Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 185

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[Page 185]

feeling that the Staff themsrlves will not survive me long. Directly the real truth is known at home they are bound to go.

September 29th and 30th. Busy making preperations for my departure. Winding up my affairs. Nevinson went to G.H.Q and saw Hamilton who expressed regret at my departure but said he had no alternative as he was merely acting under instructions from the War Office. This I learnt later was untrue and that he acted on his own responsibility.

Friday October 1st.
This day I was busy wishing farewell to various friends and seized the opportunity to go on board the Triad to say Good Bye to Admiral de Robeck and Commodore Keyes. I only saw the former for a minute but I had a long talk with the latter. He was infuriated againstn Hamilton and the Staff geneeally because of the rumours that had been circulating round for some time that the Navy was responsible for shelling the Gourkas off the crest of Chunuk Bair after they had gained that heighth. This the Navy strenously denies. It is possible that a few shells did fall amongst the infantry an incident common to almost every action which cannot be avoided in the confusion of a long drawn out struggle. But Hamilton and the Staff have been endevouring to place the entire responsibility for the dailure on the navy. As a matter of sober fac t it would have been impossible for the Troops to hold on to the crest of Chunuk Bair exhausted as they were from three days continous fighting and having suffered enormous losses. It only needed a weak counter attack to push them off the crest and that is what exactly what happened. The Admiral having heard of what Hamilton was doing determined to nail his

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