I am in the middle of a biography of Montgomery written by the member of the intelligence staff of the 21st AG. In the course of the book, he mentions Wesel as a potential site proposed by the Intel staff and others as a place to cross the Rhine instead of doing so at Arnhem. Does anyone know if Montgomery ever mentioned in public or in writing why he chose Arnhem over Wesel?
One of the problems with getting to Wesel in 1944 was that the Westwall stood in the way. No such line of defences stood in the way in respect of getting to Arnhem, just a narrow road and plenty of Germans of course.
Wesel was a heavily defended city and the Rhine crossing there was only made after the RAF pounded the city and its defences.Consequently, it is what might be called a concrete city. The unusal point is that there is an arc of old buildings as the city is entered from the crossing which appears to have suvived the bombing or have been restored.The buildings appear to have some old military significance.
I appreciate all of your comments and discussion regarding which path was the best, but I am asking if FM Montgomery ever commented about what influenced his decision. The author of the book I mentioned stated that he counseled against Arnhem, as did some others in 21st AG and was wondering what most influenced Monty to the other direction.
I am in the middle of a biography of Montgomery written by the member of the intelligence staff of the 21st AG. In the course of the book, he mentions Wesel as a potential site proposed by the Intel staff and others as a place to cross the Rhine instead of doing so at Arnhem. Does anyone know if Montgomery ever mentioned in public or in writing why he chose Arnhem over Wesel? This issue is covered in Robin Neillands "The Battle for the Rhine" which I have just finished. It states that Montgomery's preference was not Arnhem but Wesel. However, Wesel lay within the Ruhr anti-aircraft gun flak belt and the air planners stated that low flying and slow moving glider-tugs and parachute aircraft would suffer heavy losses if Wesel were chosen. Therefore, since the air planners - specifically Brereton and Major-General Paul Williams of the IX US Troop Carrier Command - had the casting vote over the air element for Market Garden, the decision was made for Arnhem. So, it appears that it was not Montgomery's decision but the air planners.
This issue is covered in Robin Neillands "The Battle for the Rhine" which I have just finished. It states that Montgomery's preference was not Arnhem but Wesel. However, Wesel lay within the Ruhr anti-aircraft gun flak belt and the air planners stated that low flying and slow moving glider-tugs and parachute aircraft would suffer heavy losses if Wesel were chosen. Therefore, since the air planners - specifically Brereton and Major-General Paul Williams of the IX US Troop Carrier Command - had the casting vote over the air element for Market Garden, the decision was made for Arnhem. So, it appears that it was not Montgomery's decision but the air planners. I'm reading Richard Lamb's Montgomery In Europe 1943-45. He disagrees with that assessment on who made the final decision, and he was directly involved with it. Bear in mind, though, that I have very little regard for Brereton. No comments about him that I have read were flattering in the least, even among air force accounts. Thank you for your comments, but they do not address my query.
I'm reading Richard Lamb's Montgomery In Europe 1943-45. He disagrees with that assessment on who made the final decision, and he was directly involved with it. Bear in mind, though, that I have very little regard for Brereton. No comments about him that I have read were flattering in the least, even among air force accounts. Thank you for your comments, but they do not address my query. Well, I'm interested in reading what Lamb had to say about the issue and his assessment of Montgomery in Europe, so I've just ordered a copy of the book myself.
Jeff - Interesting that we agree on Brereton- as his dislike of Monty started way back in the desert as Monty was NOT introduced to him by Alexander and thus boasted that he was next to Alex at lunch and Monty "was down by the salt" - at that time the USAAF was just entering the desert and he made a good anti-Monty team with Tedder and Conningham- which was not resolved until the three went over to Eisenhowers HQ at Algiers - then Harry Broadhurst took over the Air - to our benefit .....being that as it may - Brereton WAS in charge at Ahrnem over all Air Commands and no doubt had some input as to the choice of venues plus the idiotic LZ's of 1st Airborne - plus allowing the 2 i/c Browning to take a Corps HQ into the battle- then disappearing when the fingers were being pointed- another Mark Clark ! Cheers .....
Jeff I know an author who wrote as if he was there also - and wrote that my Troop Leader and his crew perished in a knocked out Tank by a Faustpatrone - the crew managed to survive the war along with their tank - but the Tp Leader was killed by a sniper- I do know that as I was there ! Sometimes it's called poetic license - others call it plagiarism - more call it trying to sell a book... Cheers Cheers
Tom, Have it your way. I knew when I opened the thread it was going to go like this. I asked a simple, straightforward question: Does anyone know if Montgomery ever mentioned in public or in writing why he chose Arnhem over Wesel? 1. I did not ask for anyone else's opinion as to why the choice was made or if it was right or wrong, I simply asked if anyone knew if Field Marshal Montgomery ever spoke or wrote on the decision after the war so that I could read it myself. 2. I have no idea what most of Post 9 has to do with the original question or any of the subsequent posts. 3. I am not interested in your opinion regarding a book that I am left to assume has not been read by you.
Hello Jeff, The only words from Monty on the subject that I have seen are in his memoirs, 'The Memoirs of Field-Marshal Montgomery' (Pen & Sword - Military), page 274, last paragraph. "On the 9th September I received information from London that on the previous day the first V2 rockets had landed in England; it was suspected that they came from areas near Rotterdam and Amsterdam and I was asked when I could rope off those general areas. So far as I was concerned that settled the direction of the thrust line of my operations to secure crossings over the Meuse and Rhine; it must be towards Arnhem..." There is more background in his memoirs... I trust that this is helpful. Best, Steve.
Steve, Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. The author had addressed the V-2s and desire by London to take the launch sites as an influencing factor.
Jeff I do realize that it can be tiresome not to get your own way at times but - the fact that you had little response to your simple question in the initial stages should have told you that there was probably no simple answer and thus i thought some background to that decision was warranted - the FACTS are that Brereton WAS IN CHARGE of the Air operation and thus had a major input to that decision - happily Steve has come up with ONE possible reason for Monty's decision - from the Armies part of the overall operation - Brereton obviously went along with that - despite his fear of AAA attacks so with my best and warmest regards to you as an influencing factor in this thread ! Cheers
Tom, Have it your way. I knew when I opened the thread it was going to go like this. I asked a simple, straightforward question: 1. I did not ask for anyone else's opinion as to why the choice was made or if it was right or wrong, I simply asked if anyone knew if Field Marshal Montgomery ever spoke or wrote on the decision after the war so that I could read it myself. 2. I have no idea what most of Post 9 has to do with the original question or any of the subsequent posts. 3. I am not interested in your opinion regarding a book that I am left to assume has not been read by you. Jeff, In looking at your point 3...is that statement necessary? I think not.
Jeff I do realize that it can be tiresome not to get your own way at times but - the fact that you had little response to your simple question in the initial stages should have told you that there was probably no simple answer and thus i thought some background to that decision was warranted - the FACTS are that Brereton WAS IN CHARGE of the Air operation and thus had a major input to that decision - happily Steve has come up with ONE possible reason for Monty's decision - from the Armies part of the overall operation - Brereton obviously went along with that - despite his fear of AAA attacks so with my best and warmest regards to you as an influencing factor in this thread ! Cheers Meh. Jeff, In looking at your point 3...is that statement necessary? I think not. You are certainly entitled to think as you feel necessary. It certainly does not change my contention that I don't care to hear anyone's opinion on a book that they apparently have not read, all the while answering questions that I did not ask.
You would have thought one of the Airborne 'Experts' would have possibly known the answer to this I hope you do get an answer or confirmation of Steve's imput as it is in it self an interesting question. Cheers Andy
Steve, Thanks for your input. It is appreciated. The author had addressed the V-2s and desire by London to take the launch sites as an influencing factor. Hello Jeff, You are welcome. I would just like to add emphasis to the words in Monty's memoirs, not for your benefit - because I don't believe this point is lost on you - but for general consumption. Monty's original plan had Wesel as the target and certainly, Dempsey and Browning were advising that this should be the target right up until Monty made his decision. There were many influencing factors and authors will decide for their own reasons why a particular general did this or that and the student, having read widely, must decide what he/she believes. BUT, in Monty's own words, it was the fact that he: "...was asked [by London] when [he] could rope off those general areas." -i.e. Rotterdam and Amsterdam, that was critical. "So far as [he] was concerned that settled the direction of the thrust line of [his] operations to secure crossings over the Meuse and Rhine; it must be towards Arnhem..." It wasn't an influencing factor, it was the decisive factor i.e. all other factors were subordinate and/or irrelevant. Monty had always favoured Wesel and indeed, this is where he eventually crossed the Rhine during Operations' Plunder and Varsity on 23/24 March 1945; ably assisted by the US 9th Army. Best, Steve.
Again, thank you Steve for you cogent responses. I've read several accounts already and it occured to me that I had not read what Montgomery himself directly said.
