JOHN MELLY OF ETHIOPIA Edited by Kathleen Nelson and Alan
Sullivan
John Melly has claims to public interest because of his magnificent work during the Italo-Abyssinian war as leader of the British Ambulance Service in Ethiopia. It is a great pity, therefore, that so much of this book (Faber and Faber, 8s. 6d.) should be concerned with the everyday activities and emotions of a character which, 'in the events of everyday life, was not really remarkable. After serving two years in the war Melly studied medicine at Oxford, Barts. and Michigan University. In July, 1934, he went out to Ethiopia to found a missionary hospital which, however, political intrigue and the threatened outbreak of hostilities pre- vented him from achieving. When war became imminent he returned to Eng- land and, after many difficulties, organ- ised the B.A.S.E., the first unit of which he himself took out in Noverriber, 1935. Six months later Melly met his tragic death at the hands of an Abyssinian rioter in Addis Ababa, just before the Italian occupation of the city. If the fantastic difficulties of organising a con- stantly moving ambulance service in the wilds of the Abyssinian country cannot be imagined, the description in this book will certainly amaze and instruct. There are also some illuminating details about the Italian use of gas and the bombing of various red-cross units by Italian air- men—referring to the bombing of his own unit Melly observes : " There is no possible question of doubt as to the absolute deliberation of the attack." On the whole, however, this book fails to do justice to much interesting material.
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