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Lt.-Gen.
Sir William Birdwood
Here seen in one of the better-known pictures of the Gallipoli campaign, while taking his daily swim in Anzac Cove. The fact that he was doing so without wearing swimming trunks, was nothing special at Anzac, where only Indian troops wore them for religious (?) reasons. When this picture was published in the Australian press however, there were unforeseen, but all the same funny consequences for 'Birdie' : over a period of some weeks, there was a considerable increase in his parcel mail.
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| "The
General was delighted of course, when 'Postie' brought in his dug-out
the first armful, and he smiled happily as he struggled with string and
sealing-wax, anticipating the contents : Cigarettes perhaps? Chocolates?
A cake? How exciting, aren't people kind! But 'God forbid!' he muttered
when he began to appreciate that every parcel contained a bathing
costume sent in most cases by an anonymous and very shocked donor."
(source Eric Bush : 'Gallipoli')
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