March 27th, 1918.
My Dear Blank,
It has been a most disastrous war for one simple reason—that our Navy, with a sea supremacy quite unexampled in the history of the world (we are five times stronger than the enemy) has been relegated into being a “Subsidiary Service!”...
What crashes we have had
Tirpitz—Sunk.
Joffre—Stranded.
Kitchener—Drowned.
Lord French— }
Lord Jellicoe— } Made Viscounts.
Lord Devonport— }
Fisher—Marooned.
Sir W. Robertson—The “Eastern Command” in Timbuctoo.
Bethmann-Hollweg—}
Asquith— } Torpedoed.
Heaven bless you! I am here walking 10 miles a day! and eating my heart out!
And a host of minor prophets promoted. (We don’t shoot now! we promote!)
Yours, etc.,
(Signed) Fisher.
27/3/18.
To Lord Fisher from an Admirer.
21st November, 1918.