he garrisons.
The activity continued, and that night the men in the Russell's Top
position numbered 300 only. Lieut. Shaw's guns were reduced to three.

The 19th December. The last day. The sunny spring-like weather of the
previous fortnight continued and the sea remained calm. At 6 p.m. all
but 100 men came down to Williams' Pier and embarked. Sergt. Waddingham
and Lance-Corpl. M. F. Newnes took their guns to the lower slopes of
Walker Ridge to cover the retirement from the left flank. Lieut. Shaw,
with the remaining gun team, then roved about from post to post in the
front trench making as much display as possible with the solitary weapon
and getting very hot replies. At midnight the "C1" party retired. About
an hour later a report was received that the enemy was moving down
Monash Gully. On investigation this proved to be a wiring party only. At
2 a.m. on the 20th December the "C2" party left, and now in the key
position there remained only 37 officers and riflemen, four machine
gunners, and two signallers.

The embarkation proceeded more rapidly than was expected, and at 3 a.m.
Lieut. Shaw, in moving around, met the remainder of the 20th Battalion
in movement. He and his party had been forgotten. Five minutes
later--being the last to leave the front line in this sector--he joined
his other two guns lower down and came into action again. At 3.35 a.m.
he was ordered to retire to the boats. This he did and got his remaining
men and material safely on board.

[Illustration: CAPTAIN G. D. SHAW, M.C.
Machine Gun Officer.]

[Illustration: CAPTAIN T. O. NICHOLLS, M.C.
Who commanded the 7th Machine Gun Company.]

Mines had been placed in the galleries that knew the men of the 28th at
the Apex and Russell's Top. At 3.45 a.m. these were exploded with great
effect. The Turk was silent for a moment or two, and then opened a
tremendous but harmless fire all along the line. At 4.30 a.m. a
fascinating display was afforded those now on the boats when smaller
mines were discharged and fires broke out at different points on the
beaches amongst the stores that it had been impossible to bring away.

The Machine Gun Section, as a parting gift to their friends the enemy,
had laid a table and set thereon porridge and cocoa ready for the first
who came into the evacuated trenches.

The names of the 28th men who took part in the final phase of the
evacuation are as follows:--

Lieut. G. D. Shaw.
Sergt. G. Moore (wounded)