It seemed to me, when editing Soldier in 1946, that a blown-up colour photograph of Monty's 'fruit salad', his massed rows of medal ribbons, would make a good front cover. Would he agree to lend our photographer his battle-dress blouse, a garment as glorious and sacred as the High Priest's breastplate? We need not have doubted. He also gave us a key to the ribbons, some of which - like the Order of Nicham-Iftikhar (Tunisia) and the Order of Ouissam-Alouite (Morocco) - might have baffled even a crowned head. It was all part of the Monty service, or, as some would say, publicity service.

LRB 4 September 1986 | PDF Download