Volume 2: Letters written on active service, M-W, 1914-1919 - Page 434
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[Page 434]
[This page, originally written in pencil, has been rewritten in ink. See image for details.]
any suspicions that they might have.
Stacks of stores near the jetty were saturated with paraffin & made ready to fire.
At midnight on 16th Dec these caught fire by unknown means & made a great blaze. It was smouldering when we left 3 days later. Probably it was set fire by some thoughtless person for the sake of excitement or else by a shell.
Anyhow it looked as though all arrangements would be upset for it lit up all that portion of the shore where we were getting men & stores off.
It could also be taken that we were intentionally destroying stores.
Although the scheme was arranged no dates was given but only that the final stage of "shooting the moon" would be spread over 2 nights.
The Naval authorities controlled all movements once the troops reached the pier. The weather had to be studied & any rough water when once the [dash/indecipherable] stage was passed meant disaster.
On the last day 19th Dec 3000 men were holding the line of defence around Anzac with 2 guns, much worn.
The Artillery, to keep up the idea that we still had the usual number of guns, kept these 2 pieces busy. First firing a couple of rounds in one direction & then in an