THE 21ST ARMY GROUP COMMANDER DECORATES TROOPS SERVING WITH THE 3RD DIVISION FOR GALLANTRY (PART 1) [Allocated Title]

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  • Title: THE 21ST ARMY GROUP COMMANDER DECORATES TROOPS SERVING WITH THE 3RD DIVISION FOR GALLANTRY (PART 1) [Allocated Title]
  • Film Number: A70 136-6
  • Other titles:
  • Summary: General Montgomery visits the division he commanded in the BEF during the 'Phoney War' and the regiment in which he first served as a commissioned officer in 1908.
  • Description: Montgomery inspects the four-man Guard of Honour drawn up at the entrance to the château at Cazelle requisitioned by 185th Brigade's HQ. The man behind him is identified by a family member as Lieutenant G. J. Forrest of the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment. In the presence of the divisional commander, Major-General Whistler, General Montgomery is presented by Brigadier Smith to the commanding officers of the 2nd Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regiment, the 1st Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment, the 2nd Battalion King's Own Shropshire Light Infantry and the 76th Field Regiment RA (Lieutenant-Colonels Gibbs, Bellamy, Millett and Foster respectively). In the château grounds where brigade HQ troops are drawn up on parade, Montgomery presents medals to men for bravery on D-Day and in the fighting which led to the capture of Caen. He leaves the château in 'Old Faithful', his Humber staff car; with him are Major-General Whistler and Lieutenant-Colonel Gibbs, the CO of his old regiment.
  • Access Conditions: IWM Attribution: © IWM
  • Featured Period: 1939-1945
  • Production Date: 1944-07-28
  • Production Country: GB
  • Production Details: Directorate of Public Relations, War Office (Production sponsor) Army Film and Photographic Unit (Production company) Smales, Edgar Hiram1920-08-071984-09-19 (Production individual)
  • Personalities, Units and Organisations: Whistler (Major General) (person) Montgomery, Bernard Law (person) Smith (Brigadier) (person) British Army, Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 2nd Battalion (regiment/service) British Army, Norfolk Regiment, 1st Battalion (regiment/service) British Army, Shropshire Light Infantry, King's, 2nd Battalion (regiment/service) British Army, Bde 185 (regiment/service) British Army, Div 3 (regiment/service) British Army, Royal Artillery (regiment/service)
  • Keywords: ceremonies, Allied - event-related: investiture (object name) ceremonies, Allied - display: inspection (object name) transport, British military - car: Humber staff car (object name)
  • Physical Characteristics: Colour format: B&W Sound format: Silent Soundtrack language: None Title language: None Subtitle language: None
  • Technical Details: Format: 35mm Footage: 197 ft; Running time: 2 mins
  • HD Media:Yes
  • Notes: Note: See with A70 83-9, 10, 11, 13, 14, 15, 136-6, 160-3 and 4 for footage showing Montgomery decorating troops under his command for gallantry and refer to the large amount of ciné material in which Montgomery features. After leaving Sandhurst (where he had acquired a reputation as a bully), Montgomery joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment for the reason that he lacked substantial private means. Remarks: Best seen with the items of ciné material listed above, notably A70 136-7 which contains complementary footage shot from the château. Documentation/associated material: for a bibliography, read 'Assault Division' by N Scarfe, 'The King's Shropshire Light Infantry (185th Foot) : History of the 2nd Battalion 1944-1945' by Major Rudcliffe and Captain Sale, 'History of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1919-1955' by M Cunliffe and '1st Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment 1939-1945 World War II' by the Battalion.
  • Link to IWM Collections page:

    A70 136-6

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