The following is the
text of the speech made to the Canadian troops under his command after
twelve strenuous days and nights of fighting, from April 23rd to May
4th, 1915.
I tell you truly, that
my heart is so full that I hardly know how to speak to you. It is full
of two feelings—the first being sorrow for the loss of those comrades of
ours who have gone; and the second, pride in what the ist Canadian
Division has done.
As regards our comrades
who have lost their lives—let us speak of them with our caps off —my
faith in the Almighty is such that I am perfectly sure that when men
die, as they have died, doing their duty and fighting for their country,
for the Empire, and to save the situation for others—in fact, have died
for their friends—no matter what their past lives have been, no matter
what they have done that they ought not to have done (as all of us do),
I am perfectly sure that the Almighty takes them and looks after them at
once. Lads, we cannot leave them better than like that.
Now I feel that we may,
without any false pride, think a little of what the Division has done
during the past few days.
I would first of all
tell you that I have never been so proud of anything in my life as I am
of my armlet with “Canada” on it. I thank you, and congratulate you from
the bottom of my heart, for the part each one of you has taken in giving
me this feeling of pride.
I think it is possible
that all of you do not quite realise that, if we had retired on the
evening of April 22nd—when our Allies fell back before the gas and left
our left flank quite open—the whole of the 27th and 28th Divisions would
probably have been cut off. Certainly they would not have got away a gun
or a vehicle of any sort, and probably not more than half the Infantry
would have escaped.
This is what our
Commander-in-Chief meant when he telegraphed, as he did, that “the
Canadians saved the situation.” My lads, if ever men had a right to be
proud in this world, you have.
I know my military
history pretty well, and I cannot think of an instance, especially when
the cleverness and determination of the enemy is taken into account, in
which troops were placed in such a difficult position; nor can I think
of an instance in which so much depended on the standing fast of one
Division.
You will remember that
the last time I spoke to you, just before you went into the trenches at
Sailly, now over two months ago, I told you about my old Regiment—the
Royal West Kents—having gained a reputation for never budging from their
trenches, no matter how they were attacked. I said then I was quite sure
that, in a short time, the Army out here would be saying the same of
you.
I little thought—none
of us thought—how soon those words would come true. But now, to-day, not
only the Army out here, but all Canada, all England, and all the Empire
are saying that you, too, stand fast.
There is one more word
I would say to you before I stop. You have made a reputation second to
none in this war; but, remember, no man can live on his reputation. He
must keep on adding to it. And I feel just as sure that you will do so
as I did two months ago when I told you that I knew you would make a
reputation when the opportunity came.
I am now going to shake
hands with your officers, and as I do so, I want you to feel that I am
shaking hands with each one of you, as I would actually do if time
permitted.
ON RELINQUISHING HIS
COMMAND OF THE 1st CANADIAN DIVISION.
The following is the
text of the Special Order issued by Lieut.-General Alderson on
transferring the 1st Canadian Division to the new Commander, General
Currie, C.B.:—
On handing over the
command of the ist Canadian Division to General Currie, C.B., I wish to
give my heartfelt thanks to all ranks
of the Division, and
especially to the Brigadiers and the Divisional and Brigade Staffs, for
the loyal and efficient help they have given me during the eleven months
that I have commanded the Division. It is this help that, in spite of
the difficulties of organisation, or the trying climatic and other
unpleasant conditions of Salisbury Plain, has made my period of command
so pleasant.
I have already
expressed personally, to all ranks, my appreciation of the conduct of
the Division in action at all times, and especially during the trying
twelve days—April 22nd to May 4th—at Ypres. I will not, therefore, say
any more about this conduct, except that I shall never forget it.
I am consoled in my
great regret at leaving the Division by the thought that, as Corps
Commander, I shall still be in close touch with it.
In handing over to
General Currie I feel, as I have told him, that I hand over an efficient
fighting unit, which, I am sure, will, under him, add to the reputation
it has made, and also give him the same loyal support that it has always
given to me.
I feel that I cannot
conclude better than by asking all ranks of the 1st Division always to
remember the words which I am adopting as the motto of the Canadian Army
Corps :—
“CONSENTIENTES VI
TRAHUNT VICTORIAM.”
Those in agreement seize victory by force. |