DARDANELLES TRAGEDY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 20 June 1932, Page 6

DARDANELLES TRAGEDY

FRENCH CRITIC OF HAMILTON

LONDON, 9th June,

Criticism of Sir lan Hamilton as “a superb example of insular obstinacy—like a bull which rushes headlong against a door and immediately resumes the onslaught,” and the highest praise for the Australian troops, are contained in “The Tragedy of the Dardanelles,” by the Frenchman, Edmond Delage.

lie states that the Turks had not believed that any troops were capable of climbing tile cliffs, and did not know that the men who scaled the perpendicular sides of ravines like chamois, and for months held positions that any European strategist would have condemned as crazy, were Australians. “They climbed from the beaches to advance posts, under incessant fire all day, carrying all supplies on their shoulders,” he said. Sir Tan Hamilton’s irreparable mistake, M. Delagc states, was to entrust the landing at Suvla Bay to newcomers. The perilous honour should have been that of the Anzacs. The evacuation of Gallipoli was the only' successful act in the whole campaign. Sir lan Hamilton wrote a preface to the book, in which he says: “Deluge is welcome to damn the Dardanelles campaign provided that he brings home to the trench people the extraordinary quality of our men.”