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Thomas Nelson and Sons PUBLISHERS
35 & 36 PATERNOSTER ROW LONDON. E.C.
12th February, 1916
Captain Stair A. Gillon, 1st K.O.S.B., 87th Brigade, M.E.F.
My dear Stair
I received with great delight your long and interesting letter. I think it is the best letter I have ever had from the front. Your account of the evacuation is most thrilling. I got the story a fortnight ago from General Monro, but it had not your graphic touches. It was an amazing piece of luck. I suppose we expected to lose a Division. There is a pleasant tale of Curzon, who took a tremendous view of the gravity of the situation and prepared a long memorandum, full of quotations from Herodotus and Thucydides, which he read to the Cabinet. He concluded, "I see no future except the destruction of a large part of our gallant troops." When he had finished, the Prime Minister said: "It is a most interesting memorandum, but I am afraid it is now out of date. I have just heard that the evacuation has been completed, and the total casualties are three".
I am delighted to think you are having a breathing space in Egypt. By this time no doubt you have mastered Arabic and hieroglyphics. I hope you will see John Edgar. The Ministry
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of Education will always find him.
The future of your whole force is still wrapt in mystery, and I suppose nothing will be decided until we see what is going to happen in the West.
I hope to send you next week a copy of Vol. X. of my History [underlined] with an account of the September fighting in the West.
I am very busy at the Foreign Office. We have a lot of Russian deputations coming over, of which I have more or less charge; and my weekly work for the Russian army grows apace.
I had a long letter from Johnnie Jameson the other day. He has rejoined the Scottish Horse, and hopes to get out somewhere soon. He writes in much better spirits.
My little brother is in the trenches with Winston in command of the battalion, and apparently he is enjoying himself very much.
I have got a new son, who is christened William, after my brother. Susie is very well; also Alice and your godson.
Apart from the natural anxiety about Mesopotamia, people are pretty cheerful here. The Germans are making fantastic overtures for peace - the first question every neutral, who has visited Britain, on arrival in Germany, is asked, is "Is there a peace party?" Everything depends upon what the Allies in conjunction can do in the way of an offensive in the Spring. I honestly believe we have the cards in our hands to win a decision if we play them rightly. Robertson is a great success as Chief-of-Staff. He gets his own way, and actually issues orders direct to Haig in his own name.
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I have been seeing a lot of the Cabinet lately: Kitchener, Balfour, Grey, Crewe, etc., and they are certainly in better spirits. Our really big trouble is the labour question. We have too little transport, and too few auxiliaries for the fleet, and the desperate shortage of skilled labour makes it difficult to meet the problems. That and finance are to my mind more serious troubles than anything naval or military for the moment.
I am addressing the National Liberal Club on Monday. I could hardly refuse when they asked me, but it is a curious symptom of the times that they should ask a determined ex-Tory like me. Thank God we have got rid of most of that silly old party stuff.
I sincerely hope that something may happen to bring you back for a bit to see your friends. The sight of your Gothic face is the best tonic I know.
Much love from all.
Yours ever
John Buchan
