Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 207

[Page 207]

is carried on by lady volunteers. For instance they look after the kitchen and you May have a Duchesses daughter come and sweep your room before breakfast. The atmosphere is indeed strange, and these assistant nurses, or volunteers, are aninfernal nuisance, because they invariably bring you the wrong diet, and give you somebody elses medicine Some of them are extremely beautiful and they certainly help to pass the time, with their idle prattle on all kinds of subjects. Amongst others there were Eleanor Glyn's twodaughters.
Nothing of note accurred during my stay until the announcement of the retirement of Winston Churchill from the Cabinet on Saturday November 13th. I had long forseen that such a course was inevitable, as the country has lost all confidence in him over the mistakes made by the navy in the early part of the war, his foolish uterances in public speeches, and above all the great Dardanelles fiasco. Now had Winston just left for the front quietly he would have at least earned the respect of the public and a good deal of sympathy. But this is not in his nature, and he chose instead to make a dramatic exit by delivering a farewell addres in the House on Monday November 15th defending his actions, and severely criticising both Lord Fisher and Lord Kitchener.

On reading his speech on the following morning I found it a tissue of lies, half true and absurdities about the Dardanelles. Now I was determined to expose the next person who got up publicly and lied about Gallipoli. I had intended to write a reply to the Prime Minister's speech, but my illness prevented me from doing any work at the time. But now feeling better I determined to haulWinston over the coals. I worked for the next two days and on Thursday November 18th sent in my letter to "The Times". On this day it was announcedmthat Winston had left for the front, amidst a chorus of acclamation on his patriotism, from the press.

Saturday November 20th