FRENCH CRITIC

Hokitika Guardian, 21 June 1932, Page 6

FRENCH CRITIC

OF SIR lAN HAMILTON

LONDON, June 18

Criticism of Sir fan Hamilton as “a superb example of insular obstinacy — like a bull which rushes headlong against a door and immediately resumes the onslaught,” and the highest praise for the Australian troops, are contained in “The Tragedy of the Dardanelles,” by the Frenchman, Edmond Delage. He states that "the Turks had not believed that any troops were capable of climbing the cliffs, and did not know that the men who scaled the perpendicular sides of ravines like chamois, and for months held positions that any European strategist _ would have condemned as crazy, were Australians. “They climbed from the beaches to advance posts, under incessant fire all day, carrying all supplies on their shoulders,” he said. Sir lan Hamilton’s irreparable mistake, M. Delage states, was to entrust the landing at Suvla Bay to newcomers. The perilous honour should have been that of the Anzacs. The evacuation of Gallipoli was the only successful act in the whole’ campaign. Sir lan Hamilton wrote a preface to the book, in which lie says: “Delage is welcome to damn the Dardanelles; campaign provided that he bungs home to the French people the extra-' ordinary quality of our men.”