The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-11-07
Reviewed by
w. B. MCCORMICK.

Reviewed by
w. B. MCCORMICK.
In that best OF all military histories
of this particular episode of the world
war, 1.-The Dardanelles Campaign" by
Henry w. Nevinson, there is lumi-
nous sketch of Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton,
ending with these words: ut was
known also that Sir Ian was suscepti-
bic to the influence OF beauty In other
forms than those usually conceded to
military men. He was an acknowl-
edged master of English prose, and
though our people read more in guam
tity than any other nation. the literary
gift is regarded among us as sign Of
incapacity. and Is not, as In France
and ancient Greece, accepted as as
surance of far reaching powers. What
was worse, he was known to have
written poetry"
The reader will go only little way
in the pages OF Sir Ian's "Gallipoli
Diary" before he realizes that this SOL
der is the master of English prose and
the poet the war correspondent Nevin-
son declared him to be. The 'ender
sketch he. gives us of his mother, re-
called to him as he was passing the
island of Crete on the way TO Gallipoli
as his birthplace and the scene of her
death when he was three years old. is
one proof of this. Though she was
suffering great pain she refused to
take an opiate that her spiritual ap-
proach to God might not be dulled, he
tells us, adding: What pluck, what
grit, what faith, what an example to
soldier" And again, when describing
soldiers emotions on the night be-
fore "big push" he says to the ad-
venturous listener. And occasion like
to-night's holds the same intoxica ting
mixture Of danger and desire as fills
the glass of the boy bridegroom when
he raises 1t to the health Of his enigma
in veil" Truly Sir Ian Is a master
of English prose ana poet. Moreover,
he is the frank, shrewd soldier, setting
down his daily thoughts. emotions. ex-
periences, and now giving them to the
world in these pages so that 1t will not
'be flung at posterity from behind the
cover of my coffin" as he writes in his
preface.
This is distinctly one of the really
great war books" Not alone for the
picture it gives of the unfolding of the
Gallipoli campaign under Sir Ian's con-
ception and direction, but also for the
remarkable series of sketches II gives
of Lord Kitchener of Khartoum and of
the general ineptitude of the British
War Offices conduct of this adventure
toward Constantinople. So much has
been written Of Gallipoli 1--WE can count
not less than twelve books, to say
nothing of official reports and des..
patches) that the tale itself is a. now
familiar tragedy, the pain OF which
does not lessen with the passage of
| time. But it is the greater part of Sir
1an's story that throws a clear light on
what has hitherto been obscure. And
not the least OF these obscurities was
the singular lack of fitness of Lord
Kitchener and the British War Office
for the task set.
These criticisms of the conqueror Of
the Sudan are set down by the hand
of companion in arms and a devoted
friend, for Sir Ian was both. When
Kitchener sent for Hamilton on March
IL, 1915, and informed Sir Tan that he
was to go to the Dardanelles as com
mander in chief OF the expeditionary
force. Sir Ian writes: AT that moment
K. wished me to bow. leave the room
and make a start" But Sir Ian re-
NAMED looking down at the man who
was writing like a craven image"
At last me looked up and inquired:
'Well|" And then Hamilton had to
explain that for so large an order he
thought he ought TO have some ex-
plantations of what he was to do. what
forces were to be under his command.
The Secretary of State for War unbent
little, gave Hamilton glimpse of the
existing trouble between himself and
Lord French in France and showed his
complete lack OF familiarity with the
Turkish situation by saying, in re-
spouse to Sir Ian's suggestion that
the navy should send a submarine up
TO the Marmora to bother Turkish com
munications:
"Supposing one submarine pops up
opposite the town of Gallipoli and
waves Union Jack three times, the
whole Turkish garrison on the PENN
sula Will take to their heels and make
bee line for Bulair." Not even De
Robeck's battleships and the whole
British expeditionary force were able