[221] Colonel John Buchan puts the number at 13,000 (Nelson’s History of the War, xi. 26).
[222] See the speech of Venizelos to the Athenian Chamber, August 26, 1917.
[223] Belgrade fell to Mackensen on October 9; the Bulgarians crossed the Serbian frontier on the 11th, occupied Uskub on the 22nd, and Nish on November 5, thus opening direct railway communication between the Central Powers and Constantinople through Sofia. Monastir fell on December 2, and by the middle of that month the Serbian army and the Allies had been entirely driven out of Serbian territory.
[224] Sir Ian’s dispatch, last section but two.
[225] Sir Ian’s dispatch.
[226] Sir Charles Monro’s dispatch (March 6, 1916).
[227] Sir Charles Monro’s dispatch (March 6, 1916).
[228] Speech in the House of Commons, November 2, 1915.
[229] See The “Times” History of the War, Part 84, p. 213. It is worth noticing that on November 18, Lord Ribblesdale in the House of Lords declared that it was common knowledge that Sir Charles Monro had “reported in favour of withdrawal from the Dardanelles, and adversely to the continuance of winter operations there.” One can only suppose that, in saying this, Lord Ribblesdale deliberately intended to mislead the enemy, who could hardly believe so rash a betrayal of intention could be made with impunity, if the statement were true.
[230] Lord Kitchener’s original objection to evacuation may perhaps be supported by a passage in an article by Dr. E. J. Dillon (Fortnightly Review, February 1918): “The evacuation of Gallipoli was not warranted in the light of all the elements of the problem, because from the point of view of the Coalition it meant the asphyxiation of Russia and her ultimate disappearance as a belligerent, and to ward off this calamity the sacrifice of several warships would not have been excessive.”