l
assurance that in your new sphere of activity, you will continue to
render the same valuable service you have already given to France.

I remain,
Mon General,
Your sincere friend,
IAN HAMILTON,
_General._

_13th May, 1915. H.M.T. "Arcadian."_ Hot and bright. Dead calm sea. Last
night a dense fog during which a Turkish Torpedo boat sneaked down the
Straits and torpedoed the _Goliath_. David and his sling on the grand
scale. No details yet to hand. The enemy deserve decorations--confound
them!

Got hold of a Fleet-sweeper and went off to Cape Helles. Again visited
Headquarters 29th Division, and afterwards walked through the trenches
of the 87th Brigade. Saw that fine soldier, Brigadier-General Marshall,
in command. Chatted to no end of his men--Inniskillings, Dublin
Fusiliers, etc. They have recovered their exhaustion; have cleaned up,
and look full of themselves, twice the size in fact. As I stepped on to
the little pier at Cape Helles an enemy's six-incher burst about 50
yards back, a lump of metal just clearing my right shoulder strap and
shooting into the sea with an ugly hiss. Not a big fragment but enough!

The Staff have made up their minds that we should be very much in the
wrong box if we dossed down on the toe of the Peninsula. First,--unless
we get between the Divisional Generals and the enemy, there is literally
no room! Secondly,--I should be further, in point of time, from Birdwood
and his men than if I was still on board ship. Thirdly,--the several
Headquarters of Divisions, whether French or British, would all equally
hate to have Braithwaite and myself sitting in their pockets from
morning to night. Have sent out another party, therefore, to explore
Tenedos and see if we can find a place there which will serve us till we
can make more elbow room on Gallipoli.

The Gurkhas have stalked the Bluff Redoubt and have carried it with a
rush! They are absolutely the boys for this class of country and for
this class of enemy.

Cabled Lord K. about the weakness of the 29th Division. At the very
moment when we are hoping so much from a fresh push made in conjunction
with a naval attack, the Division, the backbone of my force, are short
by over 11,000 men and 400 Officers! As a fighting unit they are on
their last legs and when they will be set upon thei