By noon of the 12th December the 20th Battalion had taken over the line, and the Western Australians moved down to Happy Valley. Here preparations were commenced for the impending move. These included, apart from the assembly and packing of baggage, the collection and destruction of all scraps of letters, documents, or newspapers. Whilst engaged in this task shrapnel "overs" slightly wounded Captain J. Kenny, the Regimental Medical Officer, and Lieut. E. G. Glyde. During the afternoon the real object of the move was explained to the C.O. by the Divisional Commander. He stated that the evacuation of the Peninsula had commenced, and that Colonel J. Paton had been selected to command the rear guard. For the previous two months rumours of pending advances and retirements had been rife. All ranks had gleaned from the newspapers that the wisdom of further prosecuting the campaign had been openly debated in the British Parliament. That it seemed impossible to expect any further substantial support from England or her Allies, and that the defection of Bulgaria in October had opened the way for German aid to the Turks, who had been in a critical situation up to that time. Further, the heavy losses sustained during the August fighting, and the alarming inroads of disease, had so weakened the force as to raise the question of whether it would be able to hold on should the enemy take the offensive. On top of all came the prospect of the long winter with its rains and blizzards, against which there was such little protection available, and which would turn the ravines and hollows into veritable death traps. On the other hand, the departure of Sir Ian Hamilton in October, the publication of his farewell order, the appointment of his distinguished successor--who also had a reputation for doing things--the visit of Lord Kitchener, the increased naval force and gun activity noticeable after the three days' silence of November, and the removal of troops to rest stations, all pointed to a renewal of the policy of action as soon as circumstances permitted. Nor was this theory discounted by the obvious departure of troops from Suvla, and guns and wagons from Anzac, "to reinforce Salonika"--the allied force at that time being hard pressed. The first suspicion that all was not going well was caused the day before the 28th Battalion left Russell's Top, by the spectacle of men hurling boxes of rifle ammunition into deep pits and the receipt of the order that rations must be drawn from the reserve located on the position. Now when the truth was known, all ranks were exercised by feelings partly of relief and partly of disappointment. Relief at the thought that the apparently useless sacrifice of life was to cease, and disappointment that in spite of the streams of blood that had been shed, and notwithstanding the performance of feats of arms not previously equalled in history, Australia had failed to achieve complete success in her first undertaking as a nation.