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| 1887 | Birth |  |
| 17th Nov Kennington Birth of Bernard Law Montgommery, St Mark's Vivarage, Kennington Oval |
| 1907 | Education | |
| Sandhurst Enters Sandhurst |
| 1914 | Health | |
| Wounded in action |
| 1914 | Lieutenant | |
| Aug Shorncliffe Appointed Lieutenant to a battalion at Shorncliffe, part of 10th Brigade |
| 1914 | Platoon Commander | |
| Appointed Platoon Commander |
| 1916 | Brigade Major | |
| Appointed Brigade-Major in the Western Front in France |
| 1916 | Brigade Major Montgomery | |
| Appointed Brigade-Major in the Western Front in France |
| 1918 | Chief of Staff | |
| Appointed Chief-of-Staff of a Division, aged 31 |
| 1918 | Major | |
| Appointed Major |
| 1920 | Brigadier General | |
| Cork Appointed Brigadier-Major to the 17th Infantry Brigade in Cork |
| 1926 | Instructor | |
| Jan Appointed Instructor at the Staff College |
| 1930 | Publication | |
| Selected by the War Office to re-write the manual of Infantry Training |
| 1939 | Commander | |
| 28th Aug Appointed Commander of the 3rd Division |
| 1939 | Major | |
| Appointed Major-General |
| Appointed Major-General, takes Division to France under Brooke as his corps Commander |
| 1939 | Mobilization | |
| 1st Sep Full mobilization of the 3rd Division is ordered |
| 1940 | Commander | |
| 30th May La Panne Appointed Commander of 2nd Corps & ordered to withdraw |
| July Hampshire Appointed Commander of 5th Corps, a promotion |
| 1940 | Evacuation Dunkirk | |
| 1st June La Panne Completes the withdrawal of 2nd Corps from La Panne & Dunkirk |
| 1940 | Meeting Montgomery | |
| 2nd July Brighton Meets Winston Churchill for the 1st time |
| 1940 | Mobilization | |
| Somerset Begins the re-formation of the 3rd Division after Dunkirk |
| June Steyning Sets up a Divisional HQ near Steyning |
| June Brighton The 3rd Division is stationed to defend the coast around Brighton |
| 1940 | Surrender | |
| 28th May Westvleteren After Belgium surrenders the 3rd Division is forced to retreat from Belgium |
| 1941 | Commander | |
| Kent Appointed Commander of the 12th Corps |
| Dec Appointed Commander of Sth Eastern Army, a promotion |
| 1942 | Battle of Alamein, El | |
| 6th Oct Alamein, El Issues the final plans for the 8th Army's offensive |
| 23rd Oct Alamein, El Launches an attack to prevent the Germans from advancing to the Suez Canal |
| 23rd Oct Alamein, El Rommel is on sick leave in Austria |
| 23rd Oct Alamein, El The 30th Corps & 13th Corps launch attacks on Himeimat & Gebel Kalakh |
| 25th Oct Alamein, El Montgomery confirms that the breakout must continue |
| 26th Oct Alamein, El 2 German tankers Proserpina & Tergesta are sunk depriving the Panzararmee of fuel |
| 3rd Nov Alamein, El Reduced to 30 serciceable tanks |
| 4th Nov Alamein, El The British armoured formations break through the German front |
| 4th Nov Alamein, El The British captue 9,000 prisoners & 260 tanks |
| 4th Nov Alamein, El The Germans & Italians lose more than 90,000 with Allied losses of 13,000 |
| 23rd Nov Alamein, El Launches a diversionary British attack in the South |
| 1942 | Battle of Alam Halfa | |
| 31st Aug Alam Halfa Rommel attacks the Alam Halfa Ridge |
| 1st Sep Alam Halfa Rommel's attack is turned back, Cairo & Alexandra are safeguarded |
| 1942 | Capture of Benghazi | |
| 20th Nov Benghazi Commands the Eighth Army in the recapture of Benghazi |
| 1942 | Capture of Derna | |
| 15th Nov Derna Helps capture Derna |
| 1942 | Capture of Tobruk | |
| 13th Nov Tobruk Montgomery's forces enter Tobruk which was never again to fall under German control |
| 1942 | Commander | |
| 7th Aug Appointed Commander of the 8th Army |
| 12th Aug Cairo Arrives at Cairo to take command of the 8th Army |
| 15th Aug Cairo Takes over active command of the 8th Army |
| 1942 | Lieutenant General | |
| 7th Aug Appointed Lieutenant-General |
| 1942 | Lightfoot | |
| 23rd Sep Operation Lightfoot is launched to recapture nth Africa |
| 1942 | Meeting Montgomery | |
| 27th May 1st meets Eisenhower, disagrees with him about how to defend the British coast |
| 1942 | Mobilization | |
| Feb Agheila The 8th Army reaches Agheila but it cannot be captured from Rommel |
| 10th Aug Leaves Britain to take command of the 8th Army |
| 1942 | Siege of Dieppe | |
| April Dieppe Made responsible for the Army planning for the raid on Dieppe |
| 8th July Dieppe Troops cannot embark for the raid on Dieppe because of bad weather, it is postponed |
| 1942 | Sinking Proserpina | |
| 26th Oct Alamein, El 2 German tankers Proserpina & Tergesta are sunk depriving the Panzararmee of fuel |
| 1942 | Sinking Tergesta | |
| 26th Oct Alamein, El 2 German tankers Proserpina & Tergesta are sunk depriving the Panzararmee of fuel |
| 1942 | Supercharge | |
| 29th Oct Decides to launch the break-out Supercharge as far north as possible |
| 2nd Nov 151st & 152nd brigades launch Operation Supercharge & reach their objectives |
| 1943 | Armistice | |
| 8th Sep Italy announces an armistice |
| 1943 | Battle of Basrat | |
| 15th Jan Basrat Rommel tries to halt the 8th 200 miles east of Tripoli but retreats to Tripoli |
| 1943 | Battle of Wadi Akarit | |
| 6th April Wadi Akarit Defeats Rommel in the Wadu Akarit in Tunisia |
| 1943 | Baytown | |
| 17th Aug Messina Baytown is approved, the 8th Army will invade Italy across the Straits of Messina |
| 17th Aug Messina It is decided that the 8th Army will invade Italy across the Straits of Messina |
| 23rd Aug Algiers Operation Baytown to land on the "toe" of Italy is set for the 2/3 Sept |
| 3rd Sep Some of the 8th Army cross the Straits of Messina & land on the Calabrian Coast |
| 1943 | Capture of Crotone | |
| 11th Sep Crotone Capture Crotone to divert the Germans from the USA5th who are moving towards Naples |
| 1943 | Capture of Foggia | |
| Sep Foggia The 8th Army captures the Foggia airfield |
| 1943 | Capture of Mareth | |
| Mar Mareth Line The 8th Army breaks through the Mareth Line & takes 7,000 German & Italian prisoners |
| 1943 | Capture of Messina | |
| 17th Aug Messina The 8th Army arrives at Messina 2 hrs after Patton |
| 1943 | Capture of Naples | |
| Sep Naples The 8th Army captures the Naples airfield |
| 5th Oct Naples The Allies capture Naples |
| 1943 | Capture of Pachino Airfield | |
| 9th July Pachino Pachino Airfield is captured in preparation for the invasion of Sicily |
| 1943 | Capture of Ponte Grande | |
| 9th July Ponte Grande Planes from Tunisia capture Ponte Grande in preparation for the invasion of Sicily |
| 1943 | Capture of Reggio | |
| 3rd Sep Reggio 13 Corps capture Reggio during the Allied invasion of Italy |
| 1943 | Capture of Salerno | |
| 20th Sep Salerno Joins up with the USAforces at Salerno |
| 1943 | Capture of San Giovanni | |
| 3rd Sep San Giovanni 13 Corps capture San Giovanni during the Allied invasion of Italy |
| 1943 | Capture of Sangro | |
| 8th Nov Sangro The 8th Army captures the heights on the Sangro, 100 miles east of Rome |
| 1943 | Capture of Sicily | |
| 17th Aug Sicily Sicily is in Allied hands after a campaign lasting 38 days & costing 31,000 casualties |
| 1943 | Capture of Syracuse | |
| 10th Sep Syracuse Syracuse is captured by the 8th Army during the Allied invasion of Siciliy |
| 1943 | Capture of Tripoli | |
| 23rd Jan Triploli The Eigth Army marches into Tripoli & all of North Africa comes into Allied hands |
| 1943 | Capture of Tunis | |
| 7th May Tunis Tunis is captured & entered by the British 1st Army |
| 1943 | Capture of Tunisia | |
| 8th April Joins forces with the Americans in Western Tunisia |
| 1943 | Commander | |
| 24th Dec Channel Appointed Commander of the 21 Army Group |
| 24th Dec English Channel Appointed Commander of the 21 Army Group |
| 24th Dec Channel Appointed Commander of the 21 Army Group |
| 24th Dec English Channel Appointed Commander of the 21 Army Group |
| 1943 | Crossing Sangro River | |
| 20th Nov Rivergro The 8th Army crossess the Sangro river for the 1st time |
| 1943 | D Day | |
| 24th Dec Appointed Commander of the 21 Army Group to open a "2nd front" on D-Day |
| 24th Dec Channel Appointed to open a "2nd front" across the Channel for D-Day |
| 24th Dec English Channel Appointed to open a "2nd front" across the Channel for D-Day |
| 1943 | General | |
| Appointed General |
| 1943 | Husky | |
| Jan Algiers A planning staff known as Force 141 is established to plan the invasion of Sicily |
| Jan Sicily Orders for the invasion of Sicily are given, operation "Huskey" |
| 23rd April Sicily Withdraws from the battle in Tunisia to make detailed plans for the invasion of Sicily |
| 2nd May Algiers Attends a conference to discuss the invasion of Sicily |
| 1943 | Invasion of Italy | |
| Gustav Line The Allies are drawn nth by the Germans & by Dec halt their advance at the Gustav Line |
| 3rd July Malta Arrives in Malta to find the 8th Army preparing for the invasion of Sicily |
| 11th Aug The invasion of Italy is brought forward to the 1st Sept |
| 17th Aug Messina Baytown is approved, the 8th Army will invade Italy across the Straits of Messina |
| 23rd Aug Algiers Montgomery requests & gets additional forces for the 8th Army |
| 23rd Aug Algiers Operation Baytown to land on the "toe" of Italy is set for the 2/3 Sept |
| 3rd Sep Reggio 13 Corps lands on the beaches between Reggio & Villa San Giovanni |
| 3rd Sep Some of the 8th Army cross the Straits of Messina & land on the Calabrian Coast |
| 10th Sep Calabria Pins German forces down to divert them from the USA5th who are moving towards Naples |
| 14th Sep Salerno Requested to push on & threaten the German forces attacking the USA5th Army |
| 16th Sep Salerno The head of the 8th Army joins with the right flank of the 5th USAArmy |
| 20th Sep Links up with the 5th Army & British 1st Airborne Division |
| 1943 | Invasion of Sicily | |
| Jan Sicily Orders for the invasion of Sicily are given, operation "Huskey" |
| 23rd April Sicily Withdraws from the battle in Tunisia to make detailed plans for the invasion of Sicily |
| 2nd May Algiers Attends a conference to discuss the invasion of Sicily |
| 16th May Sicily The 8th Army is released from Tunisia to train for the invasion of Sicily |
| 3rd July Malta Arrives in Malta to find the 8th Army preparing for the invasion of Sicily |
| 9th July Pachino Airfiel Pachino Airfield is captured in preparation for the invasion of Sicily |
| 9th July Sicily Planes fly from Tunisia & capture Ponte Grande for the invasion of Sicily |
| 10th July Sicily Lands ashore at the head of the 8th Army |
| 11th July Sicily Trans fers Tactical HQ from Malta to the front at Sicily |
| 17th Aug Messina The 8th Army arrives at Messina 2 hrs after Patton |
| 1943 | Mobilization | |
| 7th April The British & USAforces join up in North Africa |
| 1943 | Overlord | |
| Nov Normandy Given command of the assault phase for Overlord on the ground |
| 1943 | Siege of Bari | |
| Sep Bari Ousts the Germans from Bari |
| 1943 | Siege of Belvedere | |
| Sep Belvedere Ousts the Germans from Belvedere |
| 1943 | Siege of Cosenza | |
| Sep Cosenza Ousts the Germans from Cosenza |
| 1943 | Siege of Naples | |
| 10th Sep Calabria Pins German forces down to divert them from the USA5th who are moving towards Naples |
| 1st Oct Naples Leads the 8th Army into Naples |
| 1944 | Battle of Arnhem | |
| 17th Sep Arnhem 2 Divs of the SS Panzer Corps are refitting in Arnhem when the British arrive |
| 17th Sep Nijmegen Secures the Nijmegen Bridge & the South Bank of the Lek |
| 17th Sep River Lek Secures the Nijmegen Bridge & the South Bank of the Lek |
| 17th Sep Arnhem The battle is launched in order to secure a bridghead over the Rhine |
| 17th Sep Arnhem The British 1st Airborne Division is stopped at Arnhem |
| 17th Sep Arnhem TheBritish are penned in by 2 divisions of the SS Panzer Corps |
| 25th Sep Arnhem Montgomery orders a retreat, the British lose 1,130 killed & 6,000 taken prisoner |
| 26th Sep Arnhem The 1st airborne retreats, 2,200 are evacuated, 7,000 are captured, killed or wounded |
| 27th Sep Arnhem Orders are given to join up with the 2nd Army on the south bank of the Rhine |
| 1944 | Bluecoat | |
| 30th July Caen Supports Bradley's left flank & engages the Germans sth of Caen |
| 30th July Vire The Canadians & British move into Vire & force a German rereat |
| 1944 | Bombing of Caen | |
| 18th July Caen Caen is bombed to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken |
| 1944 | Capture of Bordeaux | |
| 7th June Bordeaux The Allies capture Bordeaux, 1st French town to be liberated |
| 1944 | Capture of Caen | |
| 7th July Caen A massive air bombardment commences on Caen which devastates the city |
| 19th July Caen The Allies capture Caen |
| 1944 | Capture of River Odon | |
| 27th June River Odon The British establish a bridge-head on the River Odon |
| 1944 | Charnwood | |
| 6th July Caen Asks for heavy bomber support from Leigh-Mallory |
| 8th July Caen 1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen |
| 1944 | Epson | |
| 26th June Caen Fails to make any advance |
| 26th June Caen Launches an attack on Caen, operation Epson |
| 1944 | Field Marshal | |
| Appointed Field Marshal |
| 1944 | Goodwood | |
| 18th July Caen 7 out of 8 Panzers in Normandy are engaged in battle |
| 18th July Caen Caen is bombed to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken |
| 18th July Caen Launched in order to clear Caen but the British lose 5,537 casualties & 400 tanks |
| 18th July Caen Launches 3 Divs east of Caen to gain the Bourguebus Ridge on the road to Falaise |
| 18th July Caen The British lose 450 tanks, the Sherman displays serious weaknesses |
| 1944 | Operation Totalize | |
| 8th Aug Gace Orders an airborne division to Gace to close the ring around the main German forces |
| 17th Aug Chambois Orders the Canadians to close the gap between the 1st Canadian & 3rd USAArmy |
| 22nd Aug Chambois The Poles & Americans meet & seal the Falaise pocket, ends the Normandy Campaign |
| 1944 | Overlord | |
| Jan Succesfully argues the case for more troops & a broader landing area |
| 15th Jan Normandy Montgomery's plans for D-Day are approved by the Allies |
| 15th May London Expresses his belief that that Allied tanks will reach Falaise on D-Day |
| 15th May London Final conference at Montgomery's HQ in St Paul's School |
| 15th May London Presents the final plan to senior commanders, the King, Smuts & Churchill at St Pauls |
| 15th May The USAwill invade Utah & Omaha beaches, the British Gold & Juno & the Canadians Sword |
| 6th June Normandy By the end of the day the Allies land 130,000 men & 22,000 parachutists |
| 6th June Normandy Commander of all ground forces for Operation Overlord |
| 6th June Arromanches Royal Marine Commandos land on Gold Beach & capture Arromanches |
| 6th June Normandy The Allies lose 9,500 killed or wounded |
| 6th June Caen The British 3rd Division fails to capture Caen |
| 6th June Bayeaux The British capture Bayeaux |
| 11th June Normandy Manages to land 16 Divisions ashore facing 14 enemy Divisions |
| 23rd June River Odon The Allies gain a bridgehead over the River Odon near Caen |
| 29th June Hill 112 The Allies capture Hill 112 but Dempsey withdraws & the Germans recapture it |
| 4th Aug Normandy Endorses Bradley's order for Patton to clear Brittany with "minimum forces" |
| 1944 | Siege of Caen | |
| 2nd June Caen Orders the 2nd Army to hold the line between Villers -Bocage & Caen |
| 26th June Caen Launches an attack on Caen, operation Epson |
| 7th July Caen The press refer to attempts at capturing Caen a "stalemate" |
| 8th July Caen 1st day of the operation launched by Montgomery to capture Caen |
| 18th July Caen Caen is bombed in to obliterate enemy defences but only the southern suburbs are taken |
| 18th July Caen The southern suburbs of Caen are captured |
| 30th July Caen Supports Bradley's left |
