MONGOMERY

Maguire was, his entry in the Oxford DNB states, 'one of the most popular orators of his age, and from 1829 until 1843 he addressed huge crowds and packed congregations in churches and at venues throughout England and Ireland'.

1p., foolscap 8vo. 36 lines of text. A frail survival: in fair condition, lightly creased and aged, with short closed tear repaired on reverse with archival tape. Badge design at head of text, with white shield with yellow cross against blue background, and facsimile of McCreery's signature at foot. The text begins: 'On 9th April, the Eighth Army started the last great battle in Italy. Twenty-three days later, on 2nd May, the enemy surrendered unconditionally.' The penultimate paragraph reads: 'The unconditional surrender of the enemy bring the Eighth Army many new and urgent tasks.

1p., 4to. A frail survival: In good condition, on aged high-acidity paper, with closed tear repaired with archival tape on reverse. A stirring message, divided into four sections, the first reading: '1. The leading units of Eighth Army are now only about 200 miles from TRIPOLI. The enemy is between us and that port, hoping to hold us off.' 'The enemy will try to stop us', Montgomery warns, but 'Nothing has stopped us since the battle of Egypt began on 23rd October, 1942. Nothing will stop us now.' Two points in capital letters: '2. THE EIGHTH ARMY IS GOING TO TRIPOLI.' and '4.

1p., 4to. A scarce survival: good, on lightly aged and creased paper. Divided into 5 points, with the first reading: '1. The Eighth Army has turned the enemy out of the famous AGHEILA position and is now advancing into TRIPOLITANIA. It is wonderful what has been achieved since the 23rd October, when we started the Battle of Egypt. | Before the battle began I sent you a message in which I said: - | Let us pray that "the Lord mighty in battle" will give us the victory.

1p., 4to. 25 lines of text. A frail survival. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. Signed with facsimile of signature of 'B. L. Montgomery.' Divided into six points, the text begins: '1. The time has now come to carry the war into Italy, and into the Continent of Europe. The Italian Overseas Empire has been exterminated; we will now deal with the home country.' The last point reads: '6. To each one of you, whatever may be your rank or employment, I would say: | GOOD LUCK AND GOOD HUNTING IN THE HOME COUNTRY OF ITALY'.

2pp., foolscap 8vo. On two leaves stapled together. In good condition, on lightly aged and creased paper. This item is discussed in M. F. Snape's 'God and the British Soldier: Religion and the British Soldier in the First and Second World Wars' (London: Routledge, 2005). Montgomery described Hughes as 'the ideal of what an Army padre should be', and according to Snape: 'A major theme which seemed to emerge from the collaboration of Montgomery and Hughes in 1942 was the notion of the consecration of British arms to a higher purpose.