COMPLIMENTS OF THE KING
“Official documents”--the words convey the impression of dry
reading--but I do not think those will be so found which have to
do with the historic episodes of the landing at Gallipoli and its
evacuation.
There is Lord Kitchener’s message to the Anzacs and in addition to its
nobility and eloquence and the dignified State diction in which it was
couched, there is the little addition of Gen. Birdwood, informal and
affectionate, which touched us as deeply, made us feel as proud as did
the message of his Majesty and Lord Kitchener.
This message, which came to us after Lord Kitchener had addressed us
and strongly conveyed without positively stating the Empire’s decision
of a withdrawal from Gallipoli, was as follows:
LORD KITCHENER’S MESSAGE.
AUSTRALIAN AND NEW ZEALAND ARMY CORPS
Special Army Corps Order.
NOVEMBER 25, 1915. Lord Kitchener has desired me to convey to the
Australian and New Zealand Army Corps, a message with which he was
specially entrusted by the King to bring to our Army Corps.
His Majesty commanded Lord Kitchener to express his high
appreciation of the gallant and unflinching conduct of our men
through fighting which has been harder than any yet seen during the
war, and his Majesty wishes to express his complete confidence in
the determination and fighting qualities of our men to assist in
carrying this war to an entirely successful termination.
Lord Kitchener has ordered me to express to all the very great
pleasure it gave him to have the opportunity which he considers
a privilege, of visiting “Anzac” to see for himself some of the
wonderfully good work which has been done by the officers and men
of our Army Corps, as it was not until he had himself seen the
positions we had captured and held, that he was able to fully
realize the magnitude of the work which has been accomplished. Lord
Kitchener much regretted that time did not permit of his seeing
the whole corps, but he was very pleased to see a considerable
proportion of officers and men, and so confidently imbued that the
grand spirit, which has carried them through all their trials and
many dangerous feats of arms, a spirit which he is quite confident
they will maintain to the end, until they have taken their full
share in completely overthrowing our enemies.
Boys! We may all well be proud to receive such a message and it is
up to all of us to live up to them and prove their truth.
W. R. BIRDWOOD.
Major Gen. A. Lynden Bell, Chief of the General Staff of the
Mediterranean Expeditionary force, issued the order for the Evacuation
of “Anzac.” It was such as to take the sting out of it for us who had
fought so hard, but must relinquish what we had won. I think it will be
found as interesting a document as that which has gone before.
The Order of Evacuation read:
GENERAL HEADQUARTERS, December 21, 1915. The Commander-in-Chief
desires to express to all ranks in the Dardanelles Army his
unreserved appreciation of the way in which the recent operations,
ending in the evacuation of Anzac and “Suvla” positions, have been
carried to an issue successful beyond his hopes. The arrangements
made for withdrawal, and for keeping the enemy in ignorance of the
operation which was taking place, could not have been improved. The
General Officer Commanding the Dardanelles Army, and the General
Officers Commanding the Australian and New Zealand and the 9th Army
Corps, may pride themselves on an achievement without parallel
in the annals of war. The Army and Corps Staff, divisional and
subordinate Commanders of their staff, and the Naval and Military
Beach Staffs, proved themselves more than equal to the most
difficult task that could have been thrown upon them. Regimental
officers, non-commissioned officers and men carried out, without a
hitch, the most trying operation which soldiers can be called upon
to undertake--a withdrawal in the face of the enemy--in a manner
reflecting the highest credit on the discipline and soldierly
qualities of the troops.
It is no exaggeration to call this achievement one without
parallel. To discharge and withdraw from a bold and active enemy
is the most difficult of all military operations; and in this case
the withdrawal was effected by surprise, with the opposing forces
at close grips--in many cases within a few yards of each other.
Such an operation, when succeeded by a re-embarkation from an open
beach, is one for which military history contains no precedent.
During the past months the troops of Great Britain and Ireland,
Australia and New Zealand, Newfoundland and India fighting side by
side have invariably proved their superiority over the enemy, have
contained the best fighting troops in the Ottoman Army in their
front, and have prevented the Germans from employing their Turkish
allies against us elsewhere.
No soldier relishes undertaking a withdrawal from before the enemy.
It is hard to leave behind the graves of good comrades, and to
relinquish positions so hardly won and so gallantly maintained as
those we have left. But all ranks in the Dardanelles Army will
realize that in this matter they were but carrying out the orders
of his Majesty’s Government, so that they might in due course be
more usefully employed in fighting elsewhere for their King, their
country and the Empire.
There is one only consideration--what is best for the furtherance
of the common cause. In that spirit the withdrawal was carried out,
and in that spirit the Australian and New Zealand and the 9th Army
Corps have proved, and will continue to prove, themselves second to
none as soldiers of the empire.
A. LYNDEN BELL, _Major-General_.
Chief of the General Staff, Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
There was also posted for our information an exchange of telegrams
between King George and Sir Charles Monro, Commander-in-Chief of the
Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, which should also be given here.
From Buckingham Palace came the following to Sir Charles Monro:
December 20th, 1915.
It gives me the greatest satisfaction to hear of the successful
evacuation of “Suvla” and “Anzac” without loss of troops or guns.
Please convey to General Birdwood and those under his command my
congratulations upon the able manner in which they have carried out
so difficult an operation.
GEORGE, R. I.
And the reply was:
December 21st, 1915.
TO HIS MAJESTY THE KING:
I have communicated your Majesty’s gracious message to General
Birdwood and the Dardanelles Army. In their behalf and my own I
beg to give expression to the deep gratification felt by all ranks
at your Majesty’s encouraging words of congratulation. The troops
are only inspired by a desire to be employed as soon as possible
wherever their services may be used to best advantage against your
Majesty’s enemies.
SIR CHARLES MONRO,
Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Expeditionary Force.
And on the same date was received from the Secretary of State for War
by Sir Charles Monro and duly posted:
December 21st, 1915.
His Majesty’s Government received your news with the greatest
pleasure and wishes immediately to express to you and all under
your command their high appreciation of the excellence of the
arrangements for the withdrawal from “Anzac” and “Suvla,” and their
warm admiration for the conduct of the troops in carrying out the
most difficult operation of the war. They appreciate as fully
the effective help which Admiral Wemyss and the navy as well as
General Birdwood and the Corps and other commanders afforded you.
The thanks of the government for this fine achievement are due
to you and to all concerned, and I wish also to congratulate you
personally.
To these documents may be added not inappropriately perhaps the tribute
of Edgar Wallace, an English poet, to the Anzacs. It reads:
ANZACS.
The Children unborn shall acclaim
The standard the Anzacs unfurled,
When they made Australasia’s fame
The wonder and pride of the world.
Some of you got a V. C.,
Some “the Gallipoli trot,”
And all of you got it damned hot,
And I see you go limping through town,
In the faded old hospital blue,
And driving abroad--lying down,
And Lord! but I wish I were you!
I envy you beggars I meet,
From the dirty old hats on your head
To the rusty old boots on your feet--
I envy you living or dead.
A knighthood is fine in its way,
A peerage gives splendor and fame,
But I’d rather have tacked any day
That word to the end of my name.
I’d count it the greatest reward
That ever a man could attain;
I’d sooner be “Anzac” than “lord,”
I’d rather be “Anzac” than “thane.”
Here’s a bar to the medal you’ll wear,
There’s a word that will glitter and glow,
And an honor a king cannot share,
When you’re back in the cities you know.
The children unborn shall acclaim
The standard the Anzacs unfurled
When they made Australasia’s fame
The wonder and pride of the world.
EDGAR WALLACE.