Australians at Anzac Cove, December 17, 1915, from 'Gallipoli' by John Masefield. The Allied completed evacuating their positions at Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove on December 19.
Australians at Anzac two days before the evacuation took place.
"Thursday, 16, December 1915: Our H.Q. signals orders cancelled. Only two men are to stay and man the phones, Sgt Calame and myself. All barges busy getting troops off. The last one's to go are Walker's Ridge, Quinn's and Courtney's and all are heavily mined. Very busy at Williams' Pier. Password Strawberry."
Excerpt from the diary of New Zealander C.J. Walsh during the evacuation of the Allied positions at Suvla Bay and Anzac Cove on the Gallipoli peninsula. Walsh was at Anzac, and learned that the order of the December 15 — that seven men would remain for the last twenty-four hours to man telephones — which he had thought 'rather nervy,' was to be reduced to two. As late as December 13 and 14 Walsh had been uncertain that an evacuation was underway. Australians and New Zealanders held Quinn's Post, Australians Courtney's Post and Walker's Ridge. The risk of being killed or captured only increased as the Anzac line thinned.
Men of Gallipoli: The Dardanelles and Gallipoli Experience August 1914 to January 1916 by Peter Liddle, page 263, copyright © Peter Liddle, 1976, publisher: David and Charles, publication date: 1976
1915-12-16, December, 1915, Gallipoli, Walsh, C.J. Walsh
