So, the darkest hour gave place to the dawn.
Congratulatory messages, couched in the highest terms, reached the 49th Division in its time of merited relief.
General Sir Herbert Plumer, Commanding the Second Army, conveyed, on April 29th, the following message from Field-Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, Commander-in-Chief of the British Armies:
‘I desire to express my appreciation of the very valuable and gallant service performed by Troops of the 49th (West Riding) Division since the entry of the 146th Infantry Brigade into the Battle of Armentières. The courage and determination shown by this Division have played no small part in checking the enemy’s advance, and I wish to convey to General Cameron and to all Officers and Men under his Command my thanks for all that they have done.’
On May 2nd, the IXth Corps Commander, Lieut.-General Sir A. Hamilton Gordon, sent the following message:
‘Heartiest congratulations on the splendid fight you put up on 29th April.’
Throughout this period (April 10th to May 2nd), the 49th Divisional Artillery had been serving with the 21st Division, and they received from Major-General Campbell the following letter of thanks:
‘Before handing over Command of the 49th Divisional Artillery, I wish to express to all ranks my thanks and appreciation of the excellent work done since it has been under my Command. No Commander could have been better served in every possible way. The splendid fighting spirit shown by all ranks has been beyond all praise.’
We may add here that the 49th Division were no whit less appreciative of the gallant and efficient help which they had received from C.R.A., 9th Division, in Command of the following Artillery Brigades: 50th, 51st, 148th, 156th and 162nd R.F.A. Brigades and 30th Heavy Artillery Brigade.
D.D.M.S., XXIInd Corps, wrote to A.D.M.S., 49th Division, to congratulate him on ‘the extraordinarily efficient manner in which casualties have been evacuated from your area under the recent trying conditions. I have never seen the work more speedily and successfully carried out’; and truly Major-General Cameron might say to his ‘Comrades of the 49th Division’: