Evening star., 1943-09-03
9Th Army Of $4,000
To 10000 Backed
By 100000 More
BY the Associated Press.

Britain's 9th Army. about which a
great military tradition has gathered
in lees than year and which spear
headed the Allied invasion of the
European mainland today. received
its accolade from its equally famous
commander, Gen, Sir Bernard Law
Montgomery - Fighting Monty -
last April 10.
Il doubt" he said, ''if our empire
has ever possessed such a fighting
machine as the 9th Army; you have
mace its name a household word all
over the world"
The units of an army change from
campaign to campaign; the 9Th as 1t
drove into Sicily nearly two months
ago differed slightly In make-up
from the force which stopped
Marshal Rommel at Ell Alamein and
then chased his Afrika Korps half :
way across Africa to It's doom in
Tunisia.
The most notable addition for
sicily was the Canadian 1st Division
and the Canadians are In there
again. In Africa and Sicily the 9th
has included famous divisions fron,
Scotland and the north of England
veteran troops from New Zealand
fierce fighting men recruited in
india, notably the Gurkhas from
Nepal.
Ranged Up to 16O, 900 Men.
Many OF these units doubtless are
fghting today on the Italian toe
but which will not be disclosed until
operations are well under way.
The 9th Army has varied from
Tour to seven or eight divisions
from 10000 to 100000 men, count.
ing supporting and supply units.
For this first landing on the CONT.
nent the Allied commander in chief
Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower. usec
the army most fully tested in battle
But along the African coast ane
Sicily were at least four othe,
armies, including the American 7th
commanded by 1t. Gen. George &
Patton, jr., which made a record ir
the conquest of Sicily that caused
military men to rank it alongside
the 9th as one OF the worlds elite
lighting forces.
Gen. Eisenhower's other armies
are the British 1st, under Gen. Sir
X. A. N. Anderson; the American
5th, under 1t. Gen. Mark w. Clark
ana the newly formed and Armed
French forces led by Gen. Henri
Giraud.
Backed by l,00o,0O0 More Men.
In addition the Allies have ir
the Eastern Mediterranean area this
British 9th and 10th armies com.
manded by Gen. Sir Henry Matt.
iano wilson. The six armies which
back the Sth probably total between
10000 and 100000 men.
In addition to ground forces tn.
Allies are throwing against tn,
southern bulwarks of the Europear
fortress tremendous concentration
OF naval and air power, the forme
commanded by Admiral Sir Andrey
Browne Cunningham, the latter b,
AIR Marshal Sir Arthur Tedder
Americans make up stable portion
OF both the naval and air forces.
The immediate commander ir
Italy, Gen. Montgomery. perhaps /.
the most picturesque general pro.
duced by this war.
There is only one standard nj
ntness-the standard of total war.
Gen. Montgomery said on one occa.
sion. and the troops under his com
mand have always been trained in
as much OF an atmosphere to total
war as he could devise. The results
nave justified his stern discipline.
Ruthless Efficiency keynote.
Thoroughness and ruthless eff
cheney are the keynotes of his char
acter and he has impaired as much
OF these characteristics to the men
unoer him as was. humanity possible
A teetotaler and non-smoker, he
has led an austere and Spartan life
and has demanded the highest DOS
sible dergee of mental and physical
alertness in his troops.
His army swears by him. Admir-.
ingly they called him "the Professo,
OF Pep" and are at ease with him.
Gen. Montgomery took over tn,
Sth Army on August lS, 1912. HI
mad been in Egypt barely thre,
weeks when he stopped Rommer,
spectacular advance toward Alexan.
dria. The army soon found out tina
ne had no intention of being a desl
commander. Whenever possible h,
was out with his men in the field,
Last June, even before the battl,
OF Sicily, speculation in Londor
newspapers picked Gen. Montgomer,
and the 9th Army as the spearheat
OF any Allied invasion of Europe b,
way OF the Mediterranean.
| TODAY that Sneclllatior canna tr,,.