Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 192
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[Page 192]
the same terms. This looks like being goof business. At twelve thirty I had an appointment to meed Lord Northcliffe whom I had never met before at the Times Office. This had been arranged by Murdock who hasv apparently become a great friend of the Napoleon of the Press. I had heard so many divergent comments on Northcliffe that I was particulary anxious to meet him in the flesh. I found him sitting in his small study smoking a huge cigar. He is just fifty years of age and is not unlike the great Napoleon in build and in the shape of his head. His hair is chestnut but his skin is rather flabby and he looks unhealthy like one who has led a sedentary life. This I believe was the case up yo some years ago but now he is a great golf player a pastime which it is said delights him more than anything else these days.
He received me in the most friendly manner making many favourable comments on my work at the Dardanelles. He examined me at great length as to the true position and I did not hesitate to tell him that in my opinion only one course was open to us namely to remove our forces at Anxac and Suvla Bay. I said I believed this operation could be carried out with but small loss and that if it was thought wise and necessary the Turks might be squared. He thoroughly agreed and said this was his policy and he intended to press it on the Government for all he was worth namely an immediate withdrawl from the Dardanelles. I told him I thought there might be difficulty in taking the troops off the Cape Helles End. We then discussed the Serbian position. 1 told him the Expedition was abolsutely doomed to failure and that it was fare too late to attempt to save Serbia. That country would be completely