's Messenger, came; with him a Captain Coddan, to be
liaison between me and Istomine's Russians.

The King sends his blessing.

SPECIAL ORDER,

General Headquarters,
_22nd April, 1915._

The following gracious message has been received to-day by the General
Commanding:--

"The King wishes you and your Army every success, and you are
constantly in His Majesty's thoughts and prayers."

_23rd April, 1915. S.S. "Arcadian." Lemnos._ A gorgeous day at last;
fitting frame to the most brilliant and yet touching of pageants.

All afternoon transports were very, very slowly coming out of harbour
winding their way in and out through the other painted ships lying thick
on the wonderful blue of the bay. The troops wild with enthusiasm and
tremendously cheering especially as they passed the warships of our
Allies.

_Nunc Dimittis_, O Lord of Hosts! Not a man but knows he is making for
the jaws of death. They know, these men do, they are being asked to
prove their enemies to have lied when they swore a landing on
Gallipoli's shore could never make good. They know that lie must pass
for truth until they have become targets to guns, machine guns and
rifles--huddled together in boats, helpless, plain to the enemy's sight.
And they are wild with joy; uplifted! Life spins superbly through their
veins at the very moment they seek to sacrifice it for a cause. O death,
where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

A shadow has been cast over the wonders of the day by a wireless to say
that Rupert Brooke is very dangerously ill--from the wording we fear
there can be no hope.

Dent, principal Naval Transport Officer, left to-day to get ready.
Wemyss said good-bye on going to take up command of his Squadron.

Have got d'Amade's revised orders for the landing at Kum Kale and also
for the feint at Besika Bay. Very clear and good.

At 7.15 p.m. we got this message from K.:--

"Please communicate the following messages at a propitious moment to
each of those concerned.

"(1) My best wishes to you and all your force in carrying to a
successful conclusion the operations you have before you, which will
undoubtedly have a momentous effect on the war. The task they have to
perform will need all the grit Britishers have never failed to show, and
I am confident your troops will victoriously clear the way for the Fleet
to advance on Cons