GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 224, 16 June 1920, Page 7

GALLIPOLI CAMPAIGN

RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE FAILURE

SIR lAN HAMILTON REPLIED TO MR. ASHMEAD BARTLETT INTERVIEWED By Teleuraph-Prcss Association-Copyright (Rec. June 15, 5.5 p.m.) London, June 14. Mr. Ashmead Bartlett, tho well-known war correspondent, in the course of an interview, said that Sir lan Hamilton's diary threw no new light on tho Gallipoli campaign, but it threw a flood of illumination on the character of the oommander. The diary was an effort to throw the blame on Kitchener and other leaders and the quality of the reinforcing forces.- Mr. Bartlett declared that the main responsibility for the failure of the French troops was Sir lan Hamilton's own. His faulty dispositions in every fight showed his inability to appreciate the true strategical position. Sir lan Hamilton's operations consisted of placing division after division on contracting beaches, involving advances over unknown ground to storm positions the like of which were never faced in modern warfare. Ho frittered the army in a series of badly conceived, pbortivo attacks. From the first landing there never was the smallest chance of success. Lack of confidence in the higher commands reduced the army to deplorable demoralisation in August, 1915: Only the old traditions regarding discipline held the remnants together. Ho denied Sir lan Hamilton's veiled accusation that ho supplied Mr. Keith Mnrdooh wiHi information. Mr. Murdoch collected ' the information first hand. Only on tho day of his departure Mr. Murdoch begged him to write something and allow the truth to become known to the responsible authorities in England. Dcsnito Sir lan Hamilton's effort to conceal, after consideration he wrote to the Prime Minister a. letter which was taken from Mr. Murdoch at Marseilles. Mr. Bartlett added: "Mr. Murdoch may have been technically guilty of showing an uncensored report, but was any patriotic man to allow a technicality to stand in tho way of sayin? thousands of his countrymen from a miserable end and the Enrnire from grave disaster?" He himself was accused of the same oifencc. and if lie were placed in the same position ho would not l<esitnh> to in the same manner again.—'United Service.