roving
rapidly. A small attack by a Brigade, which promised well, was in
progress. This morning the Xth Division captured a trench."

The story of the Suvla Council of War:--At first the Generals were for
fighting. Inglefield, of the LIVth, who is told off for the attack, was
keen. All he asked was, a clean start from Anafarta Ova. If his Division
could jump off, intact and fresh, from that well-watered half-way house,
Kavak Tepe was his. The LIIIrd Division for their part agreed to make
good Anafarta Ova; to clear out the snipers and to hold the place as a
base for the LIVth.

So at 10 a.m. Stopford issued orders saying the LIVth must march off at
4 p.m. moving East of Anafarta Ova. Then,--when at last all seemed
settled, in came a message from the G.O.C. LIIIrd Division, saying he
could not undertake to clear Anafarta Ova of snipers and to hold it as a
cover to the advance of the LIVth.

Stopford thereupon cancelled his first order, and, at 1.15 p.m., issued
fresh orders directing the LIVth Division _to send in one of their own
Brigades_ as an advance guard to clear the ground up to a point East of
Anafarta Ova. Braithwaite stayed at Corps Headquarters at Suvla until
this Brigade, the 163rd, was moving on Anafarta Ova driving the snipers
before them. Mahon, too, after sitting for three days where I left him
on the morning of the 9th, has got tired of looking at the gendarmes
and has carried their trenches by the forbidden frontal bayonet charge
without much trouble or loss although, naturally, these trenches have
been strengthened during the interval.

Amidst these tactical miss-fires entered Hankey. He has had a cable from
his brother Secretary, Bonham Carter, saying the Prime Minister wishes
him to stay on longer and that Lord K. would like to know if he can do
anything to give an impetus to the operations. Hankey showed me this
cable; also his answer:--

* * * * *

"Reference your 6910. I am glad to stay as desired. The chief thing you
could send to help the present operations would be more ammunition. For
supplies already sent everyone is most grateful. It is also important
that units should be kept up to strength.

"As General Officer Commanding has already apprised you fully of the
situation I have nothing to add."

In the Gordons' Mess "a Marine" used to stand as synonym for emptiness.
Asquith's "Marine"[9] is the reverse. Into two sentences totalling 27
words he boils d