They Went Off To War With Monty

Field Marshal Montgomery is famous as a military leader and strategist, and also as an occasionally testy and difficult character. But the way to his heart was via the cage birds he constantly kept.

- Vincent Tremayne

BIRDS IN WARTIME

AWARDED the Distinguished Service Order for gallant leadership in the First World War, General Bernard Montgomery (1887-1976) was no stranger to conflict by the time he led the British Eighth Army through the Battle of El Alamein, and to victory in North Africa in 1943. He went on to command the British Eighth Army during the allied invasion of Sicily and Italy.

Whereas some soldiers collected battlefield souvenirs during their fight through Europe, Montgomery consoled himself by accumulating a number of birds. In the autumn of 1943 his mobile caravan headquarters were stationed under the shadow of Mount Etna on the Mediterranean island of Sicily.

Writing home, he explained that he was always fond of collecting birds and had the chance to continue his hobby in Sicily. He managed to buy some canaries from a local town and wrote that the female from one pair had built her nest, laid three eggs and began to sit on them. He enjoyed watching her nesting activities and commented that when his caravan was driven some 30 miles away, she firmly sat on her eggs for the entire journey.

Donated by a grateful Sicilian, Montgomery’s headquarters also boasted a very fine peacock which strutted round the caravan and the mess hall. In addition, there were about 12 chickens and two turkeys that wandered in and out of the tent during meals, getting fed by everyone.

The hens apparently laid eggs very well and the turkeys became so tame that they took food out of the general’s hand. During their stay in Sicily the bird population was further increased as a broody hen brought up a family of three chicks.