Commencing on the 15th December, each gun fired 10,000 rounds nightly. This expenditure of ammunition was broken by irregular periods of silence during which nobody showed lights, fired, or talked, and so gave the place an air of having been deserted. The Turk was at first puzzled and then became apprehensive. He was seen to be putting out fresh wire and strengthening the already existing defences. To the fire he replied in a spirited manner, but did little damage the first day.
On the following day the garrison observed ten men-of-war heavily bombard the hostile lines near Hellas. Our aeroplanes were also busy and kept unwelcome observers away. At 5 p.m. a heavy bombardment killed Private E. Morrow and wounded Sergt. G. Moore. Private N. A. Munro was killed and Private H. W. Greenwood slightly wounded by a bullet which entered through a loophole. Five hours later a fire broke out on the beach amongst the surplus stores. This burned all night. Flames shot up 60 feet and the valleys became filled with smoke.
Dawn of the 17th witnessed the fire still burning. That night the enemy guns three times demolished one of Shaw's gunpits, and the gun was finally placed near the parapet so as to fire over the top if necessary.
The following day the final instructions were issued to the garrisons. The activity continued, and that night the men in the Russell's Top position numbered 300 only. Lieut. Shaw's guns were reduced to three.
The 19th December. The last day. The sunny spring-like weather of the previous fortnight continued and the sea remained calm. At 6 p.m. all but 100 men came down to Williams' Pier and embarked. Sergt. Waddingham and Lance-Corpl. M. F. Newnes took their guns to the lower slopes of Walker Ridge to cover the retirement from the left flank. Lieut. Shaw, with the remaining gun team, then roved about from post to post in the front trench making as much display as possible with the solitary weapon and getting very hot replies. At midnight the "C1" party retired. About an hour later a report was received that the enemy was moving down Monash Gully. On investigation this proved to be a wiring party only. At 2 a.m. on the 20th December the "C2" party left, and now in the key position there remained only 37 officers and riflemen, four machine gunners, and two signallers.
The embarkation proceeded more rapidly than was expected, and at 3 a.m. Lieut. Shaw, in moving around, met the remainder of the 20th Battalion in movement. He and his party had been forgotten. Five minutes later—being the last to leave the front line in this sector—he joined his other two guns lower down and came into action again. At 3.35 a.m. he was ordered to retire to the boats. This he did and got his remaining men and material safely on board.
CAPTAIN G. D. SHAW, M.C.
Machine Gun Officer.[ToList]