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The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom to the acting Prime Minister of New Zealand¹

Final victory over our German enemy is now achieved, and on behalf of the Government and people of the United Kingdom I send our greetings and congratulations to our kinsfolk in New Zealand on their great share in our common victory. During the darkest hours we in the Mother Country were ever strengthened by the knowledge of the sure sympathy and support of New Zealand. Your courage and steadfastness never faltered. Even when the enemy was almost at your gates you allowed nothing to hamper the contribution which New Zealand has made through her sons on the field of battle and through her workers on the farm and in the factory. The New Zealand Division, which has marched from Alamein through all the battles in Tunis, Sicily, and Italy, is now in the van of General Alexander's conquering armies. Let us now go forward together with great determination to inflict, as we shall at no distant date, the same crushing defeat on the Japanese aggressor.