a proper and soldierly manner. Every
General of experience would be with him in each of them, but there was
one huge danger rapidly approaching us; already casting its shadow upon
us, which, to me as Commander-in-Chief, outweighed every secondary
objection. We might have the hills at the cost of walking up them
to-day; the Lord only knew what would be the price of them to-morrow.
Helles and Anzac were both holding the Turks to their own front, but
from Asia and Bulair the enemy were on the march. Once our troops dug
themselves in on the crest no number of Turks would be able to shift
them. But; if the Turks got there first? If, as Colonel Malcolm said, it
was impossible to get orders round the Division in time,--a surprising
statement--was there no body of troops--no Divisional reserve--no
nothing--which could be used for the purpose of marching a couple of
miles? Seemingly, there was no reserve! Never, in all my long soldiering
had I been faced with ideas like these. I have seen attack orders
dictated to a Division from the saddle in less than five minutes. Here
was a victorious Division, rested and watered, said to be unable to
bestir itself, even feebly, with less than twelve hours' notice! This
was what I felt and although I did not say it probably I looked it, for
Malcolm now qualified the original _non possumus_ by saying that
although the Irish and the 33rd and 34th Brigades could not be set in
motion before daylight, the 32nd Brigade, which was concentrated round
about Sulajik, would be ready to move at short notice.

The moment had now come for making up my mind. I did so, and told
Hammersley in the most distinct terms that I wished this Brigade to
advance _at once and dig themselves in on the crestline_.[6] If the
Brigade could fix themselves upon the heights overlooking Anafarta Sagir
they would make the morning advance easy for their comrades and would be
able to interfere with and delay the Turkish reinforcements which might
try and debouch between the two Anafartas during the night or march down
upon Suvla from the North. Viewed from the sea or studied in a map there
might be some question of this hill, or that hill, but, on the ground it
was clear to half an eye that Tekke Tepe was the key to the whole Suvla
Bay area. If by dawn, I said, even one Company of ours was well
entrenched on the Tekke Tepe height we should have the whip hand of the
enemy in the opening moves next morning.

Hammersley said he un