A letter from Field Marshall Bernard Law Montgomery to Lady Kathleen Liddell-Hart
dated 12.10.70, on formal headed notepaper, inscibed with the following:
"Mr Dear Kathleen, I was glad to hear from you and am so glad you enjoyed your holiday in Italy. I wouldn't pay much attention to what Miss Johnson says; she is a nursing sister and thinks more people are ill! She forgets that I will be 83 next month and adjust my life accordingly. I walk in my garden daily, when the weather allows.
It is a great pity you worry so much. I never worry about anything; if people don't like what I say or write, I say it again!! I told Basil at Bournemouth that many critics would not like his book. But what does that matter? One doesn't write to please people; one says what is true, and he has done that in the book. Personally I like it.
You say if you lived nearer you would come and see me and "listen respectfully to my advice". I have given you my advice; you won't take it. So it is no use asking for it again. Kenneth Parker agrees with me; so does Sham Hackett. I go as usual to Bournemouth for January, and to smiff the ozone.
Be sensible, stop worrying; and give up trying to be a second Basil Liddle Hart. He was unique and we shall not see his like again.
Yours ever, Monty", together with a copy of 'Defence of the West' by B.H Liddell-Hart, with front page inscription to "Miles Dempsey (General Sir Miles) from Basil Liddell-Hart", dated 19.6.51
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Notes: This letter is most unusual. Writing to Lady Liddell-Hart, the wife of famous military war strategist and author, Basil Liddell-Hart, General Montgomery demonstrates a strong showing of affection - something rarely documented in correspondence with other females after the death of his wife. Even rarer is the signature 'Monty', with the vast majority of other letters always signed formally with full military title and rank - even to very close friends!
Accompanied with this letter is Basil Liddle-Hart's 'Defence of the West', an original copy given from Liddell-Hart to his friend General Sir Miles Patrick Dempsey, British Commander of the D-Day forces.