Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 183
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[Page 183]
my return in order not to face the Music. I had to sack my Australian Servant Macnabee. In fact we had a thorough reorganisation of the whole camp. Lawrence's Irish servant had also succeeded in drinking himself into hospital
Tuesday September 28th
This morning I went over to G.H.Q. to see Major Delme Radcliffe. On arriving I had a long talk with Colonel Tyrrell about things in general chiefly in refernce to the sending of dispatches and the censorship. He said he had much more important things to attend to than censoring War Correspondents cables and they were only a secondary matter with him. I took exception to this and pointed out we were attached to the army offically and had a right to be properly treated. He then became more reasonable. He then went out of the tent and came back a little later to say'. I had better see the Chief of the Staff Braithwaite.
I went into his tent. There were present himself his idiotic son Colonel Tyrrell and I believe another officer. He asked me to sit down and then said 'When I had a talk with you in June last you promised not to critisise the leaders of the army or to break the regulations againb'. I replied 'That I had consented to certain things and as far as I knew I had kept my agreement. He then said on May 8th you sent out an uncensored letter by Murdock who was leaving addressed to the Prime Minister. I replied that I had done so and considered I had a right to write to the Prime Minister direct. He replied. 'You know you had not. That letter has got Murdoch into serious trouble'. I replied. 'How did you find out I had sent the letter' He