Little  by  little  the  forces  at  Suvla  had  been  reduced
to  12,000  men  and  16  guns,  whereas,  to  hold  a  front
line  the  length  of  ours,  33,000  men  would  be  required
by  regulation.  The  day  was  passed  as  usual,  each
man  doing  his  utmost  to  give  a  crowded  appearance
to  the  scene.  At  sunset,  the  guns  fired  their  parting
salute  and  were  withdrawn — the  last  at  9.30.  The
men  were  then  brought  away  —  rather  more  than
6000  to  Suvla  Point,  rather  less  to  Nibrunesi.  A
small  party  was  left  to  keep  up  rifle-fire  in  the  front
trenches.  Larger  parties  were  left  to  hold  the  second
and  third  lines.  The  rest  embarked.  Shortly  before
midnight  the  front  line  came  in,  leaving  lighted
candles  which  at  irregular  intervals  burnt  a  string
to  discharge  a  rifle,  so  that  a  desultory  fusillade  was
maintained  for  about  an  hour.  The  second  and  third
lines  followed  in  turn,  only  sappers  remaining  behind
to  close  up  the  barbed-wire  gates,  to  cut  the  tele-
phone wires,  and  to  set  trip-  and  contact-mines  at
points  of  likely  resort.  A  party  of  200  (I  think,  9th
West  Yorks)  were  to  hold  the  fourth  line  to  the  last,
and  sacrifice  themselves  if  the  Turks  attacked.
