Messages of tribute to the Ulster Division from:—

Lieut.-General Sir T. L. N. Morland, K.C.B., D.S.O., commanding the Army Corps in which the Ulster Division was serving, has issued the following order:—

The General Officer Commanding the Corps wishes to express to the General Officer of the Division and all ranks his admiration of the dash and gallantry with which the attack was carried out, and which attained a large measure of success under very unfavourable conditions. He regrets the heavy and unavoidable losses sustained, and feels sure that after a period of rest the Division will be ready to respond to any call made upon it.

G. WEBB,
Brigadier-General, D.A. and Q.M.G.

The General Officer Commanding the Ulster Division has issued the following special order:—

The General Officer Commanding the Ulster Division desires that the Division should know that in his opinion nothing finer has been done in the war than the attack by the Ulster Division on July 1st. The leading of the company officers, the discipline and courage shown by all ranks of the Division will stand out in the future history of the war as an example of what good troops, well led, are capable of accomplishing. None but troops of the best quality could have faced the fire which was brought to bear on them, and the losses suffered during the advance. Nothing could have been finer than the steadiness and discipline shown by every battalion, not only in forming up outside its own trenches, but in advancing under severe enfilading fire. The advance across the open to the German line was carried out with the steadiness of a parade movement under a fire from front and flanks which could only have been faced by troops of the highest quality. The fact that the objects of the attack on one side were not obtained is no reflection on the battalions which were entrusted with the task. They did all that men could do, and in common with every battalion in the Division, showed the most conspicuous courage and devotion. On the other side the Division carried out every portion of its allotted task in spite of the heaviest losses. It captured nearly 600 prisoners, and carried its advance triumphantly to the limits of the objective laid down. There is nothing in the operations carried out by the Ulster Division on July 1st that will not be a source of pride to all Ulstermen. The Division has been highly tried, and has emerged from the ordeal with unstained honour, having fulfilled in every particular the great expectations formed of it. Tales of individual and collective heroism on the part of officers and men come in from every side, too numerous to mention, but all showing that the standard of gallantry and devotion attained is one that may be equalled but is never likely to be surpassed. The General Officer Commanding the Division deeply regrets the heavy losses of officers and men. He is proud beyond description, as every officer and man in the Division may well be, of the magnificent example of sublime courage and discipline which the Ulster Division has given to the Army. Ulster has every reason to be proud of the men she has given to the service of our country. Though many of our best men have gone, the spirit which animated them remains in the Division, and will never die.

The following orders of the day have been issued by General Sir George Richardson, K.C.B., G.O.C., Ulster Volunteer Force:—

1. The General Officer Commanding wishes to take this opportunity of recording an appreciation of the gallantry of the officers and men of the Ulster Division. Perhaps it may serve as a solace to those on whom will fall the heaviest burden of sorrow, and that it will help to sustain them in the knowledge that duty was nobly done, and that the great warm heart of Ulster goes out to them in affectionate sympathy and takes an unfathomable and unforgettable pride in every man of them.

2. Perhaps more especially the officers and men U.V.F. offer their heartfelt sympathy to the relatives of those who fell on the 1st July, 1916. They were put to the supreme test, and history will claim its own record.

3. For those who fell in the service of their King, the Empire, and the glory of Ulster, we mourn, but we have no regrets. We are proud of our comrades. Our path of duty is clear. Every effort must be made to fill up the casualties in the Division, and maintain the glorious lead given by the brave men of Ulster.

4. The attack of this Division is already talked of outside the Division as a superb example of what discipline, good leading and magnificent spirit can make men capable of performing. Much was expected of the Ulster Division, and nobly they have fulfilled expectation.

5. I will quote from a letter received:—“There was never a sign of falter. On the right two battalions of the 108th, the 109th and the 107th swept over four successive lines of German trenches, capturing nearly 600 prisoners and reaching the objective laid down for them absolutely on the stroke of the hour fixed as the time they might be expected to get there. On the left the 12th Royal Irish Rifles made a magnificent effort, but were swept away by machine-gun fire. They did all that men could do. The 9th Royal Irish Rifles went to them, and succeeded in getting into the German trenches, and were held up there by weight of munition and machine-guns.”

6. It fills me with pride to think how splendidly our men were capable of performing.

7. On the 30th September, 1915, His Majesty the King was graciously pleased to say to the Ulster Division:—“I am confident that in the field you will nobly uphold the traditions of the fine regiments whose name you bear.” This mandate has been faithfully obeyed with a heroism and devotion that will establish a rich record in the annals of the British Army, and conveyed to us by the war cry of Ulster—“No Surrender.”

GEO. RICHARDSON,
Lt.-General, G.O.C., U.V.F.

Sir E. Carson has issued the following message to the Ulster people:—

I desire to express, on my own behalf and that of my colleagues from Ulster, the pride and admiration with which we have learnt of the unparalleled acts of heroism and bravery which were carried out by the Ulster Division in the great offensive movement on July 1st.

From all accounts that we have received they have made the supreme sacrifice for the Empire of which they were so proud, with a courage, coolness, and determination, in the face of the most trying difficulties, which has upheld the great tradition of the British Army. Our feelings are, of course, mingled with sorrow and sadness at the loss of so many men who were to us personal friends and comrades; but we believe that the spirit of their race will at a time of such grief and anxiety sustain those who mourn their loss and set an example to others to follow in their footsteps.

His Grace the Lord Primate of All Ireland, who was in Dungannon holding a visitation of the clergy of the rural deaneries of Dungannon, Aghalo, and Tullyhogue, has given us the following message to the people of Ulster:—

All Ireland is proud of the noble gallantry of the Ulster Division. I have lived amongst these officers and men for the greater part of my life, and I expected nothing else. They are of the stock from which our heroes come and to whom our Empire owes so much—unconquered and unconquerable.

To-day our hearts are bowed with woe for their relatives at home who have been so grievously bereaved. For many years to come the gallantry of these sons of Ulster will be an inspiration to fresh generations of Irishmen.

I spent a considerable time with them last January in France, and I can testify to their patience and pluck, as well as to their chivalry and courtesy. Oh! the wild charge they made! Their services for honour and truth, after they have passed on into the near presence of God, will never be forgotten.

The Right Rev. Dr. D’Arcy, the Bishop of Down, in a message, says:—

The 1st of July will for all the future be remembered as the most glorious in the annals of Ulster. Terrible indeed are the losses sustained. Many of our noblest and best young men, to whom we looked for help and leadership in the time to come, have given their lives in the service of their country and for the welfare of humanity. But our deep sorrow is permeated by the sense of the joyful exultation at their splendid heroism. They have proved themselves worthy of the grandest traditions of their race. They have, indeed, surpassed all records of ancient chivalry. Wherever Ulstermen go they will carry with them something of the glory of the great achievement of the 1st July. The spirit of willing sacrifice for the sake of those great ideals of liberty and progressive humanity which belonged to all that is best in the British race, and which has inspired Ulster throughout all her recent struggles, was never more magnificently exhibited.

The Right Rev. Dr. Day, the Bishop of Clogher, writes:—

I most heartily join with the Lord Primate, the Bishop of Down and others in offering my congratulations to the Ulster Division on the record of their noble deeds at the front in taking a prominent part in the great offensive which was begun on July 1st by the united forces of France and England. While we regret the heavy roll of casualties with which their great achievements were carried out, and sincerely sympathise with the sorrowing relatives of those who have fallen in the cause of their King and country, the “order of the day” issued by General Nugent is a testimony to valour and determination which may well rouse the admiration of everyone who is associated with Ulster.

MAURICE CLOGHER.

The following paragraph, taken from the “News-Letter,” July 12th, 1916, shows how Belfast and the people of Ulster paid a tribute to their glorious dead:—

“This year, for the first time in the history of the Orange Institution, the celebration of the anniversary of the Battle of the Boyne was abandoned, while the customary holidays were to a great extent postponed until next month, to enable the shipyards and munition works to complete immediate orders. At the suggestion of the Lord Mayor, all work, business and household, was temporarily suspended for five minutes following the hour of noon to-day, as a tribute to the men who have fallen in the great British offensive. Viewed from the City Hall, on the steps of which the Lord Mayor and Lady Mayoress were standing, the scene was most impressive. On the stroke of 12 all traffic came to a standstill, men raised their hats, ladies bowed their heads, the blinds in business and private houses were drawn, and flags were flown at half-mast. The bells at the Assembly Hall tolled, and after the interval of five minutes chimed the hymn ‘Abide with Me.’ Intercessory services were held in the Cathedral and other churches. Shortly before noon the following telegram was received by the Lord Mayor from Sir Edward and Lady Carson:—‘Our prayers and solemn thoughts will be with you all at 12 o’clock, in memory of our illustrious dead, who have won glory for the Empire and undying fame for Ulster. May God bless and help their sorrowing families.’”

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