Item 01: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett diary, 1915-1917 - Page 227
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[Page 227]
misleading the public and rendering the subsequent disappointment all the more keen. It is surely one of the first duties of a Censor to stop these ridiculous and ludicrous lies, as it is for him to suppress the truth when he considers it might be harmful. As a matter of sober fact, the Allies are only a few hundred yards farther onward then they were three days after the landing. A few of the enemy's advanced trenches have been taken, but his main line in front of Krithia and on the lower slopes of Achi Baba remains intact and is daily being strengthened by new works and more wire. Yet, these are the positions some of our leaders were confident they could occupy on the very night of the landing, so hopelessly was the situation misjudged.
The failure of the great assault on May 8th led to a change in tactics. The lessons of Flanders should have shown the hopelessness of the attempt before it was undertaken. I fancy, however, the Generals felt something desperate must be undertaken to retrieve the position. Trench warfare is at present the order of the day and on our extreme left we have made some sensible progress, although very slow, towards turning the enemy's right wing and enveloping Krithia. In the centre, however, we have been held up and up to the time of my departure had gained very little ground. Trench warfare is the only sound course to adopt but at the present rate of progression it will be months before we get Achi Baba. There seems to be an idea that the taking of this position will open