunisia in May 1943.
This included the Second Battle of El Alamein, a turning point in the Western Desert Campaign. He subsequently commanded the British Eighth Army during the Allied invasion of Sicily and Italy, before taking charge of all Allied ground forces during the D-Day landings and the Battle of Normandy.
Montgomery was recognised as a brilliant commander but his brash personality could rub people up the wrong way.
In 1945, Churchill said of Montgomery: 'Indomitable in retreat, invincible in advance, insufferable in victory.' The auction takes place tomorrow.
photo link
https://textbacklinkexchanges.com/churchill-notes-show-he-went-from-wingeing-over-field-marshall-montgomery-to-inviting-him-to-villa/
News Photo Churchill notes show he went from wingeing over Field Marshall Montgomery to inviting him to villa
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