o a
certain battalion."

The whole of this press correspondence; press censorship; despatch
writing and operations cables hang together and will end by hanging the
Government.

My operations cables are written primarily for K., it is true, but they
are meant also to let our own people know what their brothers and sons
are up against and how they are bearing up under unheard of trials.
There is not a word in those cables which would help or encourage the
enemy. I am best judge of that and I see to it myself.

What is the result of my efforts to throw light upon our proceedings? A
War Office extinguisher from under which only a few evil-smelling
phrases escape. As I say to Fitz:--

"You seem to see nothing beyond the mischief that may happen if the
enemy gets to know too much about us; you do not see that this danger
can be kept within bounds and is of small consequence when compared with
the keenness or dullness of our own Nation."

The news that the War Office were going to send us no more Japanese
bombs spread so great a consternation at Anzac that I have followed up
my first remonstrance with a second and a stronger cable:--

"(No. M.F. 348). From General Sir Ian Hamilton to War Office. Your No.
5272, A.2.[21] I particularly request that you may reconsider your
proposal not to order more Japanese bombs. These bombs are most
effective and in high favour with our troops whose locally-made weapons,
on which they have frequently to rely, are far inferior to the bombs
used by the Turks. Our great difficulty in holding captured trenches is
that the Turks always counter-attack with a large number of powerful
bombs. Apparently their supply of these is limitless. Unless the delay
in arrival is likely to extend over several months, therefore, I would
suggest that a large order be sent to Japan. We cannot have too many of
these weapons, and this should not cancel my No. M.F.Q.T. 1321, which
should be treated as additional."

Drafted also a long cable discussing a diversion on the Asiatic shore of
the Dardanelles. So some work had been done by the time we left camp at
9.15 a.m., and got on board the _Triad_. After a jolly sail reached
Mudros at 2 p.m., landing on the Australian pier at 3 p.m. Mudros is a
dusty hole; _ein trauriges Nest_, as our German friends would say.

Worked like a nigger going right through Nos. 15 and 16 Stationary
Hospitals. Colonel Maher, P.M.O., came round, also Colonel Jones,
R.A.M.C., and Capt