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The Stalwart British Spirit

The fearless spirit which created the British Commonwealth of Nations—nations of free peoples—will save them and keep them for the welfare of humanity. Through the centuries, that indomitable spirit has been shown in great warriors of land and sea, navigators and explorers, statesmen and scientists. That spirit is not dismayed to-day by the mechanised hordes of Germany.

That spirit moved Captain Cook to sail boldly into uncharted seas of the Southern Hemisphere and to prepare the way for the settlement of New Zeland. That spirit sustained the pioneers of a century ago, and enabled them to triumph over many difficulties. That spirit animated a hundred thousand of this country's sons for a strong fighting part in the war of 1914–18, and the same spirit is sending thousands to-day into the crusade for humanity against barbarism.

Our men will do their duty with that stalwart British spirit which covered their fathers with glory on the battlefields just a generation ago. They will not falter; they will not fail.

In the grim days immediately ahead, it must be expected that there will be further destruction on land, sea and in the air; from time to time, there will be confused situations and that, with a battlefront flung over such a huge area, the fortunes of war will vary. There may be disappointing reports of ground gained temporarily by the enemy in his furious advances, made with a prodigal disregard of cost in men and equipment. But any initial disappointments will surely be met with confidence in the British will to win, and any inclination to gloom will be dispelled by recollection that, in this war, as in the last war and in all other wars, preliminary skirmishes do not win the struggle. It is the last great battle that counts! Britiain and France will meet the German onsets. In addition to their control of enormous material resources, and their command of the sea, they have the inspiration that they are fighting for right against the ruthless forces of savagery which are seeking to extinguish the torch of liberty and religious freedom.

The British Commonwealth, whose peoples have won their liberty through centuries of struggle will not be broken. It will survive in greater strength than ever to help the people of the whole world to enjoy similar liberty. The pitiless despot who has challenged the champions of democracy will be conquered, and the German nation will never be allowed another opportunity to destroy the world's peace.