iMuseum

Film of Viscount Montgomery of Alamein’s Visit to the Isle of Man Search of iMuseum

Film of Viscount Montgomery of Alamein’s Visit to the Isle of Man

Posted on 05.11.2020

“Out With The Flags and Bunting!”


Newspaper headline from Mona’s Herald, 11/05/1948

Manx National Heritage Library and Archives holds original amateur film footage of “Monty’s” 1948 visit to the Isle of Man, which is now digitally available for the first time on iMuseum. Click here to watch!

Field Marshal Viscount Montgomery of Alamein spent two days on the Island in May 1948. The visit had been long awaited as Monty was due to visit the Island one year earlier but engagements in London had prevented him from doing so. When he eventually arrived on Island, he was made an honorary freeman of Douglas and unveiled a tablet naming the Montgomery Bed in the Ramsey Hospital.

Image of a page from Isle of Man Times, 15/05/1948

Luckily, a Manx amateur filmmaker named J. Walter Royston captured some of the key parts of Monty’s visit to the Island, and as it’s coming up to Remembrance Sunday we thought that it would be a fitting tribute to share with you Royston’s footage of the renowned war hero engaging with the Manx people, and most importantly, his visit to Douglas War Memorial.

Monty had a packed couple of days, first visiting King William’s College and inspecting the Junior Training Corps, an event which Royston managed to film closely.

Images taken from Royston’s film footage

Before leaving the school, Monty told the Head—Mr S. E. Wilson—that he would like the boys to have a whole day’s holiday to commemorate the occasion of his visit, something which the school actually granted, lucky boys!

Monty continued his trip with a visit to the Manx Regiment at the Drill Hall in Tromode, the headquarters of the 515 L.A.A. This Regiment had fought with him from El Alamein to the finish of the war in Germany. Many of the officers and men who had gathered had actually fought with General Montgomery—as he was then known —in his campaigns. Addressing the Cadet Force who had also gathered here, he talked about the possibility of a Third World War and asked the crowd

“…why in this Island of 50,000 people which sent nearly 6,000 overseas to fight—it is a tremendous number now in peacetime when the danger is there just the same, the young men of this Island don’t come and join the best club in the Island.”

“Perhaps,” he added with a twinkle in his eye and amidst laughter, “I had better have a talk to the women of this Island!”

Quote from Ramsey Courier, 14/05/1948

One of the most poignant parts of Monty’s trip that Royston managed to capture was his visit to the Cenotaph Ceremony at Douglas War Memorial. Here, Monty is presented with a poppy wreath in the shape of the Three Legs of Man, how striking!

Images taken from Royston’s film footage

I have personally never seen a poppy wreath in the shape of the Three legs before, especially not one that big, and it really shows that the contribution that the Manx people made to the World Wars was remembered and appreciated. I imagine that seeing this wreath would have really struck a chord with Manx people at the time, as it did with me today. One newspaper reported:

“A halt will be made at the War Memorial, where the man who commanded Britain’s victorious armies will lay a poppy wreath (a massive Three Legs), in memory of the Island’s sons who fell. The standard bearers of the British Legion will form a guard of honour, and trumpeters will sound the “Last Post” and “Reveille.”” 

Quote from Mona’s Herald, 11/05/1948

Looking at Royston’s footage, you can see the hundreds of people lining the streets waiting to catch a glimpse of Monty, and you can really see why the Ramsey Courier said that Monty…

“…Captures the Hearts of the Manx People…and his visit will long be remembered”

Quote from Ramsey Courier, 14/05/1948

Keep an eye on Manx National Heritage‘s Facebook page for news of when more of Royston’s film footage of the Isle of Man in the 1930s, 40s and 50s will be uploaded onto iMuseum!

 

Katie Clugston
Digital Collections Assistant
Manx National Heritage

Blog Archive

October 2023
September 2023
August 2023
May 2023
April 2023
March 2023
January 2023
June 2022
May 2022
March 2022
February 2022
November 2021
October 2021
September 2021
August 2021
July 2021
February 2021
December 2020
November 2020
September 2020
August 2020
July 2020
June 2020
May 2020
April 2020
February 2020
January 2020
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
August 2019
July 2019
June 2019
May 2019
April 2019
March 2019
February 2019
January 2019
December 2018
November 2018
October 2018
August 2018
July 2018
June 2018
May 2018
March 2018
February 2018
December 2017
November 2017
September 2017
June 2017
May 2017
March 2017
February 2017
December 2016
November 2016
October 2016
August 2016
June 2016
May 2016
April 2016
January 2016
December 2015
November 2015
October 2015