Previous Lot Next Lot

Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 388

'He is a devil-may-care chap really, but he won't tell us how he won his award. I've tried to pump him all ways myself, without success'

A relative being interviewed by the Loughton, Chigwell, Woodford & Buckhurst Hill Gazette in March 1947, refers

An interesting and well-documented Second War B.E.M. awarded to Sergeant W. J. 'Tan Tan' Montano, Royal Armoured Corps, late Royal Tank Corps, who discreetly served for 6 years as chauffeur and mechanic to Lieutenant-General Montagu 'Bronco' Brocas Burrows C.B., D.S.O., M.C., General Officer Commanding 9th Armoured Division, later 11th Armoured Division, who was appointed Head of the British Military Mission to the Soviet Union in 1944, and later served as Commander-in-Chief, West Africa Command, retiring in 1946

British Empire Medal, (Military) G.VI.R. (7878834. Sgt. William J. Montano R.A.C.), officially impressed naming on pre-prepared ground, nearly extremely fine

B.E.M. London Gazette 9 January 1946. The original recommendation by Lieutenant-General M. B. Burrows, states:

'Sjt. W. J. Montano has served with me since May 1940, firstly as driver and lastly as Sergeant in charge of motor transport at G.H.Q. West Africa Command. In the course of his service he was in charge of the motor transport of the British Military Mission in Moscow and had a number of Russian drivers under his command.

Sergeant Montano is an excellent driver and mechanic and has invariably shown himself to be cheerful and willing and able both to command and to get on with his superiors and subordinates. I consider that his exemplary service merits the award of the B.E.M.'

William John Montano was born on 1 October 1908 at Buckhurst Hill, the son of retired sailor Edward George Montano and husband to Susannah R. Montano of 75 Alfred Road, Buckhurst Hill, London. A labourer by trade, he attested for the Royal Tank Corps on 31 December 1926 for a term of six years, followed by a further six years in the Army Reserve, being discharged at Barnet on 30 December 1938. Upon the outbreak of hostilities, he volunteered as Private in the Royal Armoured Corps and served as a member of Lieutenant-General M. B. Burrows' personal staff from May 1940.

On 7 February 1944, Lieutenant-General M. B. Burrows succeeded Lieutenant-General Sir Giffard Le Quesne Martel as Head of the British Military Mission to the Soviet Union, amid a marked decline in co-operation between the two nations, likely influenced by the arrival of overtly anti-communist Head of the Royal Air Force Mission, Air Marshal Sir John Babington. As a trusted driver and mechanic, Montano served in Russia at a critical time, his charge tasked with re-establishing cordial relations and preparing for the opening of the second front. At the beginning of June, Burrows suggested establishing a special situation room in which the Soviet General Staff would be provided with secret intelligence on how Operation Overlord was developing; the British Chief of Staff agreed (The Kremlin Letters: Stalin's Wartime Correspondence with Churchill and Roosevelt, refers).

In February 1945, Lieutenant-General M. B. Burrows was transferred to West Africa and Montano travelled with him. On 4 February 1945 he collected the G.O.C.-in-C's car at Lagos before proceeding to Lome and arriving at G.H.Q. at 08.00 a.m. on 11 February 1945. According to a letter written by Montano to his wife on 6 August 1945, French Togoland was not for the unwary:

'Last Tuesday at two o'clock I left H.Q. to travel by road with the Buick Humber and Jeep, arrived Lome in the evening. Wednesday set off from Lome to Lagos, on the way up the river is in flood and had a real job to get the cars safely on the native ferry.'

With water 'up to the floor boards' the journey became even more hazardous and at one stage he could 'only guess the roads whereabouts'. Montano was forced to return to Headquarters, defeated by the weather and perilous conditions. A short while later he returned home to England where he was demobilised and took employment driving lorries in London. On 12 April 1946, Montano was contacted by Lieutenant-General Burrows, now retired, who clearly missed his former driver:

'I am just purchasing a new car and want a Chauffeur and would very much like to have you because I know you, and I know that you can get on well with the rest of my Staff at "Oakendean". My children are also often enquiring about "Tan Tan"!'

Sold with the following original documentation and ephemera:

(i)
Buckingham Palace Award Certificate to 'Sergeant William J. Montano, B.E.M., Royal Armoured Corps, 18 March 1947.'

(ii)
Copied B.E.M. recommendation paperwork, damaged - flattened - B.E.M. 'war issue' card box of transmittal, together with notification letter from R.A.C. Records, dated 28 February 1946 and a later reference from Lieutenant-General M. B. Burrows, retd., dated 16 April 1951, reiterating war service and suggesting that Montano sometime accepted the role as family Chauffeur.

(iii)
British Military Mission identity documentation, including Russian I.D. card with portrait photograph, a further letter with photograph advising his return to the U.K., Telegrams sent by the recipient to his wife from Moscow (3), letters and photographs (15), including snapshots of the recipient, native drivers, and various vehicles in Africa.

(iv)
Regular Army Certificate of Service; Soldier's Release Book, containing a further reference from Lieutenant-General Burrows, his military conduct described as 'exemplary'; Soldier's Service & Pay Book; War Department Driving Permit, dated 6 April 1943; six further G.B. civilian driving licence's, one noting a fine of 50/- for driving with excessive speed on 3 June 1957, the last commencing 18 June 1974; Civilian Passport.

(v)
Two pressed card identity tags named to 'W. Montano, 7878834'.




Subject to 20% VAT on Buyer’s Premium. For more information please view Terms and Conditions for Buyers.

Sold for
£450

Starting price
£210