IN THE FIRE TRENCHES

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2630, 27 November 1915, Page 14

IN THE FIRE TRENCHES

SIR lAM HAMILTON'S POSITION,

Chaplain Busli King, who was with the Now Zealand Forces at the landing at Gallipoli, and who returned as a member of the staff of the Willochra, in the course of an interview in Dunedin, made some pointed comments on the cablegram from London, in which it whs stated that in the House of Commons Mr. H. J. Tennant, UnderSecretary for War, had said that; an officer had told him that no ..comman-der-in-chief had spent more time in the fire trenches than Sir lan Hamilton, and that his Headquarters was only 45 minutes sail from Gallipoli. "Tfbo your map and measure the distance from Lemnos to Anzac," said tho chaplain, ""and s ee whether' a steamor could do it in 45 minutes. The distance is some 80. miles, and it isCfour to six hours' journey for our' cruisers and transports." - 1 ' Chaplain Bush King went on to say that never orice, from the first landing on April 25 till August 1, did Sir . lan set .foot on Anzac. The chaplain was living right on the only road leading from the beach to the fire trenches, and was therefore in a position to see. all who came'and went.- He is positive that Sir lan never once visited the Australian and , New Zealand ' positions, where-so much heavy fighting was going on. ' • • . ' "Was Sir lan Hamilton really not popular then?" ashed the reporter. . "We did not know him," was the reply. "Ho never entered our thoughts.' We' never 6aw him. The only officer of any standing who came near us was' Admiral De Robsck, commander of the Mediterranean squadron. General Birdwood, too, often passed up and down." ===== I