GALLIPOLI WITHDRAWAL.

Bay of Plenty Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 6593, 22 January 1916, Page 4

GALLIPOLI WITHDRAWAL .

(Times and Sydney Sun Services.) London, Jan 19,

Writing from Salonika, JMr Ward Price says: "The able organisation of the bloodless evacuation of Belles, Anzac and Suvla, relieves the melancholy spectacle of the ill-judged enterprise. The fact that there were no losses might Icul one to undervalue the resoruce and minute care shown. Considerable losses v?er: j- expected. A loss of 30 per cent in killed and wounded v;ould not have been surprising hati the Turks discovered the movement and bombarded the beaches ar.d attacked.

"lfce process cf withdrawal at Suvla and no doubt at Helles also, was spread over ten nights, and divided into three periods. First the winter stores' snd superfluities were removed. Secondly, everything was shipped except «the acfual food and ammunition reeded for the men. The iirst drafts of men also began to depart. Finally, two nights were taken up in embarking the guns, animals an<! men 'in carefully calculated detachments. It was at iirst determined to fall back on the second line of defence, for the last stag?, but this would have given the Turks a clear idea of what was going on, «nd it was abandoned in favour of th-' preservation of absolutely normal conditions.

"On the last night, from 8.30 ti 1.80, the rir9t line trenches were held by a few picked men from each' brigade, giving one rille to each seven yards of front, but a detachment of the 88th Brigade bad the whole of the 29th's Division's front, and was responsible for 5,000 yards. There were two lines ol trenches behind the advance lines, also posts where a last stand could be made. The men were ordered cot to le^ve until word was received from the beaches that all was clear."