Series 01: Anne Donnell circular letters, 25 May 1915 - 8 July 1918 - Page 86
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[Page 86]
December 27th 1915. Over a week and no entry, though the place has been full of interest. First was the safe arrival of the final retreating party from the evacuation on Monday morning the 19th, & wasen't it lovely with only 3 casualties - when we were prepared for a full hospital. The Stories that they tell is very interesting- how when they were far out at sea they could see the Turks bombarding & shelling at the empty trenches. Then in the morning they found one trench empty. Then another & another & so on until they reached the beach. Then the grand finale. Our battleship got to work on them. Ma fisch Turks. (in Arabic) All finish Turks._____
Now to prepare for Xmas & give the boys a good time while we had the opportunity. Xmas Eve came . The carol singers were going around c a piano in a motor lorry. It was a calm starry moonlit night followed by the a glorious sunrise & the most beautiful day we have had at Lemnos (Nature seemed to tell us it was a good omen) Australia was here- the billies- the bags & tins were all waiting to be distributed and I think think every soldier doing his bit at Lemnos got one. It was my pleasure to act as Santa Claus in F2 ward & to see them open their present at 5 a.m. What a joy it was too. You coulden't possibly have made the day happier for them. I think the reflection of thoughts of gratitude must have been wafted down to our sunny land. Yes- for the time war was forgotten & we were perfectly happy. I heard one English Soldier remark as he opened his parcels "Well- I say, God bless the people of Australia" & the other Englishman echoed "And I say God bless the people of Australia" These two later on in the day went away by the Auqatania but before going said to me "Sister if I am alive and