is imperative.

CHAPTER XIV

THE FORCE--REAL AND IMAGINARY

_22nd July, 1915. Imbros._ Had a jolly outing to-day. Left for Cape
Helles by trawler just before 10 o'clock. Aspinall, Bertier and young
Brodrick came with me. Lunched at 8th Army Corps Headquarters with
Stopford and handed him a first outline scheme of the impending
operations. We read it through together and he seems to take all the
points and to be in general agreement. Left Aspinall behind to explain
any questions of detail which might not seem clear, whilst I went a tour
of inspection through the Eski Lines of trenches held by the 6th and 7th
Manchesters of the 42nd Division. These Eski Lines were first held about
the 7th or 8th May and have since been worked up, mainly by the energy
of de Lisle, into fortifications, humanly speaking, impregnable. General
Douglas, Commander of the Division, came round with me. He reminds me
greatly of his brother, the late Chief of the Imperial General Staff;
excellent at detail; a conscientious, very hard worker. When I had seen
my Manchester friends I passed on into the Royal Naval Division Lines.
There General Paris convoyed me through his section as far as
Zimmerman's Farm, where I was joined by Bailloud with his Chief of Staff
and Chief of Operations. Together we made our way round the whole of
the French trenches winding up at de Tott's Battery.

After this whopping walk, we left by pinnace from below de Tott's
wondering whether the Asiatic Batteries would think us game worth their
powder and shot. They did not and so we safely boarded our trawler at
Cape Helles. Didn't get back to Imbros Harbour till 9 p.m. Being so
late, boarded the ever hospitable _Triad_ on chance and struck, as
usual--hospitality. Hunter-Weston is really quite ill with fever. He did
not want to see anyone. As we were sitting at dinner I saw him through
the half open door staggering along on his way to get into a launch to
go aboard a Hospital ship. He is suffering very much from his head. The
doctors prophesy that he will pull round in about a week. I hope so
indeed, but I have my doubts. Aspinall reports that Stopford is entirely
in accord with our project and keen.

_23rd July, 1915. Imbros._ Spent day in camp trying to straighten things
out: (1) the personal, (2) the strategical and (3) the administrative
arrangements.

(1) Hunter-Weston has to go home and I have begged for Bruce Hamilton in
his place, and have told them I wo