262 sportsmen Parsons in Peace and War 



the heights, and turned to him for sympathy when told that what 

 they had won at such a cost had to be given up again. 



The news that all had to evacuate came as a bombshell, and 

 many were the curses on civilian-controlled campaigning. They 

 did not know then that a new plan had dawned upon the 

 authorities and its name was Loos ! It had been a toss-up 

 between Constantinople and Loos, and the latter had won. 

 The first to evacuate were the Irish and French divisions to 

 Salonika. It is old history now, therefore I presume there can 

 be no harm in referring to the curious fact that the Turks did 

 not interfere in any way with the evacuation of these divisions 

 with the exception of dropping proclamations at 9 o'clock next 

 morning to tell the native regiments that they were being left 

 behind by their white comrades to have their throats cut. What 

 makes this so interesting is that the Turks must surely have 

 been printing their leaflets during the time the evacuation was 

 in progress, and it throws some light on the complaisance they 

 showed during the subsequent evacuations. 



I have some interesting letters dealing with that time, but 

 they had better stay in the dark for the present, though it is 

 difficult to see how^ what happened three years ago can now be 

 prejudicial. It is all part of a very bitter and ignominious past. 



The much-grieved Australians and their Captain Mac now 

 went to France, having tasted both victory and bitterness 

 together. 



To my mind Captain Mackenzie's most charming attribute 

 was his passionate love and admiration for the Australians, 

 whom he describes as "not merely big men, but men with 

 brains, who, though they slouch about when there is nothing to 

 do, are altogether different when any business has to be carried 

 through. I am sorry for those who get in the way then, for 

 nothing stops them but death. Tell them there is a difficult 

 job for them to see through, then they are all the three big 

 ' G's ' put together, as I heard someone express it : Grit, Guts, 

 and Gumption. Oh, they are princes — men — great ! " 



He says he loves every mother's son of them, and feels it a 

 privilege to be able to do anything for them ; their courage is so 

 supreme no one could help loving them. Nerve-shattering 

 shells, thundering guns, mud, snow, rain, or general wretchedness 

 cannot make them other than cheerful. 



