by the 20th Battalion. That afternoon a party of the New
South Wales unit, consisting of the C.O., three majors, and the
Adjutant, came along Broadway with the intention of making preliminary
arrangements for the next day's move. Unfortunately they were caught by
a burst of shrapnel and the three majors were killed.

[Illustration: THE VIEW FROM RUSSELL'S TOP, LOOKING INTO MALONE GULLY.
_Official Photo. No. G. 1879. Copyright by Australian War Museum._]

By noon of the 12th December the 20th Battalion had taken over the line,
and the Western Australians moved down to Happy Valley. Here
preparations were commenced for the impending move. These included,
apart from the assembly and packing of baggage, the collection and
destruction of all scraps of letters, documents, or newspapers. Whilst
engaged in this task shrapnel "overs" slightly wounded Captain J. Kenny,
the Regimental Medical Officer, and Lieut. E. G. Glyde.

During the afternoon the real object of the move was explained to the
C.O. by the Divisional Commander. He stated that the evacuation of the
Peninsula had commenced, and that Colonel J. Paton had been selected to
command the rear guard.

For the previous two months rumours of pending advances and retirements
had been rife. All ranks had gleaned from the newspapers that the wisdom
of further prosecuting the campaign had been openly debated in the
British Parliament. That it seemed impossible to expect any further
substantial support from England or her Allies, and that the defection
of Bulgaria in October had opened the way for German aid to the Turks,
who had been in a critical situation up to that time. Further, the heavy
losses sustained during the August fighting, and the alarming inroads of
disease, had so weakened the force as to raise the question of whether
it would be able to hold on should the enemy take the offensive. On top
of all came the prospect of the long winter with its rains and
blizzards, against which there was such little protection available, and
which would turn the ravines and hollows into veritable death traps.

On the other hand, the departure of Sir Ian Hamilton in October, the
publication of his farewell order, the appointment of his distinguished
successor--who also had a reputation for doing things--the visit of Lord
Kitchener, the increased naval force and gun activity noticeable after
the three days' silence of November, and the removal of troops to rest
stations, all poin