'... We shall go on to the end, we shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be, we shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender .The Right Honourable Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill1874 - 1965
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Dancing in the Streets |
The German forces in Europe surrendered to the Allies on 7 May 1945. During the celebrations that followed the announcement of the end of the war, Churchill appeared on the balcony of the Ministry of Health in Whitehall, to speak to the vast crowd. After the words 'This is your victory!', the crowd roared back, 'No - it is yours!'
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Street Party |
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Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery's Headquarters on Luneberg Heath for signing of the surrender. Monty seated at table reads the surrender terms. General-Admiral von Friedeberg signing surrender. General Kienzl signing the surrender. Rear Admiral Wagner signing. Monty signing on behalf of General Eisenhower. Date of signing: May 3rd 1945 |
Bernard Law MONTGOMERY (1887 - 1976) ("1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein") British Field Marshal. He commanded part of the British Expeditionary Force in France 1939-40 and took part in the subsequent evacuation from Dunkirk. In August 1942 he took command of the 8th Army, then barring the German advance on Cairo; his victory at El Alamein in November turned the tide in N Africa and was followed by the expulsion of Rommel from Egypt and rapid Allied advance into Tunisia. In February 1943 Montgomery's forces came under US general Eisenhower's command, and they took part in the conquest of Tunisia and Sicily and the invasion of Italy. Montgomery was promoted to Field Marshal 1944 and commanded the Allied forces during the opening phase of the invasion of France June 1944, and from August the British and commonwealth troops that liberated the Netherlands, overran N Germany, and entered Denmark.
He received the German surrender May 3, 1945 at his 21st Army Group
headquarters on Luneberg Heath. He was in command of the British occupation
force in Germany until Feb 1946, when he was appointed Chief of the
Imperial General Staff. Created 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
1946. |