"PRICELESS AID."

Northern Advocate, 12 August 1919, Page 3

"PRICELESS AID."

BELGIUM'S THAiNES TO BRITISH ABMY.

A LKEDBR TO SIR l>.. HAIG,

The following letter was sent By the Prime Minister of Belgium to Sir Douglas Haig:—

. "Brussels, "Monsieur le Mareehal, —At iiMs moment, when after the partial demobilisation of the Expeditionary Forces under your command yon are about to relinquish. j r our post and leave our country, I should like to convey to you an expression of 'the genuine gratitude and profound < acknowledgments of, the Government, the army, and the people of Belgium for the priceless aid and support given by the British Army to the Belgian army in the course of 52 months of war, during which time the two armies lived in the closest and most cordial solidarity of effort.

"Your soldiers lhaive been the devoted friends of the unfortunate inhabitants of these pillaged regions. They have sustained their courage and alleviated their sufferings; they have succoured them in their moments of distress with an altogether fraternal generosity; they have been the pioneers of the restoration of the devastated and ruined towns. The sick, wounded, and indigent, ithe childi-en and old men—all the representatives of human misery alike—-"have found a refuge and protection under the flag of Great Britain.

"Now that this 'time of great tribulation is over we have been obliged to have recourse once more to the assistance of your troops, and they have not etinlted it, whether in horses, waggons, or -transport. We lacked everything on the day following victory; Belgium was almost expiring; but, thanks to your warm benevolence, she has revived.

"LOUIS JDE LA CROIX, "Prime Minister."

Sir Douglas Haig replied as follows: "Dear Monsieur de la Croix, —In the name of all ranks of tihe troops lately under my command in France and Flanders, I thank you, the Government, army, and people of Belgium most profoundly for the generous terms in which you have referred to the actions of the British Armies dur-

ing the long , struggle now happily concluded. It was our privilege to come to the assistance of a nation whose loyalty and deep sense of honour made no .account of ftlhe overwhelming strength of the forces which threatened its existence, and it is our lasting satisfaction to imovv that we .have had a -share in setting right the wrongs inflicted on your gallant country. That in so doing we have earned grartitude so warm and so sincere as that Whdoh expressed in every word of your letter, is to us a full recompense for all that we have been able to accomplish on behalf of men and women whose sufferings moved our pity, while their courage and spirit in adversity stirred our deepest admiration.

"We do not forget, either the welcome given to our troops by the inhabitants of the occupied districts of Belgium when tlie advancing armies of the Allies brought them once more in full measure the liberty which in their (hearts had never died. In thanking you, M. le Premier Mdnistre, for your letter you will allow me to give utterance in my turn to the very real appreciation of all ranks of the British Armies for 'the many acts of kindness rendered to "tlhem by the people of Belgium;"