et day spent in trying to clear my table
before sailing for Mitylene to see the new Irish Division. The grand
army with which some War Office genius credited us appear to have served
their purpose. At our challenge they have now taken to their heels like
Falstaff's eleven rogues in buckram suits. The S. of S. (cabling this
time as "I" and not as "We,") says, "it is not worth while trying to
reconcile numbers by cable and it is difficult to make up accurate
states."

Do not let me forget, though, that a slice of solid stuff is sandwiched
into this cable--we are to get some 4.5 shell _via_ Marseilles; H.E. we
hope: also, two batteries of 4.5 howitzers: also that the A.G. has been
trying hard to feed the 29th Division. The Territorials are the people
who are being allowed to go to pot--not a word of hope even, and before
the eyes of everyone.

_1st August, 1915. Imbros._ The usual rush before leaving. No time to
write. Sent two cables, copies attached. The first to the War Office, in
answer to one from the A.G. wherein he plumes himself upon the
completeness of the 29th Division. That completeness, alas, is only so
relatively; i.e., in comparison with the sinking condition of the
Territorial Divisions:--

* * * * *

"We are deeply grateful to you for the drafts you have despatched for
the XXIXth Division as the fighting existence of that fine formation has
been prolonged by their timely arrival, but I fear that you are very
wide of the mark in your assumption that these drafts have completed the
Division.

"As I have ventured to point out incessantly since my arrival here,
constant large numbers of casualties must occur between the demands for
and the arrival of drafts owing to the length of the sea voyage. It was
for this very plain reason that it was doubly necessary to have here the
10 per cent. margin granted in the case of battalions going to France.
We must always be considerably under establishment in the absence of
some such margin.

"I fully realize, in saying this, that it may be quite impossible to
meet such demands as I suggest, but I feel bound to let you know the
only possible terms on which any unit in this force can ever be up to
establishment.

"At the present moment, excluding 1,700 drafts coming on _Simla_ and
_Themistocles_, the actual infantry strength of the XXIXth Division is
219 officers and 8,424 other ranks."

The second cable is to K. The War Office Army