Correspondence between Field Marshal Lord William Birdwood and Lady Janetta Birdwood, 1915 - Part 25

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of these big shells along the trenches, and though I believe 
noone was hurt, yet they seem to fall all round, and I got 
covered with mud from one that came a bit nearer than usual.

To show how little the Turks suspected our going, 
deserters came in even up to the very night before we left, 
and the tremendous shelling they gave directly we had gone 
looked as if they could hardly believe we had cleared out.

When you come to think that in a great many places our trenches 

are not more than twenty five yards apart, it certainly is a 
wonderful credit to the men that they should have been able to 
slip away as they did, and I think shews a very high state of 
discipline which is altogether praiseworthy. You can imagine 

what a weight seems to have rolled off one's shoulders, when I 
got back here early this morning, and realised the astoundingly 
good fortune we had had, when a piece of bad fortune might have 
resulted in terribly heavy losses.

It is not, too, as if the Turks had reduced their 
numbers in front of us, for we calculate that in the trenches 
facing the "Anzac" and Suvla corps, with their supports and purely 
local reserves, there were approximately 80,000 Turks and a great 

many guns of all calibres, and I should imagine the higher German 
officers on the spot will come in for some well-deserved abuse, 
when it is known that they have allowed us to slip away from such 
a difficult position through /^what one might call the narrowest possible 
of bottle necks, (viz. one or two temporary piers) without7 being able 
to do us any damage. It was extraordinary, too, that they had not 
the enterprise to push forward at once to find out the situation 
themselves, instead of allowing the whole of their heavy and light 
artillery to carry out a continuous, organised bombardment as they 
did on our evacuated position.

Our intentions, too, should have been obvious to them, 
looking down as they do from the hills around on practically all

our/

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our movements. As you know , not a single lighter can leave 
our beaches without being seen, and though we of course 
confined movements to the night as much as possible, yet a 
certain amount of craft was necessarily seen moving about in 
the daytime. Curiously enough, they seem all along to have 
anticipated that we were making arrangements for an attack, 
and not a retirement. The attack we did carry out on their 
position at Helles about eight hours before we commenced the 
withdrawal from the other areas, may perhaps have deceived 
them more than I thought probable, as we know that they at once 
reinforced down there when the attack began.

You know how I have all along hated the idea of 
leaving "Anzac," and all the wonderful work done there by my 
men, but it is at all events some consolation to realise we 
have been able to do this without any loss whatever, while we 
certainly must have inflicted a considerable amount on the 
Turks, even if only in the explosion of the mines at Russell's 
Top, which as I have said were right under several of their 
trenches, which were evidently fully manned at the time, as 
immediately to right and left rolls of musketry fire were 
opened from men apparently at quite close intervals, so it is 
reasonable to suppose that they were manned like this throughout.

Then, again, I have just had reports that late this 
afternoon large numbers of Turks came swarming over, seeing I 
suppose what loot they could get hold of that had been left 
behind, when the cruisers and destroyers, who had of course 
remained off the coast, put heavy fire into them, and say they 
accounted for large numbers.

Aspinall, who has practically represented my General 
Staff throughout all this, and MacMunn, who is now my D.A. and 
Q.M.G., have both played up capitally, and have done really well, 
while Monro has been extremely good in leaving me an entirely

free/

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free hand.

Now I feel that the only thing I want at the present 
moment is a really long sleep, as I have not had more than an 
hour in the last fortyeight.

Before closing, I should just like to mention that 
the whole of the success of this operation is due entirely to the 
Corps Commanders - Byng and Godley, and their staffs, who made all 
arrangements most excellently, and left me really little or 
nothing to do beyond perhaps a suggestion here or a word of 
encouragement there during my practically daily visits to their 
positions, while the co-operation of Davies in his attack from 
Helles was as wholehearted as you would expect.

                                                             (S'gd) W. R. Birdwood.

 

P.S. (21st) More than ever do I realise how entirely we have to 
thank Providence for evacuating successfully as we have done. A 
real South-westerly gale sprang up at about 1 a.m. today. Had 
this been 24 hours earlier, it would probably have caught us with 
some six to eight thousand men still ashore, when getting off 
would have been extremely difficult. I had given orders that once 
embarkation had actually started on the final night, it was to be 
continued whatever happened, the men if necessary having to wade 
out up to their necks to be hauled into boats, but this would of 
course have entailed not only considerable loss at the time, but 
so much delay that we could not possibly have got through every- 
thing before daylight, when we should have come in for a bad time 
of it. (It is indeed wonderful to look back on, and I trust I am 
sufficiently thankful.)

To emphasise this, I may mention that my original 
plans were to have had the final night of evacuation on the 20th/21st, 
but it was only about ten days ago that I found the  Navy could 
manage to guarantee the collection of the necessary small craft 24 
hours earlier than we originally thought, when I put forward the 
date by one day, which as you see has been of such wonderful and

unforeseen consequence - though of course the putting it forward 
was entirely in view of taking advantage of the weather, which we 
know must necessarily get worse daily at this time of the year.

SPECIAL ORDER OF THE DAY.

GENERAL HEADQUARTERS,

21ST DECEMBER, 1915.

The Commander-in-Chief desires to express to all ranks in the

Dardanelles Army his unreserved appreciation of the way in which the recent

operations, ending in the evacuation of the ANZAC and SUVLA positions, have been

carried to an issue successful beyond his hopes. The arrangements made for withdrawal,

and for keeping the enemy in ignorance of the operation which was taking place, could

not have been improved. The General Officer Commanding Dardanelles Army, and

the General Officers Commanding the Australian and New Zealand and 9^th Army

Corps, may pride themselves on an achievement without parallel in the annals of war.

The Army and Corps Staffs, Divisional and subordinate Commanders and their Staffs,

and the Naval and Military Beach Staffs, proved themselves more than equal to the

most difficult task which could have been thrown upon them. Regimental officers,

non-commissioned officers and men carried out, without a hitch, the most trying

operation which soldiers can be called upon to undertake—a withdrawal in the face of

the enemy—in a manner reflecting the highest credit on the discipline and soldierly

qualities of the troops.

It is no exaggeration to call this achievement one without

parallel. To disengage and to withdraw from a bold and active enemy is the most

difficult of all military operations; and in this case the withdrawal was effected by

surprise, with the opposing forces at close grips—in many cases within a few yards of

each other. Such an operation, when succeeded by a re-embarkation from an open

beach, is one for which military history contains no precedent.

During the past months the troops of Great Britain and Ireland,

Australia and New Zealand, Newfoundland and India, fighting side by side, have in-

variably proved their superiority over the enemy, have contained the best fighting troops

in the Ottoman Army in their front, and have prevented the Germans from employing

their Turkish allies against us elsewhere.

No soldier relishes undertaking a withdrawal from before the

enemy. It is hard to leave behind the graves of good comrades, and to relinquish

positions so hardly won and so gallantly maintained as those we have left. But all

ranks in the Dardanelles Army will realize that in this matter they were but carrying

out the orders of His Majesty's Government, so that they might in due course be more

usefully employed in fighting elsewhere for their King, their Country, and the Empire.

There is only one consideration—what is best for the furtherance

of the common cause. In that spirit the withdrawal was carried out, and in that spirit

the Australian and New Zealand and the 9th Army Corps have proved, and will continue

to prove, themselves second to none as soldiers of the Empire.

A. LYNDEN BELL, MAJOR GENERAL,

Chief of the General Staff,

Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.

—

The following telegrams are published for information:

(1) FROM HIS MAJESTY THE KING.

It gives me the greatest satisfaction to hear of the successful

evacuation of SUVLA and ANZAC without loss of troops or guns. Please convey to

General Birdwood and those under his command my congratulations upon the able

manner in which they have carried out so difficult an operation.

20-12-15.

GEORGE, R.I.

(2) TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING.

I have communicated your Majesty's gracious message to General

Birdwood and the Dardanelles Army. In their behalf and my own I beg to give

expression to the deep gratification felt by all ranks at your Majesty's encouraging words

of congratulation. The troops are only inspired by a desire to be employed again as

soon as possible wherever their services may be used to best advantage against your

Majesty's enemies.

SIR CHARLES MONRO,

C.-in-C., M.E.F.

21-12-15.

(3) FROM THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR WAR.

H.M. Government received your news with the greatest pleasure

and wish immediately to express to you and all under your command their high

appreciation of the excellence of the arrangements for the withdrawal from ANZAC

and SUVLA and their warm admiration for the conduct of the troops in carrying out

the most difficult operation of war. They appreciate as fully the effective help which

Admiral Wemyss and the Navy as well as General Birdwood and the Corps and other

commanders afforded you. The thanks of the Government for this fine achievement

are due to you and to all concerned, and I wish also to congratulate you personally.

20-12-15.

[* I had to

do this

entirely

on my own*]

Imbros

27 Dec 15

My own darling girl.

I'm beginning to rather wonder if I am standing

on my head or my heels, as I've had so many orders to contrary

effects. A few days ago it was an order to go to Egypt tomorrow -

then to Flanders - then to stay here - now I have to go over there for

the day tomorrow to see Gnl. Monro _ & I suppose come back here -

but goodness knows - & it is very annoying - But I only let

such things annoy me when I am feeling at all low, as I

I think, I do at present - the after effects I suppose of this

evacuation, for even though it could not possibly have been more

successful, yet, the whole idea of having come away

without getting through gives me the feeling of failure - my

head too keeps bothering a certain amount - I suppose I

ought to have had it looked to before, but until the evacuation

was over I didn't feel I could afford to lay up a day or

two quietly which having it opened up might involve.

Now the Doctor has to keep digging at it & opening it

daily which is a bore, but he assures me it will be

quite right in a day or so, I am sure it will -

By this time - I hope the old Peacocks have heard of

or from their son.  His Regt is here now,  on the

withdrawal from Suvla, so I went up to see it

one day & at once asked after the boy - I was at first

told he was there all right, so I sent for him to

come & see me. The next day however word was sent me

that it was another man with the same name who was here,

but that their son had been wounded some little time

ago & sent off. I gathered it was not at all bad, just

a bullet wound in the leg, but once a man is sent off

like that it is quite impossible for us here to tell where

he has gone to - he may be in Egypt - Malta or England, but  I

hope the old Peacock's have heard of their son, will you tell

them how sorry I am not to have seen him & how sorry too

to know he is wounded, but that I hope he is well again

now.

Rather a curious thing happened the other day, dear old

Lotbiniere asked me if I would exchange sticks with him

as he would much value & like to keep the one I had used

in my daily visits around the Anzac trenches. Looking at

it he discovered a bullet had gone into it & turned a

bit, & was still sticking in it! I remember one day thinking

it had been hit when I was going around, but never

bothered to look at it, it's strange the bullet should

have remained in it!

We had a capital bonfire concert for the men

in this camp on Christmas Day - & I must say

I was much touched at the end of it by some

2) one - I think it was Churchill - Winstons' brother 

who is my Camp Commandant here - getting up at the

end & shouting "Three cheers for Sir William Birdwood of

Anzac". I thought the men would never stop - they went on

cheering till they were tirr tired - & none of my own Australians

were with them either, as I'm sorry to say they

are all over at Mudros - These were all British soldiers -

Yeomanry, Engineers etc, & I felt it was so nice of them.

By the bye, do tell me if you ever got some rather nice

water colour pictures of Anzac I sent you a long time

ago? As a matter of fact, Wagstaff got them for me &

sent them off, & he has asked more than once if you ever

got them? Also did you ever get the pair of bedroom

slippers for me? I've never got them or heard of them - 

remember I always acknowledge everything. So if you

don't hear of my getting anything you have sent

you will know I haven't received it - though

letters often go astray & again I haven't heard

from you for a long time now - the posts are

awful - Do tell me if that sum of £ 50 odd

has been credited to our account at the Bank

as I  am having some issues with the Pay people

& I wont settle about that, unless you can tell me it

has been credited all right - do try and remember this.

I hear Genl. Skeen is down at Salcombe & now all right

again so I am much hoping to get him back 
soon, though Aspinall has been doing that work for me 
very well.

Genl Monro & all his staff are now off to Egypt, leaving

me here to run the show - & before me I have just got

orders to carry out what will be far more difficult than

evacuating Anzac & Suvla - however I'm trying to do it

all right - provided always the weather is good - bad

storms & anything may happen, entirely on Providence

to see us safely through again.

Goodbye my own little lamb & all my love to you.

from your very loving old

Will

My head is nearly all right again, but the Doctor 

still has to open it out every day which is 

trying, but he says it is healing now nicely.

 

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DRL

3376 (15)