THE SONG OF TIADATHA
RHYMES OF A
RED-CROSS MAN
By ROBERT W. SERVICE
Cloth. 4/6 net.
“It is the great merit of Mr.Service’s verses that they areliterally alive with the stress andjoy and agony and hardship thatmake up life out in the battlezone. He has never written betterthan in this book, and that issaying a great deal.”—Bookman.
T. Fisher Unwin Ld. London
THE SONG OF
TIADATHA
By Captain
OWEN RUTTER (‘KLIP-KLIP’)
T. FISHER UNWIN LTD.
LONDON: ADELPHI TERRACE
| First impression published in Salonica, | January 20, 1919 |
| Second impression published in Salonica, | February 4, 1919 |
| First issue in Great Britain | 1920 |
| Second Impression | 1920 |
| Third Impression | 1920 |
(All rights reserved)
TO
COLONEL “BONNY” ROCKE, C.M.G.
WHO HAS TURNED MORE THAN ONE
TIRED ARTHUR INTO A SOLDIER
THIS SLIGHT RECORD OF ADVENTURE IS DEDICATED
IN MEMORY OF MANY DAYS (PLEASANT AND UNPLEASANT)
SPENT UNDER HIS COMMAND IN WILTSHIRE AND
IN FRANCE, AND UPON THE BARREN
HILLS OF MACEDONIA
The Song of Tiadatha first made its appearancein the columns of The Orient Weekly,and by the time two or three instalments had appearedrequests came from every quarter askingthat the fascinating story of “Tired Arthur”should be completed as soon as possible, and issuedin book form for the further delight of its manyadmirers. This was easier asked for than compliedwith. All sorts of urgent messages were sent tothe Author, insisting on the fame that was awaitinghim, but he was extremely busy with his militaryduties up on the Doiran Front, and in the intervalsof raiding the Bulgars his serio-comic muse didnot flourish too easily.
But bit by bit the pleasing fabric of The Songof Tiadatha was built up, and we are happy tobe able to present it at last in complete form.The Song of Tiadatha is unique in war literature.It tells a story which is common to very many[8]members of the Salonica Army, and tells it in afashion which is a most happy blend of descriptiverealism, humour and sentiment. Longfellow’smetre has often been copied before, but I thinknever so well as thi