R.A. (MONTY) MONTAGUE

COMMANDO TITLES

(POCKET HOMEPAGE) 

Created: November 25th 2024

Updated: December 14th 2024

A recent Commando issue 5770 “Flying Lifeboat” July 18th, 2024, working title: “Out of Control”, was a reprint of a tale by R. A. Montague, the subject of this page.

Montague was a long-time contributor to the series and is mentioned in George Low's history of the pocket library as a prolific contributor to Commando, working from his home in Diss, Norfolk.

During the Second World War he served in the R.A.F. and after the war the Colonial Police.

This must have given him a wealth of knowledge to write over 300 original Commando scripts.

Looking at R.A. Montague’s Commando title list it appears his earliest scrip was 370 “Lieutenant Trouble’” November 1968, his working title: “Beyond the River”, with cover by Lopez Espi, and art by Sanchis Cortes, with his last original script 2456 “At Ground Level “ working title: “Fly Out, Walk Back” March 1991

Two Montague listed titles were rewrites of two original stories written/drawn by Spanish artist L. Castello Lucas.

These were 768 “Fly to Glory” working title “Sea Wolf” and 781 “The Pharaoh” which was also the working title.

His scripts were neatly worked out and very seldom left plot holes that some other authors might have, scripts could be prepared for illustration very quickly but they were better when the sub-editor took a little more time as his characters sometimes needed a bit of help to make them more…characterful. “Who Killed Cooper?” was arguably one of his best scripts and his level of plotting can be read at its best there.

This efficiency and cleanliness may also have been reflected in his full-time job which was that of an ambulance driver in Norfolk.

Occasionally in his covering letters he would refer to a “job” he’d been to or something he’d seen in his line of work.

I don’t think these provided his inspiration for any stories, though.

Back then, communication between the editorial office and the contributors was minimal, and I’m sure that some writers never met the staff they were writing for.

That, and the old-fashioned tendency to refer to writers and artists by their second names only, means that biographical details are thin on the ground.

Commando’s longevity is another complicating factor as many of the freelances who contributed back in the day have passed away.

TITLE CHANGE
One of Montague’s titles was changed in the reprint, it’s possible “THE” was dropped and the title moved over to the right of the cover to incorporate the barcode.

Vic Whittle November 2024

	R. A. MONTAGUE Author for Commando Comics 1967 - 1991
#370 LIEUTENANT TROUBLE Monty’s title: Beyond the River November 1968			#2456 AT GROUND LEVEL! Monty’s title: Fly out, Walk Back Late March 1991
SOME OF R.A. MONTAGUE’S COMMANDO STORY SCRIPTS
644 SANDS OF DOOM Monty’s title: Secret Cargo May 1972	705 THE FIGHT FOR SNOW ISLAND Monty’s title: Ice Trap December 1972	768 FLY TO GLORY Monty’s title: Sea Wolf August 1973	789 A LEADER OF MEN Monty’s title: Lion’s Lair November 1973
885 MARCH OF THE MONSTERS Monty’s title: The Fighting Funnies November 1974	961 BEWARE YOUR FRIENDS! Monty’s title: Shoot to Kill August 1975	1081 OBEY ORDERS – AND DIE! Monty’s title: Killed in Action November 1976	1178 THE MAN WITH THE MEDALS Monty’s title: Never give Up November 1977
1277 BIG FRIENDS AND LITTLE FRIENDS Monty’s title: A Helping Hand December 1978	1434 FIRE! Monty’s title: Sky Gipsy July 1980	1653 A BOY’S HERO Monty’s title: Smugglers Gang November 1982	2090 SAVED FROM THE SEA Monty’s title: Bring ‘em back alive May 1987
Following is a list of titles attributed to R.A. Montague Original titles in blue. Reprinted titles in yellow.
370 LIEUTENANT TROUBLE		1682 RUNAWAY!
398 SKY RAIDERS		1689 FIGHT ON!
400 PHANTON NAZI		1692 HI-JACK!
420 JINAH IN THE CREW		1695 THE TRAITOR
426 LAIR OF THE LEOPARDS		1703 SOMEONE MUST LEAD
491 LAST LAUGH		1710 OBEY ORDERS!
506 THE HI-JACKERS		1712 MOUNTAIN RAIDERS
510 ARCTIC ACE		1717 FLYING HIGH!
538 LOW LEVEL LIZZIE		1724 ATTACK BY NIGHT
542 FIND THE TRAITOR		1726 EYE IN THE SKY
550 DIVE TO DANGER		1727 A MAN AFRAID
560 SEA STRIKE		1737 TWENTY THOUSAND FEET
573 JAPANESE JUNX		1740 BUCCANEER BOB R.N.
590 REVENGE OF THE VIPER		1758 FIND THEM, SINK TEHM!
598 ONE MAN WAR		1765 THE OUTLAWS
602 DECK LEBEL DAWSON		1784 JUNGLE KIDNAP
605 HI-JACK!		1796 THE TIN GRASSHOPPER
618 BUCCANEER BOB R.N.		1799 SOMEWHERE A TRAITOR
625 ATTACK BY NIGHT		1803 THE SHIP BUSTERS
644 SANDS OF DOOM		1805 RAIDER ON THE PROWL
649 TIGER IN THE SNOW		1809 THUNDERBOLT SQUADRON
650 THE TIN GRASSHOPPER		1811 ACTION STATIONS!
657 THE SHIP BUSTERS		1813 THE SECRET BASE
664 ATTACK! ATTACK!		1825 TOP COVER
676 ACTION STATIONS!		1829 DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!
688 WAR-LORD		1833 THE PILOT WAS A GENERAL
689 CASEY’S PIRATES		1837 BOMBER CREW
690 FLY INTO DANGER		1844 WAR-LORD
696 SUICIDE MISSION		1851 FLY IN TO DANGER
704 ENEMY FROM THE DEEP		1853 DEADLY MARAUDERS
705 FIGHT FOR SNOW ISLAND		1857 STOP THEM!
714 KOMET!		1861 MISSION ACCOMPLISED
734 BORN TO BE BRAVE		1865 TEST PILOT
736 H.M.S. UNSINKABLE		1868 THE FIGHT FOR SNOW ISLAND
741 TARGET U.S.A.		1869 ENEMY FROM THE DEEP
745 A PAIR OF ACES		1873 BUNDY’S SECRET WEAPON
746 INDIA OR BUST!		1879 SUICIDE MISSION
749 THE DESERT OF DEATH		1889 THE PRIVATE WAR
754 SECRET AGENT		1892 KOMET!
758 THE CAGE		1894 SERGEANTS DON’T RUN
768 FLY TO GLORY		1895 FLIGHT OF NO RETURN
769 THE TRAIL OF THE GOLDEN SAMURAI		1904 TARGET DESTROYED!
777 THE MAN WHO SAVED INDIA		1909 INTO BANDIT COUNTRY
778 WELL DONE THE NAVY		1920 MAN WITH A MILLION SECRETS
781 THE PHAROAH		1927 THE FLYING BATTLESHIPS
789 A LEADER OF MEN		1932 BORN TO BE BRAVE
793 NERVES OF STEEL		1941 THE TRAP IS SPRUNG
796 BLACK BERET		1946 THE CONVOY FIGHTS BACK
804 GAS-BAG GUNMEN		1951 HONOURABLE ENEMY
806 KANE’S CAVALRY		1955 THE CAGE
817 CARRIER STRIKE		1970 THE PIRATES
824 NOBODY LOVES A GENIUS		1971 H.M.S. UNSINKABLE
832 THE SAND-DEVILS		1972 THE DESERT OF DEATH
837 THE SIEGE OF MALTA		1979 A PAIR OF ACES
846 FULL AHEAD!		1986 BEWARE THE PROWLERS
850 DANGER IN THE DEEP		1988 THE PHAROAH
852 ANGEL’S ZERO		1991 GUNS IN THE SNOW
853 CORPORAL COURAGE		2005 HIT THE BIG SHIPS!
864 COUNTER SPY		2011 INDIA OR BUST!
869 A STIRLING CALLED SATAN		2024 TARGET MALTA
874 THE HARD MAN		2027 A LEADER OF MEN
877 KILLER IN A KITTYHAWK		2036 GAS-BAG GUNMEN
878 PIRAYES WITH WINGS		2046 SEND SNIPERS AHEAD!
880 ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE		2052 NERVES OF STEEL
885 MARCH OF THE MONSTERS		2056 CAPTURE THAT SHIP
889 PIRATE ISLAND		2057 THE TIGERS ARE COMING
894 TO TRAP A TRAITOR		2059 KANE’S CAVALRY
897 THE BLACK BUZZARD		2064 A BUNCH OF BANDITS
906 ACCORDING TO PLAN		2076 CARRIER STRIKE
913 WALRUS TO THE RESCUE!		2080 VERY IMPORTANT PRISONER
916 DANGER LEVEL		2084 NOBODY LOVES A GENIUS!
918 SIGN OF THE VAMPIRE CAT		2090 SAVED FROM THE SEA
922 A QUESTION OF HONOUR		2091 BLACK BERET
924 UNDER TWO FLAGS		2098 THE BLOODHOUNDS!
932 THE DEADLY LAGOON		2100 THE SIEGE OF MALTA
936 UNDERCOVER AGENT		2105 DON’T GIVE UP!
941 TRUNK ROUTE		2112 THE OLD WOLF
946 TIGER IN THE NIGHT		2136 THE LONG NIGHT
949 HARD-LUCK HARRY		2147 CORPORAL COURAGE
957 ATLANTIC VETERAN		2152 BATTLE OF THE ATLANTIC
958 A BOMBER IS MISSING…		2159 A STIRLING CALLED SATAN
961 BEWARE YOUR FRIENDS!		2160 MARCH OF THE MONSTERS
968 AVALANCHE!		2172 PIRATES WITH WINGS
980 THE COP WHO WENT TO WAR		2183 DANGER – KEEP CLEAR!
985 FLYING WILD		2187 THE BLACK BUZZARD
996 THE LANCE-CORPORAL		2194 LOYALITY!
997 FRONT-LINE FIGHTER		2204 A QUESTION OF HONOUR
1001 GUN THE MAN DOWN!		2220 ACCORDING TO PLAN
1002 ON THE RUN		2233 BULLET-PROOF
1004 HERO ON WHEELS		2236 UNDER TWO FLAGS
1010 IDENTITY UNKNOWN		2248 STOLEN…ONE BOMBER
1016 VANISHING TRICK		2251 SIGN OF THE VAMPIRE
1025 APPOINTMENT IN CAIRO		2252 WALRUS TO THE RESCUE
1028 ACHTUNG – TEMPEST!		2253 MOUNTAIN BATTLE
1030 DEAD MAN’S ISLAND		2269 BEWARE THE TRAITOR
1038 ONE-WAY TICKET		2276 TRUNK ROUTE
1040 THE BAIT IN THE TRAP		2306 THE INVISIBLE WARRIOR
1045 WINGS OF THE NAVY		2311 ATTACK AT ZERO FEET
1053 THE FIGHTING ROYALS		2316 HIGH AND DRY
1054 HERE COMES TROUBLE		2323 THE COP WHO WENT TO WAR
1061 SINK THAT SUB!		2328 KNOCK-OUT PUNCH
1065 FIT TO FIGHT		2331 FLYING WILD
1068 FRAME-UP!		2340 ON THE RUN
1070 BATTLE OF THE SNOWS		2355 APPOINTMENT IN CAIRO
1077 CODE-NAME “BORIS”		2379 FIT TO FIGHT
1081 OBEY ORDERS – AND DIE!		2388 HERE COMES TROUBLE
1086 ACROSS THE BORDER		2396 CONVOY KILLER
1089 JAVA SEA JINX		2403 THE FLYING BLOWLAMP
1096 DOWN ON THE ICE		2406 SUICIDE RUN!
1098 JUNGLE EXPRESS		2427 SNIPER SECTION
1100 THE CONVOY-KILLER		2428 FLAK FEVER
1102 FLAK FEVER		2436 BURNING SKIES
1104 TORPEDO RUNNING		2437 DEPTHS OF DANGER
1105 SNIPER SECTION		2456 AT GROUND LEVEL!
1109 BAND OF HEROES		2459 TROUBLE ALL THE WAY!
1114 ONE JUMP AHEAD		2467 TRIAL BY COMBAT
1116 BURNING SKIES		2483 COOL CAT
1117 THE FLYING BLOWLAMP		2492 EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL
1120 THE SEA HAS SECRETS		2499 DOOMED SQUADRON
1122 TROUBLE ALL THE WAY		2532 SKY GIANT
1124 TRIAL BY COMBAT		2540 BEAUFIGHTER
1129 LUCKY LANDING		2556 BIG FRIENDS AND LITTLE FRIENDS
1133 DISASTER!		2580 FLYING DESTROYER
1136 NEVER TOO LATE		2588 TEMPEST
1137 ONE GOT AWAY		2603 TO THE RESCUE!
1144 SEARCH AND STRIKE		2612 ENEMY IN SIGHT!
1146 FOUR SET OUT…		2628 LAST MAN OUT
1149 SUICIDE SQUADRON		2643 THE SEA RAIDERS
1151 SKY RAIDERS		2644 FIRE!
1156 COOL CAT		2652 FORWARD THE GUNS!
1162 KILLER WOLF		2660 BULLDOG BREED
1164 GROUND ATTACK		2692 THE FIGHTING PENGUINS
1165 LUCKY LARRY		2899 DESERT ORDEAL
1168 THUNDERBOLT		2707 SPEARHEAD
1170 FRONT-LINE SAPPER		2708 INTRUDERS BEWARE!
1178 THE MAN WITH THE MEDALS		2715 THE LINE-SHOOTER
1181 KILLER BEAM		2731 BEWARE THE WALRUS
1187 JOHAN IN THE CREW		2739 MYSTERY OF THE OCEAN
1184 EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL		2740 PARATROOPER
1197 JUNGLE FEVER		2780 DANGER IN THE SHADOWS
1198 DOOMED SQUADRON		2787 AIR GUNNER
1202 IT’D THE MARINES!		2788 BEHIND THE LINES
1204 JAVA PATROL		2819 TARGET - CRETE
1206 PRISONER!		2820 DEPTH CHARGES AWAY
1207 LAIR OF THE LEOPARDS		2827 MISSING, BELIEVED SUNK
1213 JUNGLE SECRET		2843 A BOY’S HERO
1214 WOLF AT BAY		2850 IN DISGUISE
1221 DRINK OR DIE!		2859 SINK THAT SHIP
1232 DECK-LEVEL DICERS		2876 OBEY ORDERS
1234 PREPARE FOR ACTION		2891 MAN OVERBOARD
1240 LOOKING FOR TROUBLE!		2899 A MAN AFRAID
1242 BEAUFIGHTER!		2931 MOUNTAIN RAIDERS
1246 THE FIGHT FOR HILL FIFTEEN		2940 TWENTY THOUSAND FEET
1249 RAISE THE ALARM!		2964 THE TRAITOR
1250 SKY GIANT		2987 THE OUTLAWS
1257 JINX GUNNER		3035 SOMEWHERE A TRAITOR
1265 BAD COMPANY		3039 THE SECRET BASE
1269 UGLY DUCKLING		3075 DIVE! DIVE! DIVE!
1277 BIG FRIENDS AND LITTLE FRIENDS		3091 BOMBER CREW
1280 PAID IN FULL		3107 THE PRIVATE WAR
1282 JET STRIKE		3139 STOP THEM
1284 BIG TROUBLE!		3147 TEST PILOT
1288 SAMMY’S NO HERO		3155 BUNDY’S SECRET WEAPON
1297 TO THE RESCUE		3163 INTO BANDIT COUNTRY
1298 REPORTED MISSING!		3179 FLIGHT OF NO RETURN
1301 VALENTINES’ DAY		3180 SERGEANTS DON’T RUN
1304 WHEN DAWN BREAKS…		3235 THE CONVOY FIGHTS BACK
1308 THE TOUGH ONES		3259 THE FLYING BATTLESHIPS
1310 FLYING DESTROYER		3268 THE PIRATES
1316 TEMPEST!		3300 GUNS IN THE SNOW
1321 THE SEA RAIDERS		3308 BEWARE THE PROWLERS
1322 FIGHT IN THE NIGHT		3396 THE TIGERS ARE COMING
1330 FORWARD THE GUNS!		3452 CAPTURE THAT SHIP!
1333 HUNTING TROUBLE		3460 VERY IMPORTANT PRISONER
1338 ENEMY IN SIGHT		3491 A BUNCH OF BANDITS
1341 INTO THE WOLF LAIR!		3523 SAVED FROM THE SEA
1344 THE SECRET WAR		3588 THE LONG NIGHT
1348 TEN YEARS AFTER		3627 DANGER – KEEP CLEAR!
1350 PRIVATE SCHULTZ’S WAR		3668 LOYALITY!
1358 WHO KILLED GOOPER?		3756 STOLEN…ONE BOMBER
1380 BARMY’S PRIVATE ARMY		3763 BULLET-PROOF
1362 WAR AT SEA		3780 BEWARE THE TRAITOR
1364 FORGET THE PAST		3868 THE INVISIBLE WARRIOR
1365 A FINE ENEMY		4093 DEPTHS OF DANGER
1368 THE FIGHTING PENGUINS		4102 AT GROUND LEVEL!
1377 SPEARHEAD		4358 THE SECRET WAR
1382 A FRIEND IN NEED		4390 PARATROOPER
1385 ONE WAS MISSING		4406 A STIRLING CALLED SATAN
1389 HIGH-FLYING SPY		4408 THE COP WHO WENT TO WAR
1402 PARATROOPER		4483 THE FIGHTING PENGUINS
1406 STUKA ACE		4484 THE CAGE
1409 INTO DANGER!		4494 DON’T GIVE UP!
1414 GAME OF BLUFF		4522 THE OLD WOLF
1416 SEEK OUT THE ENEMY		4523 GAS-BAG GUNMEN
1418 SNOW PATROL		4558 SAVED FROM THE SEA
1421 LAST MAN OUT		4621 THE SAND-DEVILS
1424 BEHIND THE LINES		4626 PIRATES WITH WINGS
1427 LAST LAUGH		4634 THE BLACK BUZZARD
1433 THE FIGHTING FISHERMAN		4654 LOYALITY!
1434 FIRE!		4667 NOBODY LOVES A GENIUS
1442 INTO THE JUNGLE!		4686 BEWARE THE TRAITOR
1444 THE HI-JACKERS		4690 THE INVISIBLE WARRIOR
1445 FIRE-POWER		4750 FLYING WILD
1448 THE BULLDOG BREED		4762 WALRUS TO THE RESCUE
1449 FLYING LIFEBOAT		4771 NERVES OF STEEL
1454 SILENCE THE GUNS!		4790 FLAK FEVER
1456 DANGER IN THE SHADOWS		4825 HI-JACK
1462 FLY TO FREEDOM		4830 APPOINTMENT IN CAIRO
1473 AIR GUNNER		4842 SUICIDE RUN!
1478 TARGET-CRETE!		4854 ON THE RUN!
1481 KALI’S WARRIORS		4914 TROUBLE ALL THE WAY!
1483 ARCTIC ACE		4922 TRAIL BY COMBAT
1494 DEADLY DECOY		4926 DOOMED SQUADRON
1501 DESERT ORDEAL		4938 BURNING SKIES
1504 TREASON!		4982 EVERYTHING UNDER CONTROL
1510 SINK THAT SHIP!		5088 JONAH IN THE CREW
1512 ESCAPE FROM BURMA		5156 SEA-STRIKE
1515 LOW-LEVEL LIZZIE		5220 SANDS OF DOOM
1518 IN DISGUISE!		5252 KOMET!
1520 INTRUDERS BEWARE!		5402 TARGET - CRETE
1529 NO WAY OUT		5404 ACTION STATIONS!
1536 DEFEND TO THE LAST		5410 TO CATCH A SPY…
1538 DEVIL FISH		5426 THE CONDOR FLIES AGAIN
1539 SEA-STRIKE		5430 MISSING, BELIEVED SUNK
1548 FIND THE TRAITOR		5438 HUNTERS OF THE NIGHT
1549 INTO THE ATTACK		5470 FLYING HIGH
1554 TEMPEST SQUADRON		5476 LAIR OF THE LEOPARDS
1565 THE LINE-SHOOTER		5506 FIND THEM, SINK THEM!
1567 VULKAN GROUP		5564 BIG TROUBLE!
1577 MAN OVERBOARD!		5566 TOP COVER
1582 CONVOY PATROL		5576 THE SAND-DEVILS
1589 BEWARE THE WALRUS!		5584 A STIRLING CALLED SATAN
1599 MYSTERY OF THE OCEAN		5594 A FRIEND IN NEED
1608 SPEAR-POINT		5598 WHO KILLED COOPER?
1609 THE JETS FROM NOWHERE!		5602 BARMY’S PRIVATE ARMY
1611 JAPANESE JINX		5610 INTO THE ATTACK
1613 THE SECRET TORPEDO		5634 FLY TO FREEDOM
1618 ENEMY CITY		5636 ATLANTIC VETERAN
1624 ON SILENT WINGS		5642 THE FIGHTING FISHERMAN
1637 SAVED FROM THE DESERT		5644 BEWARE YOUR FRIENDS!
1645 WHISTLING DEATH		5662 FLYING LIFEBOAT
1647 TO CATCH A SPY…		5668 LAST LAUGH
1653 A BOY’S HERO		5684 UNDERCOVER AGENT
1654 DEPTH CHARGES AWAY!		5702 LAST MAN OUT
1664 THE SEA-DEVILS		5708 THE HI-JACKERS
1669 THE CONDOR FLIES AGAIN		5718 THE LINE-SHOOTER
1670 MISSING, BELIEVED SUNK		5720 ARCTIC ACE
1679 HUNTERS OF THE NIGHT		5770 THE SECRET TORPEDO
© D C THOMSON		Vic Whittle 2024