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Where the Hell Have You Been?: Monty, Italy and One Man's Incredible Escape
In November 1942, two nights after the Battle of El Alamein, a young British army officer was captured. As the Nazis deliberated about what to do with him, Richard Carver had particular reason to be unknown to anyone, he was the stepson of Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery, the Allied Commander who had just inflicted the first serious defeat on the Third Reich...This gripping story tells of Richard's internment in a POW camp in northern Italy - the same camp made famous by Eric Newby - and of his subsequent escape. Having decided to risk making his way back to Allied HQ in the south, he embarked on a gruelling 500-mile journey through German-occupied territory, evading capture again and again and ultimately being saved by a family of brave Italian peasants who jeopardised not just their own lives but those of an entire village to hide him. In the winter of 1943, a year after he disappeared, he staggered back into Army HQ, to be greeted by his now famous stepfather with the words, 'Where the hell have you been?' This is a great adventure story - a reminder of a lost age when, in the face of terrifying challenges, a generation rose to extraordinary feats of valour in the service of a cause greater than themselves.
256 pages, Paperback
First published October 1, 2009
15 people are currently reading
144 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
February 26, 2025
Bought this for my Dad for Father’s Day on recommendation from a mate in Scotland. My Dad enjoyed but said he found some parts confusing. I could see what he meant as I had to flick back pages at times. My eyes went to a number of typos, a missing word and a sentence with no spaces between words. But that said I enjoyed the book. I found the last part quite emotional. Father and Son connected. Monty’s personal life also recounted sadly.
December 20, 2021
'Where The Hell Have You Been?' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Book 23, my final read of 2021 and talk about going out on a high.
This was immediately a book I couldn't put down, no matter how close to midnight it was and how my alarm was just a few hours from going off.
Based around the second world war and one man's mission to escape a POW camp in Italy, you're on edge but it also gives a fascinating insight into how the Italians acted in the war.
I have a connection to the war on both sides as half of my family are Italian, but I never understood it from that side. What did the Italians think of the German war they were forced into?
This book definitely gave a fascinating insight and an education I needed into a part of the war I had never encountered before in history books.
Book 23, my final read of 2021 and talk about going out on a high.
This was immediately a book I couldn't put down, no matter how close to midnight it was and how my alarm was just a few hours from going off.
Based around the second world war and one man's mission to escape a POW camp in Italy, you're on edge but it also gives a fascinating insight into how the Italians acted in the war.
I have a connection to the war on both sides as half of my family are Italian, but I never understood it from that side. What did the Italians think of the German war they were forced into?
This book definitely gave a fascinating insight and an education I needed into a part of the war I had never encountered before in history books.
April 25, 2018
If you have any interest in the second world war this is a fascinating look into Italian prisoner-of-war camps, and escape!
September 19, 2018
Fascinating
A true life adventure. Not just the escape in WW2 but also the adventure the author goes on to 'survivor's the man his Father really was.
A true life adventure. Not just the escape in WW2 but also the adventure the author goes on to 'survivor's the man his Father really was.
August 24, 2019
Much less engaging than I hoped for.
April 3, 2023
A charming book and most informative.
October 13, 2023
Loved it! Inspired me to start digging as my grandfather was also a South African POW in Italy.
May 24, 2010
Fascinating book on three levels.
1) The story: The protagonist, Richard Carver, was General Montgomery's step-son. He was captured in northern Africa just as Montgomery was routing Rommel, and he was afraid his identity would be discovered and he'd be used as a pawn against Montgomery. He and fellow prisoners were taken to a prison camp in northern Italy. When Mussolini capitulated and German troops were just miles away and advancing towards them, the German-hating Italian guards cut the fence and released about 600 prisoners. Many never made it home, and the story of Carver's journey south (he decided he couldn't make it across the alps) was fascinating on several levels. At every turn, he was helped by Italian farmers at great risk to them and their families.
2) The research: Author Tom Carver is Richard Carver's son. At the end of his father's life, he began pressing him for information about his war experiences, but the father was both reticent and loath to cast himself in any heroic light. Tom fortunately found journals--his father's and another of a fellow escapee--that helped tremendously. He also interviewed other survivors as well as Italians and their children who had been there.
3) The relationships: between Monty and Richard Carver, between Richard and his son Tom, and between Carver and the Italians who hid and saved him.
I was particularly interested in this because I've never known much about this part of the war. It totally changed my view of the Italians who, in this book, were portrayed as victims of Mussolini's regime and then of the Germans, not enemies.
My copy shows: ISBN-10: 1906021538 and ISBN-13: 978-1906021535, but someone has entered that ISBN # into Goodreads with an incorrect title, so I'm creating a new entry.
1) The story: The protagonist, Richard Carver, was General Montgomery's step-son. He was captured in northern Africa just as Montgomery was routing Rommel, and he was afraid his identity would be discovered and he'd be used as a pawn against Montgomery. He and fellow prisoners were taken to a prison camp in northern Italy. When Mussolini capitulated and German troops were just miles away and advancing towards them, the German-hating Italian guards cut the fence and released about 600 prisoners. Many never made it home, and the story of Carver's journey south (he decided he couldn't make it across the alps) was fascinating on several levels. At every turn, he was helped by Italian farmers at great risk to them and their families.
2) The research: Author Tom Carver is Richard Carver's son. At the end of his father's life, he began pressing him for information about his war experiences, but the father was both reticent and loath to cast himself in any heroic light. Tom fortunately found journals--his father's and another of a fellow escapee--that helped tremendously. He also interviewed other survivors as well as Italians and their children who had been there.
3) The relationships: between Monty and Richard Carver, between Richard and his son Tom, and between Carver and the Italians who hid and saved him.
I was particularly interested in this because I've never known much about this part of the war. It totally changed my view of the Italians who, in this book, were portrayed as victims of Mussolini's regime and then of the Germans, not enemies.
My copy shows: ISBN-10: 1906021538 and ISBN-13: 978-1906021535, but someone has entered that ISBN # into Goodreads with an incorrect title, so I'm creating a new entry.
March 17, 2011
True story of the step son of British General Montgomery who was captured and imprisoned in an Italian POW camp during WW2 and details his experiences and escape. His story is retold by his son after recovering his father's diary discovered after all these years.
February 18, 2016
Good biography with interesting information on Monty's life.
April 4, 2016
True story of field Marshall Montgomery's step son going missing in ww2, thought it could have gone into more detail of the period he was missing
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December 30, 2017I'm awful at writing reviews because my reading experience is always related to my emotional reaction and enjoyment of a book. However, I must say that this is written in a very accessible way and if you wish to read more about WWII I would highly recommend this.
As for my experience, I absolutely loved this book. My education and knowledge of WWII doesn't extend into the events that occurred in Italy or into the African continent. My knowledge is more specific to life in Germany between the two wars and events that happened in England, France, Germany and Poland. Due to this, I found this book fascinating. It has begun to form my knowledge of Italy during this time, specifically from the experience of POWs, and I am definitely inclined to learn what I can of the Italian experience as well.
Richard Carver's story was heartwarming and heartbreaking and I definitely spent my time reading the last few chapters in tears.
I highly recommend it.
As for my experience, I absolutely loved this book. My education and knowledge of WWII doesn't extend into the events that occurred in Italy or into the African continent. My knowledge is more specific to life in Germany between the two wars and events that happened in England, France, Germany and Poland. Due to this, I found this book fascinating. It has begun to form my knowledge of Italy during this time, specifically from the experience of POWs, and I am definitely inclined to learn what I can of the Italian experience as well.
Richard Carver's story was heartwarming and heartbreaking and I definitely spent my time reading the last few chapters in tears.
I highly recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews