Monty's warning to his troops

"Each and every man was issued with an instruction from the man at the top -- Monty," writes Ernie, of Egerton Grove, Walkden. "I know that most of the lads I was with read it, then disposed of it." Not Ernie. He kept his copy of the letter from the Commander-in-Chief, on "Non-Fraternisation", and has sent it to me because "it may be of interest to someone who has forgotten after all these years." I must admit that it is still interesting to those like me who were too young to serve in the Second World War, because I have never thought about our Forces being warned about getting too friendly with the enemy. The letter begins by referring to the end of the First World War, when the Allies occupied Germany -- "but Germany has been at war ever since. Our Army took no revenge in 1918; it was more than considerate, and, before a few weeks had passed, many soldiers were adopted into German households.

"The enemy worked hard at being amiable. They believed that the occupation was due to treachery, and that their army had never been beaten. They remained unrepentant and attached to their worship of brute force, by accommodating the occupying forces so that the Germans came to believe that we would never fight them again in any cause.

"This time the Nazis have added to the experience of the last occupation; they have learned from the resistance movements of France, Belgium, Holland and Norway. These are the type of instruction they are likely to give to their underground workers: 'Give the impression of submitting. Say you never liked the Nazis; they were the people responsible for the war ... use old folks, girls and children, and play up every cause of devastation or poverty. Ask the troops to your homes; sabotage or steal equipment, petrol or rations. Get troops to sell these things, if you can. Spread stories about Americans and Russians in the British zone, and about the British to other Allies'."

And Monty went on to tell his forces that "the Nazi influence penetrates everywhere, even into children's schools and churches ... our occupation of Germany is an act of war of which the first object is to destroy the Nazi system ... it is too soon for you to be able to distinguish between "good" and "bad" Germans. In streets, houses, cafes, cinemas, etc, you must keep clear of Germans -- man, woman and child -- unless you meet them in the course of duty. You must not walk out with them, or shake hands, or visit their homes."

He wrote: "To refrain from fraternisation is not easy. It requires self-discipline ... you will have to remember that laughing and eating and dancing with Germans would be bitterly resented by your own families, by millions who have suffered under the Gestapo, and under the Luftwaffe's bombs, and by every Ally that Britain possesses. You will have to remember that these are the same Germans who, a short while ago, were drunk with victory, who were boasting what they as the Master Race would do to you as their slaves, who were applauding the utter disregard by their leaders of any form of decency of honourable dealings; the same Germans whose brothers, sons and fathers were carrying out a system of mass murder and torture of defenceless civilians.

"Our consciences are clear," continued the letter.

"Non-fraternisation to us implies no revenge; we have no theory of master races. But a guilty nation must not only be convicted: it must realise its guilt. Only then can the first steps be taken to re-educate it, and bring it back into the society of decent humanity.

"Be just; be firm; be correct; give orders, and don't argue. Last time we won the war and let the peace slip out of our hands.

"This time we must not ease off -- we must win both the war and the peace."

Monty was obviously determined that the mistakes after the First World War where some soldiers did fraternise (innocently at the time in their view) with the Germans, would not happen again.