Monty born 1887, Rommel born 1891
Bernard Montgomery was born in 1887 and Erwin Rommel in 1891, both professional soldiers long before the world wars began.
Snapshot · Fin vs History
Nazis Are No Match For Knobbly Knees | Monty vs Rommel (Part 1/4)
Explore episode
Jun 29, 2026
Where this was said
Hammering Kippers
At 9:25 · chapter starts 8:04
Born in 1887 — after the first kipper was created in 1843, before Jack the Ripper — Bernard Montgomery enters the world as the fourth of nine children. Producer Charlie's research contributions become a running feature here, including a story about a 112-year-old Somali man marrying a 17-year-old, which the hosts compare approvingly to Monty's father Henry proposing to 13-year-old Maud (she was 11 when they met, 14 when he proposed). The family moves to Tasmania when Henry becomes Bishop, and Maud beats the children to prevent them acquiring Australian accents — which Fin defends as reasonable parenting. Back in London at 13 and nicknamed 'Monkey', Monty tattoos both forearms in a failed bid to fit in socially, later hiding them in shame. The picture that emerges is of a deeply unusual, intensely driven young man ill-suited to conventional Edwardian social life.
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