Lieut. General Leese to Brigadier Tetley

HQ Eighth Army
30 May 1944

My Dear Tetley.

I must write to congratulate you, your staff and your troops on the achievement of your Brigade in breaking through the Adolph Hitler Line.

For the Canadians their performance on the day will rightly go down as an epic in Canadian military history. To their victory your Brigade made, in my opinion, an all important contribution and I trust you will congratulate from me the officers and men concerned for their dash and gallantry. I know that you had heavy losses in tanks and personnel but these were inevitable in an operation of that character and they won the day.

The Canadians cannot speak highly enough of your Brigade’s part in the battle and are proud that you will in future share their emblem. The co-operation you established with the Canadians was admirable and without it the operation could not have succeeded.

I would like to congratulate you personally on your success and the high spirit of your troops.

With my very best wishes, Yours ever,

(Signed) Oliver Leese

Reproduced from original which is on file.

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