Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery

Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery, or 'Monty' to friends, has featured numerous times on The Beret Project (here, here and here). It's not my habit to highlight military berets, or their owners, but I guess Monty does deserve his special place here (if only it was because KANGOL actually named their best selling beret after him!). 

Winston Churchill pays a visit to Monty (and dog "Rommel") at his HQ in Chateau Creully, Normandy in August 1944

Recently, 200 black and white photographs were auctioned, amassed by Montgomery’s assistant, Captain Noel Chavasse.

Monty rolls on through the liberated low countries in the cold winter of 1944

Chavasse was at Monty's side as Allies swept towards Germany.

The king is seen with Monty and a friendly fox terrier

Photos give an insight in a short period of the life of the marshal, like during a briefing with generals on stools by a haystack; Monty discussing battle plans with Mountbatten.

Admiral Hans-Georg von Friedeburg surrendering the German forces in Monty's tent on May 4, 1945

The archive includes original surrender documents to signal the end of WWII in Europe.

Monty, British General Sir Miles Dempsey and US general Omar Bradley have a council of war by a haystack in northern France, August 21, 1944

Let's not forget, Monty was a major promoter of beret wearing in his day - in and outside the military!

Monty stops to chat with troops. Steven Bosley, of Bosleys auctioneers of Marlow, said This is a very important archive - one you could argue that should be in the Imperial War Museum!