Item 02: Ellis Ashmead-Bartlett articles on the Gallipoli campaign, 1915 - Page 102

[Page 102]

numerical strength has increased but little. Now all is changed. Large reinforcements have reached the army and Sir Ian Hamilton will be able to attack the enemy at several different points of his line instead of being forced to act strictly on the defensive at Anzac whilst pressing home purely frontal attacks on the endless lines of Turkish entrenchments in front of Achi Baba. At the present moment the atmosphere is charged with expectancy. The plans of the General Staff are being kept in profound secret and not even the Divisional Commanders know the coming movements on this great strategic board. Speculation is ripe.

Everyone one meets has his own pet theories and is certain they are correct and are the only ones which can possibly lead to decisive and rapid success. But no object would be served in setting forth at this juncture the innumerable plans of campaign with which rumour credits the Chiefs of the Army, for by the time these lines appear in print the whole Wo Id will know what are the new combinations which have been decided upon for defeating the enemy, and also what measure of success has attented their execution. But if the plan of campaign remains a profound secret the issues at stake are understood and appreciated by evry soul in this vast army which is now gradually assembling from the Commander in Chief to the humblest private just arrived from England. They are so plain and obvious that there can be no mistake about them. The Turkish rank and file probably have an equally keen appreciation of what they will be fighting for in the course of the next few days and they may be relied upon to put up a final desperate stand to keep the banner of Islam a little longer on European soil. The facts are these. For the past four months our progress has been very disappointing in