LAST TO LEAVE

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXXII, Issue 12252, 6 April 1935, Page 9

LAST TO LEAVE

ECHOES OF GALLIPOLI

Commander R. Lyugiou-Jones. m a roccnt letter to the Sunday Times, claimed to be the last to leave the shores of the Gall.peli Pcnim-nla. While not wishing to contest Ins claim to be the last to leave the shores, i think (writes retired J.ieut,CoUmel W. 14. S- Alexander to ihal. jourual) the last man to step uff the heaeii was either the late General S r Stanley Maude, then G.O.C. Idia. Division, or otto oV the small party with him. This is what happened to make the general so lute that 'm uoarlv missed the last lighter to leave the shore: ‘‘Two lighters wet* 1 , provided to take otl' the rearguard of the ,I.3th Division from Gully Reach in the rear of the 'Sector of the line it: was holding, but, owing to the heavy sea. one lighter ran ashore; G3O men were crammed into the remaining lighter, which got away all right and discharged them on a transport, but the general, some members of tbe stall of the division, and 150 officers and men still remained at Gully Reach. Under instructions from “W” Reach, we left a? about 4-30 a.m. to embark in two lighters which wore still there, the general with two of his -staff going by the road over the dill's, the lo“ officers and men and myself by the shore, which was considerably farther. When my party reached “W” Roach the general had not turned up there; the two lighters were therefore kept alongside tho jetty to wait for him, and everyone embarked on the lighters, which were ready to cast or at a moment’s notice. We waited there for perhaps half an hour, our surroundings brightly lit up by tlio burning dump on the cliff üboyc, and we wondered whether the general or the Turks would arrive first, and what would happen when the main magazine, just over c heads, went up. Just beiore ft did so plunging us into darkness and hailing “jam-pots” all round us, X saw some people run down the beach and embark in the other lighter, which was inshore of us. Those were Sir Stanley Maudo and .ills party, who had been unable to frnd the gap in the wire until, luckily, a demolition party came long who showed them the way through. Wo lost no time in getting off. Tile -other lighter, more lucky that we were, found accommodation on a transport. All our re quests vto bo taken on board were met with a blank refusal and an invitation to- go to Hell-es, so that there was nothing for it but to push off in the gale for lihbros, where, thanks to our “captain”, we arrived safely, though we narrowly missed betng carried by th% wind back to the .Gallipoli Peninsula,