10 Downing Street
                                                                                    Whitehall.

PRIME MINISTER TO GENERAL DEVERS:

                       I shall be obliged if you will convey to General Eaker and his
Command the thanks of the British War Cabinet for the magnificent achieve-
ments of the 8th Air Force in the Battle of Germany in recent days culmina-
ting in their remarkable successes of last week.

                       In broad daylight the crews of your bombers have fought their
way through the strongest defence which the enemy could bring against them
and have ranged over the length and breadth of Germany, striking with
deadly accuracy many of the most important hostile industrial installations
and ports.

                       Your bombers and the fighters which support them in these fierce
engagements have inflicted serious losses on the German Air Force, and by
forcing the enemy to weaken other fronts have contributed notably to the
successes of the Allied arms everywhere.

                       I am confident that with the ever-growing power of the 8th Air
Force, striking alternate blows with the Royal Air Force Bomber Command,
we shall together inexorably beat the life out of the industrial Germany
and thus hasten the day of final victory.

                                                                                   Initials - W.C.

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INCOMING MESSAGE
HEADQUARTERS EIGHTH AIR FORCE

IN REPLY CITE: A 105                                    DATED: 11 OCTOBER 1943

FROM: AIR MINISTRY WHITEHALL

TO:       AWW

Personal for General Eaker from C A S

         I should be grateful if you would pass to your squadrons an expression
of my deep admiration for their splendid achievements over Germany during the
last few days.

         I know I am speaking for the whole of The Royal Air Force in offering
your our heartiest congratulations and expressing our full confidence in
overgrowing success for your command in the future.

                                                                                  PORTAL