Handwritten transcript of diaries of Apcar Leslie De Vine, 1 January 1915 - 6 October 1918, Part 10 of 26

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16/12/15 Easy day vey few fatigues, further preparations 
made to evacuate Anzac. The firing line is absolutely 
silent not a shot has been fired for two days, our 
policy of silence has got the Turks thinking. 
  
17/12/15 No fatigues during day, fatigues at night consist of 
loading the 4^th Bn stores & carrying them to the beach and 
transferring them to the punts where they are ferried to the 
transports. Everything has greatly changed on the beach, huge piles 
of stores have either been transported or destroyed, the water 
front now is looking very bare. While on these fatigues groups 
of men were destroying & pouring into holes huge quantities of 
rum, food, and much amunition, everythg that we are 
taking is ready for transportation. Am now detailed as 
one of the last in the Bn to leave when the time comes 
in a day or two. Col McNaughton evacuated today 
  
18/12/15 All stores etc are now thrown open to the men 
who take what thy like. large quantities of tinned fruits, milk, 
fish, chicken, etc are freely partaken of and we have a huge 
feast, the first good meal for several days, as we have been 
living on a base living allowance of 5 biscuits, without bread 
owing to a conservation of supplies, which have been hoarded 
up for the winter as it will be impossible to land any 
supplies during the rough winter, there has been great difficulty 
even in such necessities as the evacuation of the sick and 
wounded, who have been accumulating for a few days awaiting 
a favourable opportunity to embark, when the wind & sea 
have abaited. Large stacks of tobacco & cigarettes which 
have been held for the same purpose & as hospital supplies 
are all thrown open & can be had for the taking. We 
now have more food & tobacco than we can consume 
Gun limbers, shells, and SA amunition that we are not 
transporting are destroyed or burried. Am included among 

90 
the selected few whose duty it will be to "man" the 
front line when the Bn holds its front for the last 
time as we have been definitely informed that we will 
be leaving tomorrow night. The Turks are vey quiet all 
night, with us everything is packed up ready for leaving, all 
our personal kit. packs, blankets, etc have already left, with 
a large number of the men who have been under orders, 
leaving at regular intervalls during the last two nights 
the remainder will remain as the last garrison for 
tomorrow night. Before dusk we spring a little joke 
on "Jacko" for the last time. A Coy are under orders to 
parade at Bn Hdqrs, with full equipment at 5pm, 
after "falling in" we are being continually marched up and 
down certain support lines & other parts which are exposed 
positions & under observation from the OP on Gaba Tepe. 
after making several circuits we of course grumble 
about the "route march". especially on exposed positions 
finally we are dismissed about 6.30 pm later the 
reason for this manouvre was explained, we had been 
bluffing them into believing that we are reinforcing 
the line, when as a matter of fact we are preparing 
to leave it. Early this morning our silence was broken, 
a Turkish soldier crossed "no mans land" to try and 
find the reason for such inactivity, one of our 
sentries after allowing him to come quite close, shot 
him, by that shot they must have realised that our 
line despite its silence was still occupied, hence 
the little bluf of the "route march" to make them 
think that we are reinforcing prior to an attack 
Everything is vey quiet tonight, deadly quiet not 
a shot or any noise from either side, we are 
however all on watch continuously, not knowing what 
may happen, or whether they know our intentions, & are 
awaiting their opportunity. Pass Word tonight "Chinatown"  

91 
19/12/15 Sunday Turks pretty active today with their 
howitzer & 75 mm shells, we wonder if they know anything 
everything now is finally completed for tonights evacuation 
of the Anzac position. We hold the line for the last time 
today & those who are selected are detailed to their posts 
for tonight. The men who leave early in the evening take 
the remainder of our packs & blankets in case the last 
party have to make a fight for it, when it will be 
necessary for us to be equipped as lightly as possible. Am 
detailed for the rear guard which is again divided into 
three posts A. B & C. Am in A party. Everything tonight is 
to be done with absolute quietness not the slightest noise 
is to be made. All spare blankets have been torn up to 
make pads for our feet as a precaution against noise when 
the time comes to leave. At midnight each party meets at 
a selected spot. A party met at the cook house where we 
tie ourselves together with lengths of rope, each man is 
tied to the belt of the man on front of him as a 
precaution that no man will go astray & get lost, should 
a man get left behind by accident he would have no 
chance of getting away as being an isolated figure attached  
to no post, he would be shot on sight, as we have strict 
orders that we are the absolute last of the garrison 
and that any body seen behind us after the last man has 
passed is to be shot on sight, as it is thought likely 
that an attack may be made, and that our plans 
may not be a secret after all. Finally the command 
is passed quietly, and we move off each party taking 
its own speciall track, the guide along the track is 
a lighted candle under a tin, in which small holes 
have been punched arrow shape. indicating the route. 
All other tracks, trenches, etc have been filled up with 
barbed wire, and barred with sentries posted on 
each. We attach the sentry to our party, block up the 

92 
track through which we have just passed and 
moove on, there is not a single member of the AIF 
now left in the trenched, support or reserve lines. 
All are now making their way slowly towards the 
beach blocking up all paths as thy go, in case of a 
sudden rush if anything is found out, We all carry 
extra bandioliers of amunition, and two bombs should 
thy be necessary if not our instructions are that we 
are to hang on to the SA Amunition & throw the bombs 
into the sea when we arrive at the punts. The 
Officer in command of A section is Mr Pierce. The Bn 
now being under the command of Major Scott. We 
all eventually arrive at the beach and take up a 
specially prepared position for a defence in case of 
attack while the last troops are embarking. Here we 
wait for B & C sections who taking other paths arrive 
after us. Everything has been vey carefully thought out 
by the higher command & has passed off without a 
hitch not a man being either missed or wounded 
at least during the actual evacuation, the Bn 
had one casualty about 5 pm, a man was wounded 
by a shrapnel splinter nothg serious, the only case 
all day. Here the arrangements are that in case 
of trouble we are to stick to the job to the 
last man. allowing those to whom we are acting as 
rear guard to get away. A hospital has been 
erected in a gully & a staff of RAMC & a few 
doctors, have volunteered to remain with the 
wounded & surrender with them if necessary. 
Fortunately it was not. About 1 am orders received to 
retire direct on to the beach and take up positions 
for evacuation of the naval boats. Finally we 
board a naval punt at Watsons Pier. after throwing  
our bombs in the water and are transhipped to the 

93 
Sijalion Prince, after waiting for other units etc 
we leave for Mudros at 2 am the next morning. Before 
we leave we witness the last "stunt" on Anzac 
Lone Pine and other posts have been heavily mined 
and ready for the big blow up as the final act before 
we leave, this "stunt" happens just as we leave the bay 
and the food dumps that have been prepared with 
tar, petrol, etc are set on fire, these have been well 
 prepared in advanse during the day, being stacked 
around with plenty of wood, barrels of tar, petroleum 
etc, the fires are vy bright & large, blasing up vy 
high illuminating the whole of the Anzac position 
The Turks suspisions are now arroused & suspect that 
there is something doing so they open fire on our evacuated 
positions, at dawn when thy got no reply from us 
thy sent out strong parties to see what is doing, the 
naval guns catch them in the open & chop them up 
very badly. They however arrive too late as the last 
man has embarked before thy realise the position 
We have managed to effect a clean get away without 
even one casualty. Achi Baba again vey heavily 
bombarded during the afternoon for several hours, thus 
attracting their attention to Cape Helles while we 
finalise our arrangements at Anzac. 
  
20/12/15 Took my last look at Anzac as we mooved 
off out of rifle fire at dawn, it is very much scarred 
as the result of our occupation. Shells are now 
bursting freely all over it & huge fires are burning 
the war ships who are standing in much closer than 
we are, are giving the Turks their last hurry up 
before leaving, not a soul remains behind the dead 
now only occupy the position. We arrived at Mudros 
ealy in the morning and waited in the harbour untill 

94 
9 o/c when we were taken off by the SS Waterwitch to the pier 
from where we marched to the site of our old camp. 
Other parties continually arriving during the day by other boats 
everybody now is off the Peninsula & rejoining their units 
here. The last to arrive tell us that there has not 
been a single casualty in any of the units that left last 
of all. We are all vey sory to have left Anzac without 
gaining our objective after 9 months hard efforts, but 
the position in front of us was impossible, and our 
position untenable during the winter months, the  
whole business has been a vey sorry mess up and a  
sheer waste of men & material. After reaching our 
camp & receiving a rousing welcome from the advance 
guard, who have been in camp for a few days we 
dismiss to our tents. Thus ends the Galipolli expedition 
We have a complete rest for the remainder of the day 
  
21/12/15 Fatigues all day & general clean up of camp 
  
22/12/15 Two hours drill today 10 - 12 am. Christmas "Billys"  
& other presents issued today, the "Billys" have come 
from all over Australia mine coming from a Melbourne 
family. We are all issued with our winter clothing 
1 sheep skin vest. 2 shirts. 2 socks etc. Easy day no fatigues 
  
23/12/15 Short parade today for kit inspection, everything 
is packed to moove off at a minutes notice. Christmas  
puddings issued today 1 tin between 3 men. just a good 
slice each. Paid £ 2. Visited villages for stores 
  
24/12/15 Christmas Eve. Under orders to move off this 
morning at 9 o/c, everything packed up ready. It rained 
heavily this morning, the ground is vey muddy, marched 
to the pier and embarked on the paddle steamer "Hendon" 

95 
being later transferred to the SS Simba waiting for us 
in the harbour. We are not told where we are going 
but unofficially we hear that it is Alexandria 
Large concert given tonight on deck. 
  
25/12/15 Christmas Day. Vey quiet day. Christmas 
pudding issued at dinner a present from Adelaide Sth 
Australia. Mooved from our anchorage this afternoon 
and proceeded to the entrance of the harbour, but 
did not go out. The Alarm was sounded this afternoon 
for "Stations" in case of submarine attacks. Muster 
parade at 10 am 
  
26/12/15 Sunday Left Lemnos harbour at 4 am, orders 
issued that life belts are to be worn continuousy all 
day in case of submarine attack. The Mediteranean 
is supposed to be a hot bed of enemy submarines, at night 
we are to sleep with the belts under our heads, in fact 
we are never to be seperated from them. Many ships have 
already been lost. We have nothing to do but lie about the decks 
and smoke all day 
  
27/12/15 Muster parade 10 am. We are now well out to 
sea, easy day, nothing doing 
  
28/12/15 Drew into Alexandria at mid day and 
anchored in the harbour all the afternoon. At 4 pm 
we moove towards the wharf, towed by a tug, tied 
up at 6 pm. we remain on board all night 
  
29/12/15 Remained on board untill midday, when we 
disembarked and marched to Mustapha about half 
way to Alex camp where our transport are, we bivouacked 
on a vacant piece of ground by the side of the railway 

96 
Am warned for camp guard immediately on arriving 
in camp. Mounted at 2.30 pm. leave granted to 
the whole camp, completely deserted, everybody had left 
& gone into Alexandria for the night except the guard. 
  
30/12/15 Guard all day, dismounted at 5 pm. Afterwards 
visited Alexandria. We are under orders to move off 
tomorrow morning, & to hold ourselves ready to leave 
at a moments notice for an unknown destination 
if necessary 
  
31/12/15 Revelle 4.30 am. Full marching order, at 6.30 
we marched to the railway siding and entrain for 
Tel-el-Kebir arriving there during the afternoon 
The camp is situated on the edge of the desert 
by the side of the railway line, this is a very 
miserable & lonely spot, far away from any town 
The General commanding the troops in Egypt has desided 
that the AIF are not to be camped near Cairo or 
any other large cities hence we are all condemned to 
the desert. We all wonder how long we are to be 
kept in this dismal place, many ex wounded men 
and reinforcements are already there before us 
and give us a welcome as we march into camp. 
The camp extends about two miles along the railway line 
and has unlimited space for extentions with the 
tremendous area of the desert behind for a parade 
and manouvre ground. Camp vy noisy tonight 
on New Years eve 

97 
1916 
  
1/1/16 Two hours in desert this morning. The Xmas 
mail arrived today for the Bn in 140 bags, got 6 letters 
myself all the mail has been accumulating for some time 
Concerts round the camp fires tonight 
  
2/1/16 Sunday Attended church parade this morning 
afterwards the Bn was given 1 hours ceremonial drill 
by Col Macnaughton. free in the afternoon so I strolled over 
the old battlefield of Tel-el-Kebir and Aribi Pasha's 
trenches, the ground was still littered with rusty 
tins, spent cartridges, bones, etc many of our boys found 
interesting souvenirs 
  
3/1/16 Off parade today detailed for digging fatigue for 
Capt Fannings camp. Rained heavily during afternoon 
everybody wet through, all blankets wet. day vey cold 
and miserable 
  
4/1/16 Fatigues all day, ground still damp. Very cold day 
  
5/1/16 Fatigues no parade today. during afternoon visited 
the military graves at Tel-el -Kebir where are buried 
many of the men who fell in the battle, some very fine 
regimental monuments are erected here 
  
6/1/16 No parade today, rained all afternoon. vey cold day. 
  
7/1/16 No parade today, raining heavily. Paid £ 5. 2. 7 
later in dy drew a second pay £ 2.1.0 
  
8/1/16 Rained vey heavily during the night, very damp 

98 
all day, no early morning parade, rained all afternoon 
parcell post arrived today 
  
9/1/16 Sunday No church parade today, nothing doin, quiet 
  
10/1/16 Heavy day. Four parades, early morning physical drill 
6.30 - 7.30. Morning parade 9.30 - 11.30. Afternoon parade 
3 - 4. Night parade 8 - 9. We feel very tired 
  
11/1/16 Two parades only today. Was granted leave to visit 
Cairo for 48 hours with several others of the Bn. We 
left Tel-el-Kebir by the 9 pm train, after many 
stops we arrive at Cairo 1 hour 20 minutes late, 
arriving a 1.10 the next morning, managed to book a bed 
at the Bristol Hotel. This is the first time I have 
slept in a bed since I left home 15 months ago, got 
very little sleep, not used to beds now, too 
comfortable & soft 
  
12/1/16 Spent the whole day driving around Cairo doing 
my shopping. Spent the evening at the Kursal, vey good 
show. Back to the Bristol very late at night 
  
13/1/16 All day in Cairo. Left at 6.15 pm for Tel-el-Kebir 
arriving in camp at 7.30 pm 
  
14/1/16 Parades in morning & afternoon, rehearsing the  
march past for General Murrey who is to review us 
tomorrow, this is being rehearsed by the whole of the 1st 
Division before Brigadier Smyth. The camp now 
extends continuously for two or three miles along the 
railway line, both Divisions are here, with other technical 
units, making the whole camp on huge city complete 
with resteraunts, cafe's, shops, canteen etc, there is