Chapter 95 – Larry
Charles Bean provides a detailed account of the Anzac evacuation, including the final stage over the two nights of 18/19 and 19/20 December 1915, in Official History of the Australia in the war of 1914-1918, Volume II (Chapter XXX “The Evacuation” and XXXI “The Final Stage”, pp. 853-910). A map of final evacuation paths taken by battalion is shown as Map 28 (after p. 854), showing the route taken by the 1st Battalion from Leane’s trench on the southern flank, via Artillery Road to Milo Pier at North Beach. Details of the departure schedule on the final night of 19/20 December are given on p.877. Departure times for the 1st Brigade (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions) as follows:
“A” Party = 752 men, begin to withdraw 5:15pm
“B” Party = 282 men, begin to withdraw 9:35pm
“C” Party = 254 men, begin to withdraw 2:20am, including 90 men of 1st Battalion from Leane’s Trench.
Bean states that after the breaking of the news of the planned evacuation, men spent much time at the cemeteries to erect new crosses or tidy up the graves of friends, and that leaving these behind “was by far the deepest regret of the troops.” (p. 882). The medical personnel of the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station were amongst the last to leave (p. 896). At 3:30am, two large mines were detonated at The Nek (p.895).
A photo (Taken by Charles Bean) of the self-firing “drip rifle”, invented by Lance Corporal William Scurry can be viewed at the Australian War Memorial website, reference G01291:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C57923
Bean’s photo of men on smoking fatigue is reference G01288:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C46330
Bean’s photo of the light horse cricket match as Shell Green is reference G01289:
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C46331
Charles Bean records in his diary (edited by Kevin Fewster) how men were assigned “smoking fatigue” on 17 December, on Artillery Road, in view of the Turkish gun emplacement “Beachy Bill” at Gaba Tepe (p.251). Bean records seeing the Light Horse playing cricket on 17 December on Shell Green (p. 252) and that at 2:30am on 20 December 1915, “A thick mist has gone over the moon.” (p. 256).
Private Archie Barwick of the 1st Battalion, recorded in his WWI diary, published as In Great Spirits , his experience of the evacuation (pp. 70-74). He states that the tracks were enlarged and lined with rice to mark the way. They walked to the beach and back again to time the trip. Chunks were cut in the frozen ground to prevent men from slipping (p. 71). Many men volunteered to stay until the last, but the last two nights were “trying ones”, due to the question “did the Turks know we were going?”. Barwick reflects “How it hurt to leave all our mates who were lying buried there and at the mercy of the Turks” (p. 72) and “We felt like cowards sneaking away at the dead of night with bags on our feet.” (p. 73). As soon as he was on board a ship, the mines were sprung and the warships opened fire.
The following details are recorded in the History of the First Battalion A.I.F. :
p. 45 – Evacuation was to Milo pier, the walk timed to be 28 minutes. Lights were placed in a biscuit box at three key junctions along the evacuation route, being Point X (white), Point Y (green), and Point Z (red). An officer tallied each party as it passed. Some men were told to “loaf and smoke” on the tracks in view of Gaba Tepe.
p. 46 – “…behind any fun which the men made (under all conditions at all times) lay a very deep regret at leaving their fallen mates behind.” A party took packs of C party men. B party left 9:00-11:00pm. Once B party had left, the whole Anzac line was held by 1500 men, around one man to every seven or eight yards.
p. 47 – C party kept firing, a situation report was sent to Headquarters each 15 minutes. C1 and C2 (each 30 men) left, then C3 at 2:50am. At 3:25am the last man on the inner line of defence retired. The hills were empty by 3:30am.