GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LIV, Issue LIV, 16 June 1920, Page 5

GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN

MR BARTLETT*AND SIR lAN HAMILTON (By Eiectric Telegraph—Copyright). (United Service.) LONDON;. June 15. Mr Ashmead Bartlett, interviewed, said Sir lan Hamilton’s diary .threw no light on the Gallipoli campaign, but a flood of illumination on the character of the commander. The diary was an effort to throw the blame on Lord Kitchener and other leaders and the quality of the reinforcing forces. He declared that the main responsibility for the French troops’ failure was Sir lan Hamilton's own faulty dispositions in _every fight and his utter inability to appreciate true strategical position. Sir lan Hamilton’s operations consisted of placing divisions on contracted beaches and initiating advances over unknown ground to storm positions, the like of which were never enacted in modern .warfare. He frittered away the army in a series of . badly conceived and, abortive attacks from the first landing which never had the smallest chance of success. The lack of confidence in the higher commands produced deplorable demoralisation. In August 1915 only old traditions of the old discipline held the remnant together. Pie deified Sir Tan Hamilton’s veiled accusation that he supplied Mr Murdoch with information. Mr Murdoch collected information at first hand only. On the day of his departure Mr Murdoch begged him to write something to allow the truth to become known to responsible authorities in England, despite Sir lan Hamilton’s efforts to conceal it. After consideration he wrote to the Prime Minister the letter which was taken from Mr Murdoch at Marseilles. Mr Bartlett added that Air Murdoch may have been teclmicalTy guilty of showing an unefensored report, but was any patriotic man to allow a technicality to stand in the way of saving thousands of his countrymen from a miserable end and the Empire from a grave of disaster. He himself. was accused of a similar offence and were he placed in the same position he would not hesitate to act in the same manner again.