Tragic Story of the Dardanelles. Ian Hamilton's Final Despatch

On 11th October 1915 General Sir Ian Hamilton commanding Gallipoli received a cable from the SofS for War (Kitchener) asking for an estimate of the losses which would be involved in an evacuation of the peninsula. Hamilton regarded such a step as unthinkable and replied accordingly the next day. On 16th October he received another cable recalling him to London where he was told HMG wanted a fresh unbiassed opinion from a responsible commander upon the question of an early evacuation. The man chosen was General Sir C.C.Monro then C-in-C Third Army in France. Hamilton never received another operational command. This then is his final despatch written in London and dated 11th December 1915 and in it he describes the operations on Gallipoli in July and August .