A charity about to celebrate its 80th anniversary has uncovered a "remarkable" connection to a general who helped lead the D-Day invasions.
Concordia, which is based in Brighton, was founded during the darkest days of the Second World War, recruiting volunteer labour to restore land and buildings and ensure harvests were gathered.
Among the dusty archives, the charity found that its first president was none other than Field Marshal Viscount “Monty” Bernard Montgomery, a towering figure in British military history who helped lead the D-Day invasions.
Monty was in command of Allied ground forces during the Battle of Normandy, from D-Day on June 6, 1944, until September 1, when the campaign ended.
After the war, he became the first president of the charity.
Concordia has continued to support three quarters of a million people into various programmes since it started in 1943.
Former Hove MP and defence minister Ivor Caplin, who is Concordia chairman, said: “Rediscovering our historic connection to ‘Monty’ Montgomery was a true surprise and an honour for our organisation.
“As we delved into our minute books, we saw that not only did he play a pivotal role in some of the Allies’ most important victories during the Second World War, but he also continued to support the rebuilding of the continent through his fundraising efforts at Concordia.
“We’re delighted to hand over all of our records to The Keep archive, ensuring that our legacy and the impact of individuals like Monty will be preserved for future generations to enjoy.”
Monty is best known for leading the British and Allied forces to victory over German forces in the North Africa campaign.
After the Second World War, he was recruited as the first president of the Concordia organisation on October 13, 1949, helping bringing a wealth of experience and leadership to the charity, helping to raise its profile and increase its impact until 1952.
Concordia chief executive Simon Bowyer said: “As we celebrate our 80th anniversary, it is an honour to be able to share our rich history and legacy with the community through the donation of our historical records to The Keep.
"Not only will it serve as a valuable resource for future generations, but it also allows us to support the important work of The Keep in preserving and providing access to historical records.”
Andrew Bennett, the archivist at The Keep, led Ivor and Simon on a tour of the collection of Brighton and Sussex history housed within the Woollards Way building in Brighton.
The charity is donating its historical records, including the newly rediscovered information about its first president, to the archive centre The Keep, Brighton.
Andrew said: “We’re delighted to receive the archive of Concordia – a local charity with a fascinating past which, until now, we had nothing on.
"Once I’ve catalogued it the archive will be available to access in our reading room. Using The Keep is free and open to all."
From March, The Keep is holding “welcome Wednesday” sessions for people who have never been to it before. These will be held on the first Wednesday of every month.
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