FUGITIVES REPORT LANDING OF BRITISH FORCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LII, Issue 15900, 24 April 1915, Page 7

FUGITIVES REPORT LANDING OF BRITISH FORCE.

PORT OF ENOS EVACUATED BY TURKS. (Received April 24. 1.10 a.m.) Sofia, April 23. Fugitives confirm the report of the landing of a British force at Enos. They also report that the Turkish commandant ordered the evacuation of the port. COMMANDER OF DARDANELLES EXPEDITION. GENERAL SIR lAN HAMILTON APPOINTED. London, April 22. General Sir lan Hamilton is commander-in-chief of the Dardanelles expeditionary force. General Sir lan Hamilton, G.C.8., D.5.0., is one of Britain's most distinguished eoidiers, and, in the current, Army List, is rated next in seniority to Field-Marshal Sir John French. The latter is there shown as "commander-in-chief," and General Hamilton as "general officer commanding-in-chief." Sir lan Hamilton is 61 years old. He entered the army in 1873, saw service in Afghanistan in 1879, in the Boer war of 1881, in the Nile expedition of 1884, in the Burmese expedition of 1886, in the Chitral expedition in 1895, and in the Tivah campaign in 1897, and on every occasion was recognised for distinguished service. Ho did excellent work in the last Boer war, where ho was Chief of Staff to Lor J Kitchener, and was promoted to lieutenantgeneral He served as military representative with the Japanese field army in Manchuria in 1904-5, and, later, was commander-in-chief in the .Mediterranean. In 1913, as Inspector-General of the Overseas Forces, Sir- lan Hamilton visited Australia and New Zealand, and inspected their military forces. Tho reports he subsequently wrote dealing with Australasia were typical of his keen insight and great military knowledge. The general inspected the Auckland forces at Hautapu, near Cambridge, on May 13, 1914, and the very favourable impression Aucklanders then received of him as a soldier and as a man was thus described by a Herald representative:—" No effort of imagination was necessary to make one realise that tho man if lithe figure and alert bearing who galloped on to the review ground at Hnutapu with a numerous staff following liirn was General Sir lan Hamilton, the man who fought with tho Gordon Highlanders nt Cnbul, was wounded at Majuba. participated in the Soudan campaign and a score of Indian frontier engagements, sprang to fame in South Africa, witnessed the carnage of the Russo-Japanese war, and who now comes to New Zealand to inspect tho forces. Upon his breast there were a dozen ribbons showing. Pulling his charger upon its haunches, the general's keen eyes swept over the 4500 troops on review before him. Alertness, precision, and force were apparent in his every movement, and at the sight of his commanding bearing every man upon parade seemed to stiffen instinctively. Heads became more erect, and shoulders more square." On May 12, 1914, General Sir lan Hamilton arrived in Auckland, and the following day, at the Town Hall, replying to a civic welcome accorded him, he made one of the most interesting speeches he delivered in Australasia during his tour. He spoke at some length concerning possible developments in the Pacific, the growth of Asiatic nations, and the necessity for the Australasian States to keep their defences in a thoroughly efficient condition. His remarks were commented upon by statesmen and newspapers in many parts of the world. Since the outbreak of war Sir lan Hamilton is understood to have been in command of the Heme forces. It is not known whether or not he has taken any part in the operations in France and Belgium.