Australia and the Gallipoli Campaign
November 1915
6 November 1915
General Sir William Birdwood, commander of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, was instructed by Herbert Asquith, the British Prime Minister, to prepare ‘in concert with the naval authorities and your staff … in the utmost secrecy a complete plan for evacuation if and when it should be decided upon’.
7 November 1915
A meeting of the Anzac Medical Society attended by 50 medical officers discussed the problem of lice among the troops.
13 November 1915
Field Marshal Lord Kitchener, commander in chief of the British Army, visited the Australian positions on Anzac. He told the Australians:
The King asked me to tell you how splendidly he thinks you have done — you have done splendidly, better even than I thought you would.
Following this visit Kitchener recommended withdrawal of all British and Dominion troops from Gallipoli.
22 November 1915
Preliminary plan drawn up for the evacuation of all three British held areas of Gallipoli — Helles, Anzac and Suvla. An evacuation plan was devised by Lieutenant Colonel Charles Brudenell White, chief of staff, Anzac Corps.
24 November 1915
Between 24 and 27 November the troops at Anzac were ordered not to fire on the Turks unless they were attacked or threatened. This so-called ‘Silent Stunt’ was to help deceive the enemy into thinking that a silence did not necessarily mean withdrawal.
27 November 1915
There was a light snowfall on Gallipoli followed by two days and nights of freezing wind. Waterproof clothing and rum was issued to the troops in the front line.
28 November 1915
Sergeant Lawrence's diary:
Ugh! This morning when I awoke it was to find the old place coated with white snow. I had shivered and shaken all night and several times I had got up and put more clothes on until at last I had everything on — even to my overcoat and boots.
29 November 1915
The front line at Lone Pine was heavily shelled by the Turks as the 24th Battalion (Victoria) was moving in to relieve the 23rd (Victoria) Battalion. Private Timothy Ahern, 24th Battalion, wrote:
t lasted three hours with all kinds of shell. They buried a lot of our men alive. 264 casualties in all, we were digging them out for three days. I hope I never have the same experience again.