Monty Tells of Early Influences
Taken from Life Magazine

My childhood was unhappy. I was the bad boy of the family, the rebellious one, and as a result I learned early to stand or fall on my own. My early life was a series of fierce battles from which my mother invariably emerged the victor. If I could not be found anywhere, she would say, "Go and find out what Bernard is doing and tell him to stop it." But the constant defeats and beatings with a cane, and these were frequent, in no way deterred me. The net result of the treatment was probably beneficial. If my strong will and indiscipline had gone unchecked the result might have been even more intolerable than some people have found me. However, it is not surprising that under such conditions all my childish affection and love was given to my father.

In 1902 my brother and myself were sent to St. Paul's School in London. I hurled myself into sport and in little over three years became captain of the Rugby and the cricket teams. For the first time in my life leadership and authority came my way. For the first time I could plan my own battles and there were some fierce contests.

I began to know fear when very young and gradually withdrew into my own shell. When I went to school in London I had become self sufficient, intolerant of authority and steeled to take punishment. By the time I left school an important principle had begun to penetrate my brain. That was that life is a stern struggle and a boy has to be able to stand up to the buffeting. There are many attributes which he must acquire to succeed. Two are vital - hard work and absolute integrity.

My company at Sandhurst contained a rowdy crowd and my authority as Lance Corporal caused me to take a lead in their activities. The climax came when during the ragging of an unpopular cadet I set fire to the tail of his shirt. He was unable to sit down with any comfort for some time. He behaved in an exemplary manner in refusing to disclose the author of his ill-treatment, but one's sins are always found out and I was reduced to the ranks. This was a jolt. I turned over a new leaf and worked really hard in my final months at the military college. I graduated 36th in my class.

In my first regiment all the newly joined officers had to call on all the other units. You were offered a drink in each mess and it was explained to me that these must never be declined. An afternoon spent in calling on regimental officers' messes resulted in a considerable consumption of alcohol. I have always disliked alcohol since.

To an ambitious young officer with an inquiring mind many things seemed wrong about the army in World War I. I went through almost the whole war on the western front. When the war ended I was chief of staff of a division, but I never once saw the British commander in chief and only twice did I see an army commander. The higher staffs were out of touch with the regimental officers and with troops. The former lived in comfort which became greater as the distance of their headquarters behind the lines increased. The frightful casualties appalled me. The so-called "good fighting generals" of the war appeared to be those who had a complete disregard for human life.

In 1930, I was selected to rewrite the manual of infantry training. All my work had to be approved by a committee in the war office and some heated arguments took place. I then recommended that the committee should disband and that I should complete the book in my own time; this was agreed. I produced the final draft, omitting all the amendments the committee had put forward. The book when published was considered excellent, especially by its author.

I recognise that I have often been a controversial figure. But my actions, thoughts, mistakes have been but human. Throughout my life and conduct my criterion has been not the approval of others or of the world; it has been my inward convictions, my duty and my conscience. I have never been afraid to say what I believed to be right and to stand firm in that belief. This has often got me into trouble.

In the period after World War I, I was certain that my country would be involved in another war. I was determined to be prepared when the call came. I had at times a kind of inward feeling that the call would come, to me personally, and in my prayers I used to ask that I might be given strength so that I might not fail when put to the test.

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