THE DEPARTURE.

Marlborough Express, Volume L, Issue 4, 6 January 1916, Page 3

THE DEPARTURE.

-«— I,AST HOURS ON GALLIPOLI

THE GREATEST "BLUFF" IN HISTORY.

TURKS COMPLETELY KOOD-

WINKED,

The following is n. continuation of the despatch received by the Government. It is dated Am:ac Bay, 19th December, and deals with the withdrawal of the troops from the paninsula (the first portion of the story appeared in The Expkess last Friday) :— The bell of some ship across the water has .just struck midnight—just the same clear sound that we used to hear over the water at_ nights, and which always brought with it some distant reminiscence of bells in a country church.long remembered. A bomb flashes at the Neck. Tho rifle'fire seems to me £0 increase ever so little opposite Lone Pine, but n> may have been imagination. - Beachy has fired one. shell. I cannot see the flash, so it probably went into the sea. ■ The destroyer on the right is firing a few rounds.

A. bomb is fired at. the Apex. A bomb at Chatham Post replies. Two bombs at the Neck are followed by a certain amount of Turkish firing, exactly as on other nights. 12.39 a.m.—The moon has been clouded for some time, btit it js still so bright that I can read what I am writing. 1 a.m.—A transport is moving ■iv and another stealing out. It is getting very near to the time when the withdrawal of the last party from certain portions of the line will begin. . 1.28 a.m.—Bomb on the Apex. 1.29 a.m.— Bomb on the Ap?y. 1.30 a.m.—Bomb on the Apex. That is evidently the last demonstration, of the party at the Apex. From this moment the Apex, the highest point on the ridge in our line, which was won by the Wellington Battalion on Bth August, and held— thousrh it cost Wellington 712 out ot its 763 men who went into that fight— from this, moment the Apex is free to the enemy. His firo trench there is 59 yards from ours. 1.45. a.m.—Beachy. has fired again.. The shell burst in the supply depot' near Brighton "Bench. So he is at his old game. That supply depot is the favorite target of Beachy's shells ,at night. This is the first night.they will find no one there. THE PARTING. SHOT.

Two bombs at the Apex. Our men have gone from there a, quarter of an hour. Those bombs have just been thrown by the Turks at our empty trenches. * ■ . 1.55 a.m.—There has ,just steamed silently past us the small .warship which I know contains the commander, of our army corps. General Birdwood was ashore at Anzac amongst our men to-day. They were in splendid heart. It has been a splendid time for tho men of' Anzac Lately. All sorts of small luxuries- to eat, because masses and stores wanted to get rid of their stocks. i 1.57 a.m. —Another bomb at the Apex. We had two tunnels, out far beneath the Turkish trenches there, in case of need, and into these the En°-in-eers ha.ye put what explosives remain with them. The. biggest mine we ever fired before .-contained: less than 5 cwt. of explosives. This-mine of three tons, if we decide to fire it, should rend the Neck to pieces. It is sm extraordinary ending to a fine piece of history. Quinn's—the trench that the , Turks co^ld never take, at whatever cost they tried—we have quietly left in the night. It lies open .to them now. • , 3.25 a.m.—The- trenches opposite the Neck 'have at this moment been left. The old Anzac line is now onen to the Turks along every part. Desultory fire continues exactly as on other v nights-" from far right' to far ■left. ■ • . ■ .'. ■ .'■.■ ■ 3.2G- a. 111 .—A great finalev •• ,Just now a huge red cloud rolled low across the Neck. There was a low rumble. Presently a' still larger cloudy curled I6w acf-oss the further, slope of these same ridges, the angry revolving fumes glowing orange for an instant, then . fading into the 'night.; They were the two mines at the Neck; where our Light Horse once charged. A rattle of rifle fire has started from the centre, and it is spreading quickly to the flanks, growing steadily into a roar. Tho Turks evidently think they are being attacked, and have started firing all along the line. 3.35 a.m.—Firing is heavy right to the extreme southern end of the line. A message h<as been received to say that the- Anzac wireless station has been closed, and the last party ou the left is safely in the/boats. 3.45 a.m.—Firing is still heavy, .and includes machine-guns. The j Suvla wireless station is closed also. The Navy must have timed the em- . barkation i>erfectly. • 4 a.m.—The fire at Anzac has almost ' ceased, except for the normal snip-, ing by Turks along the whole line: . but with the exception of Sniper s Nest I can see no flashes from their •rifles, so they must be in their trenches. 4.1 a.m.—The tents and stores at - Suvla. have- just begun to burst intu. flames. The flames are spreading swiftly along the line «f the beach. I can see 'the torch of tho man who is lighting them, going just ahead 01 the line of flames. ,

EMBARKATION COMPLETE.

4.15 a.m. —A wireless message has been received that the whole of the embarkation has been . completed. A naval vofficer next to me turns round and holds .out his hand. "Thunfc God," he says

• 6 a.m. —Messages are still coining ,in. As far as wo know only one maiv was wounded at Anzae. Every man is believed to be off; but in case any ■ are left behind through losing their ! way a conpk' of naval steamboats and ; .some cutters have gone; right in to the beach near the flanks to wait till daylight. If there had been any wounded it was intended to leave about fifty stretcher-bearers ashore with two medical men and the equipment ot the two hospitals, complete with stores, but weho'ir that all the mrrjicarunits have now been brought, off. All the time ordinary sniping, by Turks lias gone on along the whole line. Our fires are still burning. A little lamp at the Neck which shows our destroy:'!"-, the point beyond which to lire is still glowing.— a. light mi a little tab'.e top- s-hhnng brightly. Bcaehy i« still firing occasionally im the deV'rted depot: Astern of-us the black shapes o-: shit if. stind ont «.g-iinsi- the >-r-d "i\-*v» of the Ruvia ' firef reflcctrr! i-i tl-e <!:■-. S'.u-ply tt-M'. fire 'musi- 'V".x? given uv.v <loy.i\vtv.v" away at ';:>•!.. TUUKS' /*■ •?■'•'a CTv ON F'3l1 rTY . . IIiENCHKS. 7 a.m. I>;>v ;s .just h-^V. ■■•><•. _ \ quarter of an hour ago the Turkidi

1 batteries suddenly opened a furious jj • bonibardiT'ent 'on ;the.-ridges along ? > which the okl Antw-o'line 'vuns. The ' I firing was yxtm^roinarily.hurried and [ f wild, fK)ni<; >.}:(•■■:> I'liri-tiiig low and | t others wry high. r.ir. or' eight nt a j I tir!';f.1. I I'Jivo V<-i j,; i o!<!:i!u .K'on Turks I I ind''.:lj>'> 'in 1 ■<>■:.)■; i\rc-v.\,>-l/<, ■, t 7.0 a.;u. --\i\<'-Itiw.i, •■■\'S\} coutinucK ■' ! as fast ;-•.••■■ it can b£';;.Mr, y\ nlong th:.) [ernjity linos. ' . • ' 7.15 11.:■;}. ---W:■■.'• .-■]•. ::';.- ! ?u? .:)<{ -AKaac treuchos jusl. :.-.■■:■; t! vow^-v. glasses, I K.-.v,v wh.-vi.. I t:-.-.'', t;>, b- ». ii-.K: <:f S7r,all pine trees fii'.'nvrnj; o.w-r. the- fiv-'st of the-'Ti. I thov:;;l)!i ibj- ,„•.'!;noi-y had somehow Ktv:ar;.^f!y <:.riau-i.-.-'l. when I saw1 some' '*i v-'*-ir» tr**-:, n>ov*.'i iiloug tho parapet of t-lu.- }v*v-S;\ of Fuli! ~ Poir.f.' &-y oiue ti-ces wero Tiu-ks. i ' Evidently ihc Turks lr;,A how male-' ing an atwr-x. They • fi;.■>• bombarded our. empty iuv.6 fUl<-'. '-hriri charged across :i.g.:M.n:-vt i^%" tii »«.•?>.t jvvap<yts. They- mvf-l iiavo- ■■vttixc'^i-i 1. ;vom .Johyison's Gully, y.ixi. ]iwth nf 'Lon:> Pine, or from t!if. (hvrrii<lti oiTif^rs' trench, or .parhap:-; cwn- f"<>'.ri Q.ni;;ii's. niiri worked f.o':!m. 'jh^y ;.ifo pwfiTini?ig 'over our ijtth'.k t-s; 011-the- skyline, standing si.ili i'vt a riiaitient, then swarming further .-y.>ut.h. 7.20 o'.ii!..--:Thi.s- -.-ihi!.' ,'iit go t.Mro sfilvns str;.;;■'.;]it into ih->1 Turks on the skyline, ond th^v in;.ve quickly disap;>?ared ini-'i ova' tranches. We havo. mow tu:^H«<! v.iil. ■th-;. rs&l of. the fleet to b--:irr>bj>rd th? ".>'-w ryinaiuing lu1;);):-? of :,t(ir;« o>>, tht"- lou-h. Dp valleys a.ro qirinldy fi!c:l v.'illi :,injikt»' and dust. " : .LEAVING .THE1 D.UST OF : c/.^rrLTCT. 11 7.37 ".'ii. ••). --Our ' bombardment, ceases. - The. flt-:':*. -slowly - turns towards the wf-t, \hv.a ~*inxoo. smoking in tlm dust our ovr.s iritis Have made, is receding b.^iivu! v.r,. X • hiigo. ,fir« is smoking at S".,vM.. Kvvn now a .Turkish hr;(r^ry. i^'■r.onihoi-diii.g'.i pninfc' on the briu:h .vAu"-? <v*v of vnur buttsrit* used l.:i }>!?• . • ■ 7.45 a.m. A nit:--1: '»■•:■■: lios- ■ bsori' received to iiiv ih;it i!J! voimcl'cd were brought oo, ' oi- v,-:]i -ik s^\\'ral more • eutis'iliiUi h:>:(.!. h?< ;n inU-i:ixV'd. Only five guns \Yx.v:;. jott-threr AnstrnHaji •'. •^nd 'two . Md \hovv7i-.Ki--n-i. ' T'tie . pi.ckei- . boats which wilt vi tf> the. beach did .; pick up .on oor two stragglers'. One boat" wont , Htvai.^hfc in to . Anzac ■Beach,, and 'teamod,;f).hout, thfe crew \ calling out, "Ts anyone here?" \ Latei1. Our 03sua.lt.iGS in the re-. ; tirement • were .two wounded at each place. ' : 20th December.—A German flag has appeared this morning, flying, over Suvla. , ■