s,
and even if more 5-inch were sent the fortnightly supply of ammunition
for them would be very small."

"(No. M.F. 337). From General Sir Ian Hamilton to War Office. With
reference to your No. 5489, cipher. I am very sorry that you cannot
send the proper howitzers, and still more sorry for the reason, that of
ammunition. The Turkish trenches are deep and narrow, and only effective
weapon for dealing with them is the howitzer. I realize your
difficulties, and I am sure that you will supply me with both howitzers
and ammunition as soon as you are able to do so. I shall be glad in the
meantime of as many more trench mortars and bombs as you can possibly
spare. We realize for our part that in the matter of guns and ammunition
it is no good crying for the moon, and for your part you must recognize
that until howitzers and ammunition arrive it is no good crying for the
Crescent."

The Admiral and Godley paid me a visit; discussed tea and sea transport,
then a walk.

There is quite a break in the weather. Very cold and windy with a little
rain in the forenoon.

_17th June, 1915. Imbros._ Smoother sea, but rough weather in office. A
cable from the Master General of the Ordnance in reply to my petition
for another battery of 6-inch howitzers:--

"(No. 5537, cipher, M.G.O.) From War Office to the General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. Your telegram
No. M.F. 331. We can send out another battery of 6-inch howitzers, but
cannot send ammunition with it. Moreover, we cannot increase the present
periodical supply, so that if we send the additional howitzers you must
not complain of the small number of rounds per gun sent to you, as
experience has shown is sometimes done in similar cases. It is possible
that the Navy may help you with 6-inch ammunition. Please say after
consideration of the above if you want the howitzers sent."

My mind plays agreeably with the idea of chaining the M.G.O. on to a
rock on the Peninsula whilst the Asiatic batteries are pounding it. That
would learn him to be an M.G.O.; singing us Departmental ditties whilst
we are trying to hold our Asiatic wolf by the ears. I feel very
depressed; we are too far away; so far away that we lie beyond the
grasp of an M.G.O.'s imagination. That's the whole truth. Were the
Army in France to receive such a message, within 24 hours the
Commander-in-Chief, or at the least his Chief of the Staff, would walk
into the M.G.O.'s office and t