Correspondence between Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood and Lady Janetta Birdwood, 1915 - Part 23

Conflict:
First World War, 1914–18
Subject:
  • Documents and letters
Status:
Finalised
Accession number:
RCDIG0000050
Difficulty:
4

Page 1 / 10

rre eeyfere phe wecrerleeedmeeemcrerererenrormm enmi bepedved & sunk betueen Isight where about a mouth ago & oodness knows what it contininned! 1900 went bags of sorts. if mn lotter which must hom have gone Astray was about moncy matters - & if vn have not already done so - witl how be sie to let me know if a sum of about t50 or 5.2 was credital to our account in the N. Baik of India at Want 3 or 4 mouth ago. It was for lodging allowance in Egypt & I partsculack Want tokow about it - as if it baspt been so eredited must see about it and get & this done as soon as possible I expect though before this reaches ton. nou willahready hame with to tell me about it. I cant remember what all tod other ttems were about butt hove that in any case now will have had arsiers about them by other letters, as I have now wentimned them so oftern. Tate Hayo stom with have sest oe that Now Lealard Grearstal Tike which Sir H. Mewx sent one. Will yon please send me better still. Werek the tyted description Corge copy a it which I want to nown to some of the Marirs here us I am told they can tell me. a loth of most intereston his tey about it- if I even show thim this whale the liko. atsell they say wonld be atonch recogiised - A New Leclander to whom I was talking about it a fein day, ago told me he had had to hay Lgo ashort time ago for a couite- inferia one about 50 hears old & that this tooed he valned out there at quite a high figure - in farct he sard asso it was almost priceless. to eair my man are fetting well on ort of f
Inftet it onff au in fe e h ff the fot wore of thest hgoad to og bst Moubers I had to Cand mae here awful & I shall never preet the unemy of seeing. wistched fellows Lobpling aloe with their feet hropped up in sacking & every &tep being agonng. Too kowy of them for all to be carried, so all but bad cases had to hobble to the beach to be taken off to the hoopital ships. I have been seeing a good deal o the French troops lately. they are such ac outhust to ours, specialty in thei hetire tooops. The Senegilere are lunge great niggns & junt as black as the blaikest of bosts. atsolntely like ter right to the inside of thenr lips. Shr atsohitety curl up with the cold- so we are arranging to send them all off from here & they hill be replaced by French men. Ter ty have Went Indians too from Ghere alope & Castinigne. smalter & blower men - a frat mamy half easte French I guncy ther ae French Celizers & Chuiitians. Beivng citigaers they are conscritled & have all the puveleges of a French man. Hcosseevently are at solutely mixed up with them in everyg company.. Got the same bood clothes etc - & live entuely with the rudeans. To us of the Indian Army hhis seams so strange. The Senegalese are mosthy Merhammadan's but come are heathens & idot worshaphers. Hardly any offte French offieers can talk to them in then ower Canprse, but most of them have learnt a cartain amount of French - hal their N.C.des. are French. Cayin Pollokh fo the Black Wafds Do wi Risemb. told Sir A. Reid & was asking afte bee was. f.De oiu &ather. to o. when Isaw
m r ee he Helles. I think he was then, or became afterwarde Pollok 6t Mains - but has now becoue Pollok. MCall, Monch I suppose fir commandin a Cauitorial Brigade. Arite a nice fellu & was very anxions about veing remembered to sion both. Gon have hever in any of now latters told we anything About Wylly - beyound the pact that he was wounded lon ago. to he quite all right again howr & back with him eme. & heard from some casmamans who were writing to we alout a son of thins here that he had been staying at Thurtk to convalesce & wanted to know how he was - I could onel say I didnst know he had been there but thought he was right again now. I am hoping to Get Wagsteff as my A. M.S. be is really much too good for it aut lose a lot of payeeby coming so it is oull with rebuctence for his satte that I went quite liked taking him but he has been so very wice in isisting on his kemness of coming with me in any capacity that I have asked for him, &ull naturally be delighted to have nim with me. In past I have been so very tonched, by all my old Stalf. Coming up one after the other & imploning me to have them on my Crvy staff. his Lean not well di as hetually Godley can not shave them all for bor d Ploos for them afthere. I om so gout he has excreeded me in the Armin Corpe, as he is such a redl good fellow, who has wooked for me most togelly on command of the New Lidlanders eve siice we stiled in Egypt a rear ago I am sending some rattenr nice shapstats, which were taken at defferent times when Lord K was hore. Govellee o in till Iam vng of. in diffoult & most to wime time of it with nt
40 o ft eft fer D.i. Cantites Arrmy. 18 Dec 15 18 tyown darling gool. I ie just been so glad to get now letter of 30th Nov. by King's Messenger and sent on by Sir Ian- I finer if now send there to Fits o Clan stom direct to the le Office &the will always sane them on. without woe having to totthen sor Ian Talling on day stor, have cot fotthe N. Zealent tike. I sent home to son by hmm That nice Capt. & ord has just come back & tells. me ton Saw them betts - non hever told me about it & euit he a wicefellins. Aptarently his wipe sees. A good deat of Quean Alerandre to whom he was a Maich of Hers. He was telking me that when he was altome him. dea old Sir Digtaton was holding forth, 3e. Much aboutme. that Sventrally the vedt Sean troke out with. Is there hsore ctieon the world but Genl. B. bost yon san talk of no one she - a Something of that sortt. I stull & went. Got sary of tom bacck latters Which have Missect, ed I twent an rded net in gon have let get my replies to all the questor aot branted, I I dssrote soe. Navi What dlves Chim mean in his latter by saying. will be a load off doun minds. Has &he left cong what has happen est onlyin have never mentioned anl at her - buo I see won talk of Peadani
merm we rremememmere Have tm taken her on regutanty in. Naniy's with fraith trce I dofeel es somry for the latter as it seems so hard Nnom what to do for her on withher. Whet is mabel down Has & he came back to rom Fatton & The two flam cakes have arrived all right. &have been very weleone in the mees, where we of course share everything & all Goirturned fuint etc. are sent there. I see con wenter hik too-have con sent anyt For hore has ever Arrived here - but in amy care lible one, bo sons tement ahreats done so have these thengo stopped now, as we do not want them here Cuings cemitt. Got at the. Canteen es ad not oiter Auytring from Fortuo & Marson &or of ust have ortered amy thing, comtes Fond ith Wtoen d streel be. to days torce I hove not leee when inf. I een only complete then Carible earcuaton sncees fully. I shall not be at all surpised if dam not ordered to take my whole Arvy down to Egypt where we mhae ome in for some big popiting. a short time hence. saver I have an vice- little wooden lunts to steep in Wha ct was. wilk for Sir Ian. I am So plad Gent. Moneo We wte deaey to ave tee e te ar lmanne at Kodios. Todlene &d have bett ove aft Suite sevings Call Byng & seeiing to thongs there for the last time. the Coast tonight I spend on a Aestroyer. thine. af hanching to see i.
AU. im olet an feme cmae on nattinate night of Seccen. Ci Sfoles Anzac for a final look round of the position & trenches of which. I have beey so proued & for which I have so wind lived during all these lastmouths- I really feet l atandoning a child in teaving there sit makes we hearty cyt. Gon cant believe what really wodertut wort has near put into that place. Almost an under ground citry in which mi men could hold out against anything & dett the would 1. Buf the save doss not. aftery everytolere & if Suvla where the ground is very differentI could not te oust. Agrin at the heavy Austrian & German Artillery which we have everiy reason to suppose will stortly be trought against it then the rermans coued bring Juns wnto the rear of Anzac & cant us oft from the sea. Home it is alt very. sad & it seems such hong that Iam take the mas to camy it out. afte the day at Ansre Ishall be renting the inptarthe cruicer Chatham - that is going to be the real time a anisty. We may have an awful time of it - as bad as any army as ever had. to we stalt be Carrying out ons of the nost defticutt operetion in tarfare, Sir John thoore Sir 10t Courher. over again, Cnt a feribs at W bad to Critte. Brd dam Beats.
e eh M f e fom eft e that things with to well. Ploudence his helped us so Jon & I have eveing toast that- we shall be helled to the end tonight is calin. Af ite with remain so lell Monday morning we stall all the off & my Arristies ovr. A. big blow betwee hom them a I sthurder to Contemplate the posesitelile We have got to wak toot too bease the night to getoff 20,000 men each night as we must do - romumber noo trarted or laster Wes - wut the litle thingo we have beanable teig upousselves, atangside which bg ships. Camtrl of hourse to anzutare near. Then itis all over. I hed shall have on Manen tay Callafce - but for not more thel 5 Munbles, as there hill & sell be lits thore tive dove I will seitt have a Corps at Helles & I mhays haveto olop & took after it butt rather thint. A lh have it & organ o the defence there t esteft alonce to S Lew son Slad. Lady Robinson ises nice teon. little fice homan. I diduit one. As she seems Siet A. know they were not Australiane & S toe wandes fom he became. G foh Queens tant. Dexfect he has been a big Contructon who has dealt Aisall with the Colony spossibly in nussed bo 5y 8a t look after then
f ot in ot te i ih e 7 3 As d Comtinator heas motaly have fliet. I wonder what hoppens to the Reids!. To my qrat regret he Ceases to be H.C. fo Austratin in Jennary. I wrate to the Wovesto Goinal. asking of he Conlant he- kept on till the bost of the wvar buttheny wouldnnt have it & he has to so all there things are very political in Austalia & I fane preent Premier wanted the tillet & some one she wasted the Gare Premer so Sir Geree has tomove on on thestime his sotended time. He is hot A. sich man & I soppose Way have to returne to Austalia to the Bai but he as getting old home & ove feeks Semy for him having to de so- He offered to stay on with out pay in they would keep him - attpuesest & then to he gets & 5000 a nder. relt. Mrs. Moncrft is hady St. when yon heet see them then & still have thei heptere vng. McGrigonas & s. in pence tht ove. of de Preturiry who harean sick. wonith Es 2 mouths. took Mc. Grgo overfrom &or han & pind him 8 shce. A very rice groug feltou who looks after me apitally- & surs our mers furs speendidty. He war out fo Calautta f the Momon firm when the beake but- but went home & then came out here in thes Gloucester ceomani. F been. I stant & able to left. Dl ii M Rrestirshn. B.
AUS7 Peee w mee M very somy to lose him. I was very glad to see foon Australian Card, which is think Sscellent - I cent tay thogh that tthint well Thch of my se fure towe on itC. I amay's with with a droad bem eve bust to Little higgting time Lnder in hame, but a good bold stroke! Fenclose one Woth thath Pte the liket to I have jut serittled off. Went iteragain. Bim Ss glact toe toom have pirsed at semething fo the N.Z.& - it would hever have done to have them onto but S. 30 seew Ath sons tome to bery o meth a thing. ovest it & the on final card is homme te Rustralian to do for both- thouh of gist onery thought o it in time- it wined have been ever so Much incer on every boy to have bocd the one carcl for batt. S of have wanted the N.Z. ferm. wes ont 6er outride- Caver- the first S. Messages are all rights as they stand - Goot have had to Get one ou the N.Z Defence Minwith to Cotreshonalo t att ca
i M t Msor N.Z. in him Raaagen d ahoe. had a secound picture included - or N.Z Showt Rowesh as welles. Australia with A. fire. on each. it is too late for that & I hope. Mr. Machensoe with have been able to fec. wt something for Con all right. What an wettle. Mortey fordits must be foting sham Id just love to see won sher again- Cullt dout see when ihis bing to bie - hes is going to drong on fora long time yet & We have to go on with it whatever hapters uontit the Germais are at eventely beal - it is the ovlry thing to do & I 9I in eotrandinary so nown - to see it trut I may beet got through tith mnd. Cost Chare get on a bot with his tecae with Mad arron sible during & the to bidlays. I ds wict he could do a bit evening day for F saw his last repat was very hor as regarss. French jit is. So im portent. Jodith reall shovld get to decent start apter age & I hope may teart to talks well - I in so somy poor hath still has indy, as thought she had quite got over it. Roben is I suppose s till at Bnshire. I wiite him a long letter from Egypt sose after Naney left them but have never hast of line from him & only heard he was in Pesia quite by chance. I dercna he trinks I should have brought him out on me staff & I should much have liked to do so, but it wasnt possible. Iin ad oon te sen somathing of Ms. Chiff as thengh I Ief.

torpedoed & sunk between Egypt & here about a month ago
& goodness knows what it contained! 1900 mail bags of sorts!    
If my letter which must now have gone astray was about money
matters - & if you have not already done so - will you be
sure to let me know if a sum of about £50 or 52 was credited
to our account in the N. Bank of India at least 3 or 4 months
ago. It was for lodging allowance in Egypt & I particularly
want to know about it - as if it hasn't been so credited I
must see about it and get it this done as soon as possible.
I expect though before this reaches you, you will already have
written to tell me about it - I can't remember what all the
other items were about, but I hope that in any case you will have
had answers about them by other letters, as I have now mentioned
them so often!!  
I hope Major Storr will have sent you that New Zealand greenstone
"Tiki" which Sir H. Meux sent me. Will you please send me
back the typed description (or better still a copy of it) which I want to
show to some of the Maoris here, as I am told they can tell
me a lot of most interesting history about it, if I ever show
them this, while the "tiki" itself, they say would be at once
recognised! A New Zealander to whom I was talking
about it a few days ago, told me he had had to pay
£40 a short time ago for a quite inferior one about 50
years old & that this, would be valued out there at
quite a high figure - in fact he said at it was
almost priceless.  
I am glad to say my men are getting well over the effects 

 

2) of that blizzard, though the numbers I had to send away were 
awful & I shall never forget, the misery of seeing wretched fellows 
hobbling along with their feet wrapped up in sacking & every 
step being agony - Too many of them for all to be carried, so all 
but bad cases had to hobble to the beach to be taken off to the 
hospital ships. 
I have been seeing a good deal of the French troops lately - they
are such a contrast to ours, especially in their native troops. 
The Senegalese are huge great niggers & just as black as the blackest 
of boots! Absolutely like tar right to the inside of their lips! They  
absolutely curl up with the cold, so we are arranging to 
send them all off from here & they will be replaced by French 
men. Then they have West Indians too from Guadalupe & 
Martinique - smaller & brown men - a great many half caste 
French I fancy. They are French Citizens & Christians. Being 
citizens they are conscripted & have all the privileges of a 
Frenchman, & consequently are absolutely mixed up with 
them in every company - got the same food, clothes etc - & live 
entirely with the Europeans. To us after the Indian Army this 
seems so strange. The Senegalese are mostly Muhammadans 
but some are heathens & idol worshippers. Hardly any of the 
French officers can talk to them in their own language, but 
most of them have learnt a certain amount of French - half 
their N.C.O's are French. 
Do you remember Major Pollok in the Black Watch?
He was A.D.C to old Sir. A. Reid & was asking after 
you & your Father when I saw him the other day 

 

at Helles. I think he was then, or became afterwards Pollok-
Moins, but has now become Pollok-McCall - money I suppose 
in commanding a Territorial Brigade. Quite a nice fellow, & 
was very anxious about being remembered to you both -
You have never in any of your letters told me anything
about Wylly - beyond the fact that he was wounded long
ago - Is he quite all right again now & back with his Brigade?
I heard from some Tasmanians who were writing to me about
a son of theirs here, that he had been staying at Thurlby
to convalesce & wanted to know how he was - I could only
say I didn't know he had been there, but thought he was right
again now.
I am hoping to get Wagstaff as my A.M.S. He is really much too
good for it & will lose a lot of pay in by coming, so it is only
with reluctance for his sake that I haven't quite liked taking him,
but he has been so very nice in insisting on his keenness of
coming with me in any capacity that I have asked for him, & will
naturally be delighted to have him with me - In fact, I have
been so very touched, by all my old Staff, coming up one after the
other & imploring me to have them on my Army Staff - this I can
not well do, as naturally Godley can not spare them all
nor have I places for them all here. I am so glad he has
succeeded me in the Army Corps, as he is such a real good
fellow, who has worked for me most loyally in Command of the
New Zealanders ever since we started in Egypt a year ago.
I am sending some rather nice snapshots which were taken at
different times when Lord K was here. Goodbye my own little
wife - I am having a very difficult & most trying time of it with many

 

Dardanelles Army 
19 Dec 15 
18 
My own darling girl.
I've just been so glad to get your letter of 30th
Nov. by King's Messenger and sent on by Sir Ian - I fancy
if you send these to Fitz or Major Storr direct to the War
Office they will always send them on, without your having to
bother Sir Ian - Talking of Maj. Storr, have you got the
N. Zealand "tiki" I sent home to you by him?
That nice Capt. Lloyd has just come back & tells me you
saw them both - You never told me about it & isn't he a
nice fellow? Apparently his wife sees a good deal of
Queen Alexandra to whom she was a Maid of Honour. He was
telling me that when he was at home now, dear old Sir
Dighton was holding forth so much about me, that eventually
the old Queen broke out with "Is there no one else in the
world but Genl. B, that you can talk of no one else" - or
something of that sort! I still haven't got any of your
back letters which have missed, so I haven't an idea
yet if you have yet got my replies to all the questions
you wanted- I do hope so? 
What does Chris mean in his letter by saying "Nanny 
will be a load off your mind"? Has she left you 
or what has happened? You have never mentioned any 
thing about her - but I see you talk of a Madamoiselle 

 

with Judith. Have you taken her on regularly in Nanny's
place? I do feel so sorry for the latter as it seems so hard
to know what to do for her or with her. What is Mabel doing?
Has she come back to your Father? 
N The two plum cakes have arrived all right & have been very
welcome in the mess where we of course share everything & all
your tinned fruit etc are sent there. I see you mention milk
too - have you sent any? For none has ever arrived here - but
in any case little one, (if you haven't already done so) have
these things stopped now as we do not want them here.
Things can be got at the canteen, so do not order anything
from Fortnum & Mason - or if you have ordered anything, countermand
it - Where I shall be 10 days hence I have no idea, but 
when & if I can only complete this terrible evacuation, successfully, I shall not be at all surprised if I am not
ordered to take my whole Army down to Egypt where we may 
come in for some big fighting a short time hence. 
Here I have a nice- little wooden hut to sleep in 
which was built for Sir Ian. I am so glad Genl. Monro 
did not decide to come here, but he has remained at 
Mudros. Today I have been over at Suvla seeing Genl. 
Byng & seeing to things there for the last time - 
Tonight I spend on a Destroyer off the coast 
watching to see if anything happens during the 

 

2) penultimate night of our departure. Tomorrow I go to
Anzac for a final look round of the position & trenches of
which I have been so proud & for which I have so much
lived during all these last months. I really feel like
abandoning a child in leaving there, & it makes me nearly
cry! You can't believe what really wonderful work has
been put into that place - almost an underground city
in which my men could hold out against anything &
defy the world!  But the same does not apply everywhere &
in Suvla (where the ground is very different) could not hold
out against the heavy Austrian & German Artillery which
we have every reason to suppose will shortly be brought
against it, then the Germans could bring guns into
the rear of Anzac & cut us off from the sea. However
it is all very sad & it seems such irony that I am
to be the man to carry it out. After the day at Anzac
I shall be spending the night on the cruiser "Chatham" - for
that is going to be the real time of anxiety - We
may have an awful time of it - as bad as any army
has ever had, for we shall be carrying out one of the
most difficult operations in warfare - Sir John Moore
at Corunna over again, but a far bigger job 
than he ever had to tackle - But I am confident 

 

that things will go well - Providence has helped us so
far & I have every trust that we shall be helped to the end.
Tonight is calm - If it will remain so till Monday morning
we shall all be off & any anxieties over - A big blow
between now & then, & I shudder to contemplate the possibilities.
We have got to work hard too those two nights to get off
20,000 men each night as we must do - remember no harbour
or proper piers - just the little things we have been able
to rig up ourselves, alongside which big ships can not
of course go anywhere near. When it is all over, I feel
I shall have a momentary collapse - but for not more than
5 minutes as there will still be lots more to be done.
I will still have a Corps at Helles, & I may have to
stop & look after it, but I rather think I'll have
to get off at once to Egypt & organize the defence there.
I'm so glad Lady Robinson is so nice to you, little
one, as she seems such a very nice woman. I didn't
know they were not Australians & I too wonder how
he became A.G. for Queensland. I expect he has
been a big contractor who has dealt largely
with the Colony (possibly in xxxxx meat) & they
have taken him on look after their interests. 

 

3) As a contractor he has probably made piles.
I wonder what happens to the Reids? To my great regret
he ceases to be H.C. for Australia in January. I wrote to the
Governor General asking if he couldn't be kept on till the
end of the war, but they wouldn't have it & he has to go.
All these things are very political in Australia & I fancy
the present Premier wanted the billet & some one she wanted
to be Premier, so Sir George had to move on, on finishing
his extended time - He is not a rich man & I suppose
may have to return to Australia to the Bar, but he is
getting old now & one feels sorry for him having to do
so - He offered to stay on with out pay if they would
keep him - at present I think he gets £5000 a year.
Tell Mrs. Moncrieff  or Lady H. when you next see them that
I still have their nephew young McGrigor as A.D.C in place 
of de Crespigny who has been sick now in Egypt for over
2 months. I took McGrigor over from Sir Ian. I find him
such a very nice young fellow, who looks after me so 
capitally & runs our mess for us splendidly. He was
out in Calcutta in the Muir's firm when this broke
out, but went home & then came out here in the
Gloucester Yeomanry. I fear I shan't be able to
keep him after de Crespigny rejoins but I'll be 

 

very sorry to lose him.
I was very glad to see your Australian card, which is
I think excellent - I can't say though that I think welly
much of my signature on it!! I always write with a
broad pen & never put a little wiggling line under
my name, but a good bold stroke!! I enclose one
I have just scribbled off! Not that you are likely to
want it again - I'm so glad too you have fixed up
something for the N.Z's - it would never have done to
leave them out, but £30 seems an enormous sum to pay for
such a thing, doesn't it? The original card is however
too Australian to do for both, though if you'd only thought
of it in time, it would have been ever so much nicer
in every way to have had the one card for both. It
would have wanted the N.Z. fern leaves on the
outside cover - the first 3 messages are all
right as they stand - you'd have had to get one
from the N.Z Defence Minister to correspond to
Pearce's message & you'd have had to get Sir Ian to 

 

4) include N.Z's in his message - and to have
had a second picture included - or N.Z shown
as well as Australia with a girl on each! However
it is too late for that & I hope Mrs. Mackenzie will have
been able to fix up something for you all right.
What a little monkey Judith must be getting & how
I'd just love to see you & her again - but I don't see when it is
going to be - this is going to drag on for a long time yet &
we have to go on with it whatever happens until the
Germans are absolutely beat - it is the only thing to do & I
trust I may keep fit. I'm extraordinary so keen to see it
through to the end. Can't Chris get on a bit with his French
with Madamoiselle during the holidays? I do wish he
could do a bit every day, for I saw his last report was very
poor as regards French & it is so important - Judith really
should get a decent start at her age & I hope may learn
to talk well. I'm so sorry poor Kath still has indy, as
I thought she had quite got over it. Robin is I suppose still
at Bushire - I wrote him a long letter from Egypt soon
after Nancy left them but have never had a line from him
& only heard he was in Persia quite by chance. I daresay
he thinks I should have brought him out on my staff & I should
much have liked to do so, but it wasn't possible.
I'm glad you have seen something of Mrs. Cliff as though I know 

 
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