“BIRDIE” IN TURKEY.

Evening Star, Issue 23123, 24 November 1938, Page 12

“BIRDIE” IN TURKEY.

To tho mind of anyone well versed in wartime history it will appear singularly appropriate that Field-Marshal Sir William Birdwood should have visited Turkey for the purpose of attending the funeral of Komal Ataturk, thus assisting to pay on behalf of the British Empire a warm tribute to a great dictator statesman who showed the world how it was possible to rebuild a nation without recourse to extremism or violent repressive measures. Sir William’s appearance at Ankara was no doubt intended both as a personal tribute to Kemal and as a perpetuation of tho mutual esteem of the British troops and Turks for each other which was born in thqso grim days in 1915 when our men were clinging gallantly to a patch of Gallipoli Peninsula. At that time Australians and New Zealanders who took part in tho campaign found, rather to their surprise, that the Turk did not live up to his notorious reputation as a terrorist and an indiscriminate slaughterer of Armenians. Instead, ho stood revealed as a fighter with very pronounced ideas on what constituted fair play. Furthermore, he had a humour all his own. In the light of what is now known of tho Turkish character, it is easy to understand how Kemal Ataturk had, comparatively speaking, little difficulty in moulding the country anew in accordance with his peaceful wish. A great administrator and a dominating personality, Kemal may be hard to replace with a successor of similar calibre, but this much is certain: If Great Britain has any influence in Turkey—and recent events in economic and diplomatic spheres suggest that she has—the country will continue to develop along tho lines laid down by Kemal. To this end no finer ambassador in the good cause than Sir William Birdwood could have been encouraged to proceed there at the present time. The prominent leader of the enemy in 1915 is now recognised as a true friend. Affectionately known to his men as “ Birdie,” and to the more seriousminded as tho “ Soul of Anzac,” the Field-Marshal may be ranked with the great soldiers of tho present generation. A member of an old and distinguished Anglo-Indian family, he has had a lengthy and varied military career. In 1885, at the ago of 20, he joined the 12th Lancers, and in the following year was transferred to tho Indian Staff Corps. After service in several frontier expeditions and in the South African War (1899-1902), he was closely associated for several years with Lord Kitchener in India, acting as his military secretary. Tn December of 1914 of the Great War, Kitchener selected him for command of the Australian and New Zealand forces which were being assembled in Egypt, and in the following April he was in charge of this army corps in the memorable landing at Anzac. The association of tho fine Anglo-Indian general with tho colonials was such a success from every point of view that “ Birdie,” after his masterly supervision of the withdrawal from Gallipoli, was left in charge of his “ boys,” whom he then took to France. For his services in the war ho received a baronetcy and a grant of £IO,OOO. In 1920 he was sent out to India in command of the Northern Army. He was promoted to the rank of Field-Marshal in 1925, and was Commander-in-Chief in India from 1925 to 1930. It may bo concluded that his wonderful service to the Empire is being continued in Turkey. Every one of his “ boys ” in Australia and New Zealand will wish him success and a speedy recovery from the leg complaint which is reported to be still troubling him.