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Archiver > GREATWAR > 2005-03 > 1110382605


From: "Alan Osborn" <>
Subject: Re: [WW1] ANZAC myths and beyond.
Date: Wed, 9 Mar 2005 15:36:45 -0000
References: <6.1.2.0.0.20050308093830.027f06c0@home.it.net.au> <00aa01c523f0$54fcbd20$2102a8c0@Belkin> <6.1.2.0.0.20050309121002.027f7eb0@home.it.net.au>


Like most I don't wish to play down the ANZAC contribution to WW1.

While touring New Zealand some years ago I once asked an Australian fellow
traveller if any of his family were at Gallipoli. I was surprised at his
response "don't you b*****y Brits talk to me about Gallipoli - not after
what you did" - he couldn't / wouldn't elaborate so fearing bodily assault I
dropped the subject.

I recently read an article by Phillip Knightly written in the Independent on
Sunday published 22 April 1990

In the article the author tells of the part a journalist Keith Murdoch (son
of Rupert Murdoch) played in the ANZAC legend.

Murdoch arrived on Gallipoli according to the article 4 months after the
allied landings and remained there for 4 days before returning to Imbros.

On Imbros Murdoch met a British reporter Ellis Ashmead- Bartlet of the Daily
Telegraph who supposedly had an alcohol problem.

Both men were bound by censorship regulations but Ashmead Bartlet wrote a
story telling of the disastrous campaign but wasn't allowed to send it home.

Murdoch agreed to smuggle it out but was caught at Marseilles and forced to
hand over the story to the authorities.

When he returned to London Murdoch rewrote the story as best as he could
remember, including according to the article "a mixture of error, fact,
exaggeration, prejudice, and the most sentimental patriotism etc". He sent a
copy to the Australian Prime minister and a copy to the British Prime
Minister Lord Asquith who without checking, issued as a state paper and
circulated it to the Dardanelles committee.

This report is apparently the start of the legend.

If you can get a copy from the papers archives it is well worth reading -
how much is true I don't know

regards Alan


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