Gallipoli Diary, Volume II | Page 8

their bark is worse
than their bite. Colonel Ward of the Intelligence came to dinner and
Captain Doughtie, commanding H.M.S. Abercrombie, paid me a visit.
19th July, 1915. Too much office work. Mr. Schuler, an Australian
journalist and war correspondent, turned up. Seems a highly intelligent
young fellow. He had met me on tour in Australia. Gave him leave to
go anywhere and see everything. The Staff shake their heads, but the
future is locked away in our heads, and the more the past is known the
better for us.
Braithwaite has heard from the War Office that the Brigade of Russians
which had started from Vladivostock to join us here has been
counter-ordered. The War Office seem rather pleased than otherwise
that this reinforcement has fallen through. Why, I can't imagine. As
they are sending us a big fresh force of Britishers, they probably
persuade themselves that 5,000 Russians would be more trouble than
they are worth, but they forget the many thousands of shortage in my
present formations. Since they fixed up to send me the new Divisions I
must have lost ten thousand rifles, but as all my old Divisions remain at
the Dardanelles in name, they are being regarded at home, we strongly
suspect, as a sort of widow's cruse, kept full by miracles instead of men
and still, therefore,--Divisions!
In the evening the Vice-Admiral came over and we rode together down
to the Naval Seaplane Camp. The King's Messenger left at 5 p.m.
20th July, 1915. Imbros. Wrote double quick, then galloped over to
Kephalos to see the New Army, sub rosa. The men we struck were A.1.
They belong to the 32nd and 34th Brigades of the 11th Division. The
33rd has gone to Helles to get salted.

Hunter-Weston is still staying with the Admiral. He has had a hard time
and a heavy responsibility and is quite worn out. I devoutly trust he
may be on his legs again ere long. Have put in Stopford to act for him
at Helles. This should teach the young idea how to shoot. With every
aspect of the command and administration of the Southern theatre of
operations thus under his immediate orders he has a rare chance of
learning how to do it and how not to do it.
21st July, 1915.--Just signed a letter to the Chief of the Imperial
General Staff and as it gives the run of my thoughts at the moment I
spatchcock the opening and final paras:--
* * * * *
"My dear Wolfe Murray,
"How do you manage to find time to write these charming letters of
yours with your own hand? They come like a gift from some oriental
potentate and carry with them the same moral obligations; i.e., that they
ought to be returned in kind. But to-day the time limit interposes, and I
know you will pardon me for once if I dictate.
[Illustration: F. A. Swaine phot. LIEUT.-GEN. SIR A.
HUNTER-WESTON, K.C.B., D.S.O.]
"I am immensely interested in what you say with reference to the 29th
Division being below strength, namely, that we are getting short of men.
Well,--though one of the keenest voluntary service people existing, I
have always envisaged the fact that during a war we might be driven to
compulsion. Also in writing out fully my views on this subject (views
which I was not permitted by late Chiefs of the General Staff to publish)
I have always, for that reason, pressed for National Registration. It does
no one any harm, and rubs into the mind of the young man that, under
certain conditions, the State has first pull on his pocket, labour, life and
everything else. But, of course, if your own wish that the 29th Division
should take out 10 per cent. extra for drafts (like the regiments do in
France), had been carried into effect, they would never have fallen as
low as they actually did.

* * * * *
"Freddy Stopford and Reed have been staying with me for 24 hours,
and the former is now in command of the 8th Corps on the Peninsula,
Hunter-Weston having gone sick. He asked to stay with the Admiral for
a couple of days' rest, and the very moment he got safe on board ship
the overstrain of the past month told on him and he went down with a
sharp go of fever. I earnestly pray he will get right again quickly for
there are not many Commanders of his calibre. Freddy Stopford will
now have a good chance of getting the hang of this sort of fighting
generally, surrounded as he will be by Hunter-Weston's experienced
Staff. After sending my last letter I rather repented of one or two harsh
things I said about Reed. There is some truth in