Fiddes arrived from the "Marquette" at lunch time and brought my service cap, helmets having been recalled a week ago.
Lord Kitchener sent us the other day an account of the fighting at Busorah, preparing us for what was before us. The Turks had fought desperately, were well trained, and well led, and could only be turned out of their trenches at the point of the bayonet.
General Sir Ian Hamilton, Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Force, sends us his address:—
"Force Order (Special),
"General Head-quarters,
"April 21, 1915.
"Soldiers of France and of the King!
"Before us lies an adventure unprecedented in modern war. Together with our comrades of the fleet we are about to force a landing upon an open beach in face of positions which have been vaunted by our enemies as impregnable. The landing will be made good, by the help of God and the Navy, the positions will be stormed, and the war brought one step nearer to a glorious close.
"'Remember,' said Lord Kitchener, when bidding adieu to your commander, 'Remember, once you set foot on the Gallipoli Peninsula, you must fight the thing through to a finish'.
"The whole world will be watching our progress. Let us prove ourselves worthy of the great feat of arms entrusted to us.
"(Signed) Ian Hamilton, General."
April 23rd.—Spent most of the forenoon on the "Caledonia" (B. iii), which is lashed to our port side. Agassiz and Thomson arrived there yesterday with nineteen men, forming one tent-subdivision, and go with us.