The Higher Command counted on
50 per cent, casualties but actually, on the last night, only two men
were wounded on the way down to the beach--8 old guns, rendered
useless, were left behind at Anzac, 250 cases of Sunlight soap, a few
Indian carts minus their wheels, and one or two hospital tents were
left as a present for "Johnnie," and that was about all. The A.S.C.
set fire to everything they could not take away, and a fine bonfire it
made. The morning we left the wind rose, the sea became choppy, the
Turks attacked in great style, bombarding the beaches very heavily,
smashing the piers and nearly wiping Lala Baba off the map.
On 23rd December we left our camp and tried to board the _Prince
Abbas_, but the storm was too strong and we had to land again.
However, we got off next day, reached Mudros Harbour, and changed on
to the _Scotian_ on Christmas Day. None of us will forget the kindness
with which we were received on the _Scotian_, and the arrival of a
huge mail _and_ plum puddings completed our joy. We left on Boxing Day
and got to Alexandria on the 28th, where we at once disembarked and
went to camp at Sidi Bishr.
Of the 32 officers and 617 other ranks who sailed from Alexandria on
the 20th September, 8 officers and 107 other ranks returned on 28th
December--each squadron on 20th September was 6 officers and 136 other
ranks strong, the composite squadron on 28th December was 4 officers
and 61 other ranks.
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