LATE NEWS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 17, 21 January 1916, Page 8

LATE NEWS

THE DEPARTURE

N.Z. OFFICER'S DIARY

GRAPHIC STORY OF LAST OPERATIONS.

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.—Copyright') (Received January 21, 2 p.m.j LONDON, 20th January. No more vivid account of the evacuation of Anzac has been given than that in a New Zealand medical officer's diary, published in the Manchester Guardian. He wrote :— 10th December: Astonished to learn that we may be leaving with the guns. 11th: Received orders to evacuate the hospital cases. 12th: Told the secretary to be ready to embark at any moment. Weather dead calm. There is much excitement, for it is a terribly difficult feat, and any hitch may mean a great disaster. 13th: Evacuation proceeding steadily. The weather is threatening. The landing was difficult enough; the final evacuation is a desperate business. Many guns have been shipped. Anafarta Plain has already a deserted appearance. We live in expectation of an attack at any moment. All the stores will be transported this evening to the embarkation point. The final scene will be thrilling. Our casualties, it is estimated, will possibly be from six thousand to ten thousand. ■ Have learnt later that the last troops, to be withdrawn will be the old Main Body of Australians and New Zealanders—the first to land, and the last to leave. They have played a glorious part. 15th : Expect to leave to-morrow night. The eve of the final retreat has been a very trying day. The line is precariously thin, and only a few cannon are left, which fire a great deal to compensate for the others. If the Turks attack strongly, nothing can save us from a disaster. Their artillery ha« scarcely fired for two days. Our warships are firing incessantly at Helles; perhaps the Turks think we will try another assault on Achi Baba. The weather is fine. We have never studied the sky with such apprehension. 16th: An uneventful, anxious night. The roads and the sap seem deserted. It seems impossible that the Turks do not realise what we are doing. THE FINAL EMBARKATION 17th : We have definite orders to depart to-morrow night. The suspense ifi trying. The Turks are extraordinarily quiet, but our few guns make a brave show. 18th: The whole place seems to be deserted. We could not wish for better weather for the grande finale. Our aeroplanes are aloft all day to keep off enemy observers. The garrison has been reducedj and to-morrow the remainder will embark—or what ie left of them. The j evacuation has hitherto been a tremendous success, but to-morrow night will be I very critical. j 19th: Left Anzac last' evening, and inarched along the sap leading to ths pier. Not a word was spoken, not a match was struck. We proceeded rapidly and silently in the darkneßS, all keyed up. We feared to hear rifle-fire , at any moment. A few sheila burst I near the pier. We embarked with wonderful despatch. The wharf was covered with sacks to deaden the footfalls. We reached Mudros in the early morning, and arrived in camp in the evening, and slept deep and long. We were all terribly weary from the strain. The first of the "Anzac Diehards" arrived this afternoon, and the last came in at 5 o'clock this evening, and marched along a road a mile long between lines of cheering troops. Very proud they looked as the men cheered. None will ever forget those strained and exhausted, but dauntless faces. Their only casualties were three sprained ankles, and the troops are as full of fight as ever, and will yet win some great battle.