g personal souvenirs were thus lost.

The policy in regard to the evacuation, as a tactical operation, was the
gradual withdrawal of the troops over a period of several days. Each day
the garrisons of posts would become weaker, and each day would make a
corresponding extra demand upon those remaining to keep up a display of
strength and activity. On the last day would be left a mere screen of
men and guns, known as the "C Party," who themselves were again
subdivided into three divisions. The men of the "C3" party were to be
the last to leave--were to be all volunteers--and were known as the
"Die-hards." To Lieut. G. D. Shaw and his men fell the task of defending
with their machine guns one of the last posts to be vacated in the Anzac
sector.

The guns were four in number and four men constituted the crew of each
gun. Each man did two hours on duty and two off. In this latter period
he had to cook his food and get what rest was possible. In contrast with
the previous three months the men were fed well and given many kinds of
articles extra to the rations. They received socks which were worn over
the boots so as to deaden the sounds of movement.

Commencing on the 15th December, each gun fired 10,000 rounds nightly.
This expenditure of ammunition was broken by irregular periods of
silence during which nobody showed lights, fired, or talked, and so gave
the place an air of having been deserted. The Turk was at first puzzled
and then became apprehensive. He was seen to be putting out fresh wire
and strengthening the already existing defences. To the fire he replied
in a spirited manner, but did little damage the first day.

On the following day the garrison observed ten men-of-war heavily
bombard the hostile lines near Hellas. Our aeroplanes were also busy and
kept unwelcome observers away. At 5 p.m. a heavy bombardment killed
Private E. Morrow and wounded Sergt. G. Moore. Private N. A. Munro was
killed and Private H. W. Greenwood slightly wounded by a bullet which
entered through a loophole. Five hours later a fire broke out on the
beach amongst the surplus stores. This burned all night. Flames shot up
60 feet and the valleys became filled with smoke.

Dawn of the 17th witnessed the fire still burning. That night the enemy
guns three times demolished one of Shaw's gunpits, and the gun was
finally placed near the parapet so as to fire over the top if necessary.

The following day the final instructions were issued to t