LEAVING ANZAC.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVII, Issue 18, 21 January 1916, Page 6

LEAVING ANZAC.

MEDICAL OFFICER'S DIARY. AWFUL TIME OF TENSION BEFORE FINAL MOVE. ANXIETY ABOUT WEATHER. f (Received 10.25 a.m.) LONDON, January 20. No , more vivid account of tlie evacuation of Anzac has been written than that con/.ained in a New Zealand medical officer's diary, published by the "Manchester Guardian." On December 10 he was astonished to learn that the force might be leaving Anzac, taking away all its guns. On the I following day he received orders to evacuate all hospital cases, and on the 12th he was told to bo ready to embark at any moment. The weather was a dead calm. "There is much excitement," he writes, "as it will be a terribly difficult feat, and any hitch may mean a great disaster." December 13: "The evacuation is proceeding steadily, but the weather is threatening. The landing was difficult enoagh, but the final evacuation will be a desperate business. Many guns have been slipped, and the Anafarta Plain already has a deserted appearance. We live in expectation of an attack at any moment. All stores were transported this evening to the embarkation point. The final scene will be thrilling. The casualties are estimated at possibly 6,000 or even 10,000. I learnt later that the last troops withdrawn will be the old main body of Australians and New Zealanders, who were the first to land and will be the last to leave. They have played a glorious part." December 15: "We expect to leave tomorrow night, on the eve of the final retreat. It has been a very trying day, for the line is precariously thin, and there axe only a few cannon left,-which fire a great deal of ammunition to compensate for the absence of the others. If the Turks attack strongly nothing can save a disaster. Their artillery has scarcely fired for two days. Our warships are firing incessantly at Helles, and perhaps the Turks think that we will try another assault on Achi Baba. The ■weather is fine; we have never studied the sky with such apprehension."

December 16: "We have had an uneventful but anxious night. The roads and saps seem deserted, and it seems that the Turks have not realised, what is doing." December 17: "Definite orders have been received to depart to-morrow night. The suspense was trying, as the Turks are extraordinarily quiet, but our few guns make a brave show." December 18: "The whole place seems to be deserted. We couldn't wish for -better weather for the grand finale. Our aeroplanes were aloft all day long to keep off enemy observers. The garrison has been reduced and to-morrow the remainder will embark, or what » left of them. The evacuation has hit» erto been a tremendous success, but tomorrow night will be very critical." December 19: "We left Anzac last evening; and marched to the sap leading to the pier. -'Not' a word was; spoken, not a match was struck. We proceeded rapidly and silently in the darkness, all keyed up, for we feared to hear riflefire at any moment. A few shells buret near the pier, but we embarked with wonderful dispatch. The wharf was covered with sacks to deaden our footfalls. We reached Mudros early in the morn? ing and arrived at camp in the evening and slept deep and long. All were terribiy weary from the strain. The first Anzac diehards arrived in the afternoon and the last came in at 5 o'etock in the evening. They marched down a road a mile long between lines of cheering troops, and very i proud they looked as the men cheere3. None Who looked "coulH forget those strained and exhausted, but dauntless, faces. Their only casualties were three sprained ankles, and the troops were as full of fight as ever, and will yet win some great battle." Dealing with "4lie final stage ..of the evacuation he writes:' "When the men were told that the force was .leaving they behaved .splendidly. They went to work with a will, and' destroyed everything that they had to leave behind. When they had finished there was not a sixpennyworth of . stuff left in our gully. Three-fifths of the men were embarked on Saturday night without mishap. Sunday was the most critical day, as those who had been guarding the lines had to be removed, and we were prepared for large casualties. We started off at 8.30 p.m., in bright moonlight, marching in Indian file through the saps, the medical staff bringing up i,n the rear, in the event of casualties occurring. Keeping undeT the shadow of the saps, we reached the beach at midnight, without lose. The staff work throughout was splendid."