With the expression of my personal appreciation of your kindness and my best compliments,
I am,
Sincerely yours,
J. Corbabon,
Major, Liaison Officer,
42nd Division.
4th ARMY H. Q.
July 16, 1918.
SOLDIERS OF THE 4TH ARMY
During the day of July 15th, you broke the effort of fifteen German divisions, supported by ten others.
They were expected according to their orders to reach the Marne in the evening: You stopped their advance clearly at the point where we desired to engage in and win the battle.
You have the right to be proud, heroic infantrymen and machine gunners of the advance posts who met the attack and broke it up, aviators who flew over it, battalions and batteries which broke it, staffs which so minutely prepared the battlefield.
It is a hard blow for the enemy. It is a grand day for FRANCE.