Gallipoli and the Anzacs

9 December 1915

By this date the Anzac garrison had been reduced to 36,000 men. Between 9 and 18 December a gradual evacuation, mainly at night, of a further 16,000 troops and equipment from Anzac took place.

Top

12 December 1915

From this day on most of the remaining troops on Anzac became aware that a full withdrawal was in progress. Charles Bean wrote:

The cemeteries of Anzac were never without men, in twos and threes or singly, ‘tidying’ up the grave of some dear friend, and repairing or renewing little packing-wood crosses and rough inscriptions.

Top

14 December 1915

Sergeant Lawrence’s diary:

This afternoon a large parcel of mail arrived. Xmas mail. It’s a jolly shame they did not keep it, because half the boys have gone … Puddings, cakes, sweets, tobacco, chocolate, toffee, butterscotch, pipes, handkerchiefs, sox in dozens. Such a food supply has never been seen here before.

Top

18 December 1915

Over two nights — 18–19 and 19–20 December — all of the remaining 20,000 Australians and New Zealanders were withdrawn from the Anzac area of Gallipoli. The last man to leave at 4.10 am on 20 December from North Beach was Colonel J Paton who was in charge of the ‘rear-guard’. There were virtually no casualties – to the end the Turks were unaware that a major evacuation was taking place.

Top

25 December 1915

On Lemnos after the evacuation Australian troops celebrated Christmas away from home. Major Ernest Harris, of Jeffcott, Victoria, wrote to his wife:

Each man was given a ‘Christmas Billy’ — and I can assure you they opened them as eagerly as children at home do open their Christmas stockings … Just one thing hurt very much — it was the picture on the outside of the billy, showing a Kangaroo on the map of Gallipoli, with his tail knocking a Turk into the sea and underneath the words ‘THIS BIT OF THE WORLD BELONGS TO ME’.

Top