State Library of NSW
[Page 431]
Now roughly speaking, there were about 60,000 troops from Anzac to Suvla Bay.It was decided to embark stores & men both from the 1st & 2nd named position. Suvla, from a strategical point of view was alright for a area from which to evacuate as the position occupied, back to the wharves, was comparatively flat. This feature made it possible for the navy & machine guns to give protection by covering fire, in the event of a rear-guard action having to be fought.At Anzac, the Turks had a salient into our line just above where we intended to embark & besides being only 15 or 20 yds from our trenches, the Turks were closer to the coast than in any other part. This is where our anxiety came in. If they broke through our weakened line at this salient, above our evacuating point, our flanks from Lone Pine section & Australia Valley would be cut off from the jettys & isolated.
Provision was made to deal with 5000 casualties in case it came to a fight at the finish.A proportion of the hospital staffs were to be left behind until the end & if all went well, then they would embark too. They were provided with a notice each on which was written in French & Turkish
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