t that, by sending this message,
we implied in so many words, that we would not land until the lighters
came out from England. He assumed that we had definitely turned down any
plan of scrambling ashore forthwith, as best we could? I said, "Yes,"
and that the Navy were with me in that view, a statement confirmed by de
Robeck and Wemyss who nodded their heads. Birdwood said he only wanted
to be quite clear about it, and there the matter dropped.

Actually I had thought a lot about that possibility. To a man of my
temperament there was every temptation to have a go in and revenge the
loss of the battleships forthwith. We might sup to-morrow night on Achi
Baba. With luck we really might. Had I been here for ten days instead of
five, and had I had any time to draft out any sort of scheme, I might
have had a dart. But the operation of landing in face of an enemy is the
most complicated and difficult in war. Under existing conditions the
whole attempt would be partial, _decousu_, happy-go-lucky to the last
degree. There are no small craft to speak of. There is no provision for
carrying water. There is no information _at all_ about springs or wells
ashore. There is no arrangement for getting off the wounded and my
Principal Medical Officer and his Staff won't be here for a fortnight.
My orders against piecemeal occupation are specific. But the 29th
Division is our _piece de resistance_ and it won't be here, we
reckon--not complete--for another three weeks.

All the same, I might chance it, for, by taking all these off chances we
_might_ pull off the main chance of stealing a march upon the Turks.
What puts me off is not the chances of war but the certainties of
commonsense. If I did so handle my troops on the spot as to sup on Achi
Baba to-morrow night, I still could not counter the inevitable reaction
of numbers, time and space. The Turks would have at least a fortnight to
concentrate their whole force against my half force; to defeat them and
then to defy the other half.

I must wait for the 29th Division. By the time they come I can get
things straight for a smashing simultaneous blow and I am resolved that,
so far as in me lies, the orders and preparations will then be so
thoroughly worked out--so carefully rehearsed as to give every chance to
my men.[6]

If the 29th Division were here--or near at hand--I could balance
shortage against the obvious evils of giving the Turks time to reinforce
and to dig. Could I hope for