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[Page 119]

astride the peninsula at all costs and to reach Kilid Bahr. By this means be thinks he can cut off the Turkish Armies in the south and force them to capitulate. First of all he must get the Hill 971 on his left which is the most commanding position of all. But the difficuties in the way are enormous owing to the nature of the ground. It cannot be done by a regular attack. He therefore proposes to launch the Australians in- dependtly on this task with instructions to crawl round anywhere they like but to reach their objective and there to entrench. At the same time he wants one of the new Divisions to be landed in Anafarta Bay and to push right inland to ocuupy a ridge on which the Turks have three heavy guns and about two thousand infantry. By this combined operation he hopes to cut off the Kilid Bahr Plateau.

The operation is extremely hasadous for the reason that but little is known about the country and the troops will have to act on their own inatiative. These Colonials should certainly be the men for the job. While I was present his Chief of Staff Colonel Skeen came in and General Birdwood said 'It would be a great idea to launch five houndred of the Australian Light Horse Cavalry in their rear with instructions to raise hell and burn their supplies and depots. It would cause a regular panic amongst the Turks. But the great difficulty is to get their horses ashore and to water them . However we must see if it can be managed'. I asked the general if his plan had been accepted at Headquarters and he replied that it was still under consideration but he thought it was certain t they would agree to his plans. He of course pledged me to secrecy. He agreed with me that it would be an excellent thing if the Greeks could

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