– Documents

Eight Army

Personal Message from the Army Commander

To be read out to all Troops

1.       Having captured SICILY as our first slice of the Italian home country, the time has now come to carry the battle on to the mainland of Italy.
2.      To the Eight Army has been given the great honour of being the first troops of the Allied Armies to land on the mainland of the continent of Europe. We will prove ourselves worthy of this honour.
3.      I want to tell all of you, soldiers of the Eighth Army, that I have complete confidence in the successful outcome of the operations we are now going to carry out. We have a good plan, and air support on a greater scale than we have ever had before.  There can only be one end to this next battle, and that is: ANOTHER SUCCESS.
4.     Forward to Victory! Let us knock ITALY out of the war!
5.     Good luck. And God Bless you all.  B.L. MONTGOMERY General Eighth Army SICILY, September, 1943