Despatches by Lee Murray

Author:Lee Murray
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: PS Publishing
Published: 2023-10-01T00:00:00+00:00

AUTHOR NOTE

Lest We Forget

DESPATCHES began as an epistolary cosmic horror tale set against the backdrop of war, with the 1915 Allied campaign at Gallipoli providing the perfect arena for a plot involving Lovecraftian-type monsters and unfathomable horror. However, as is often the case with writing, the novella turned into something else—a kind of re-envisioning of the Cassandra myth, with my protagonist, pressman Cassius Smythe, gifted with a terrible knowledge but unable to tell it, since no one will believe him, or if they do, they must deny it. For me, the story became a study of truth, those versions we wish to reveal and those we feel we must hide, and it reminded me of a conversation I had with my mother once about whether or not we should use the “good” china. The old school of thought was that our best tableware should be reserved for honoured guests, while the cheaper everyday service would suffice for family and friends because the people who love us do so in spite of our flaws. But while writing the story, I realised that, in reality, we often hide our authentic selves from those we love the most, and not always in our own interests, but to spare them hurt. And I learned that an unacknowledged truth can be a heavy burden indeed.

For those readers who may be less familiar with Great War history, many of the events in the story actually happened, including: the 25th April landing day massacre; the Navy censorship of true accounts in favour of letters and articles purporting glory and success; the gruesome 24th May burial armistice; the heroic and deadly capture of Chunuk Bair by the New Zealand Infantry Contingent; and strong criticism of the military leadership of General Hamilton by the press which, when leaked, led to his replacement by General Monro and the eventual evacuation of the region. The Māori contingent did indeed petition Sir Alexander Godfrey for the right to join their compatriots in battle, later distinguishing themselves in the fighting, including at Chunuk Bair. The main Māori contingent, however, did not arrive on the Peninsula until July. The heat, flies, illness, and the November storm which appear in Despatches are also well documented in accounts. Also noted in the story are some of the ships and submarines lost throughout 1914-1916 on the Dardanelle Peninsula. Vessels mentioned in this story are: the Q44 submarine, the Saphir, which sunk in January 1915 in the Dardanelle Strait, and the HMS Triumph and the HMS Majestic, warships which provided bombardment cover to the troops fighting on the coast and which were scuttled within two days of one another in May 1915 (Journalist Ashmead-Bartlett was among those rescued). Incoming and outgoing mail trawlers sank in November to the bitter disappointment of the troops and their families. However, while real events and some well-known historic figures appear in Despatches, unless specified, conversations reported in the story are entirely fictitious. Any factual errors in the text are mine alone.

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