FROM KUT TO KASTAMUNI
On April 29th, Kut surrendered, and it was with sad feelings that we
watched two Turkish battalions marching in at midday. The bitter thought
that they should have worsted us in the end, together with the knowledge
of the useless sacrifice of life by our friends down-stream, was present
to all; but there was also a great feeling of relief that the siege was
now over, and we had not realized until this moment how severe the
strain had been.
We believed the Turks would treat all ranks well, as up to that moment
they had always fought and behaved like gentlemen. Khalil Pasha, the
Turkish general, had said we should be treated as his "honoured guests,"
and, since at that time we had not had much experience of Turkish
promises, we were inclined to think all would be well, although we knew
the Turks themselves were short of supplies and had great difficulty in
feeding their troops down-stream.
Orders came round telling us to destroy everything that could be of use
to the enemy, only a few rifles being kept in case of trouble with Arabs
in the town before the Turks arrived. Field-glasses, revolvers, maps,
and diaries all had to be destroyed and saddlery burnt. It seemed a
crime to be sacrificing so much that was valuable, but this was better
than helping the enemy in any way. The last works of destruction had
only just been completed when the Turkish troops arrived, and great was
their disgust at finding all the guns destroyed, and nothing worth
taking but a few rifles.
Some of us had kept our swords, thinking that they would be returned to
us in traditional style, only to find them collected by the first
Turkish subaltern or N.C.O. who set eyes on them. Those who were wiser
had thrown theirs in the river or buried them, and we all wished we had
done the same. Later on, we heard that the officers' swords from Kut had
been displayed as an interesting exhibit in some museum at
Constantinople.
The departure from Kut began that evening, one steamer taking a full
load up to Shamran, the Turkish base camp, some eight miles up-stream.
We had still to depend on the remnants of our own rations for that day
and the next, but fortunately they just sufficed.
Next day, as we moved up towards the old Serai, near which the steamers
were moored, we had to pass a palm grove which had been occupied by some
Turkish soldiers. These men were systematically looting any kit which
was being carried past, and to which they had taken a fancy. A good deal
was lost in this way. The Turkish officers seemed powerless to stop it,
the culprits merely walking away until the officer had departed.
The steamer made two or three more trips that day, but it was announced
at noon that all those left must march, their kit alone going on the
steamer. How they managed that march in a starving condition they only
know who did it, but when the steamer reached Shamran on its last trip
at midnight they had all come in and been regaled with Turkish ration
biscuits. An amusing incident occurred during this march. An Indian
sweeper--the humblest of all regimental followers--was trudging along
behind his regiment carrying some of the articles of his trade, when
they passed some Turkish gun-pits where there were several German
officers standing. On seeing them the sweeper made obeisance with the
deepest of salaams; whereupon the Germans promptly stood to attention,
clicked their heels and saluted.
During the following days, we made ourselves as comfortable as possible
at Shamran, and, fortunately, got other food in addition to the Turkish
biscuits. These biscuits need only be once seen or eaten never to be
forgotten. They are of a dark-brown colour, unless mouldy, about six
inches in diameter and an inch thick in the centre, and made from a very
coarse meal, which must contain anything except wheat. They are even
harder than the hardest of our own army biscuits.
The Turks had allowed us to bring with us what tents we had in Kut, and,
although we had to leave them behind at Shamran, they were of the
greatest comfort to us during the week which we spent there.
A launch arrived from the relieving force, bringing with it barges laden
with food, including a number of mess stores and gifts. These we
eventually got possession of, although the Turks would not allow them to
be landed at our camp, but took them up-stream some distance, where we
expected they would take a systematic toll of everything. Turkish
soldiers and Arabs brought in dates, a few oranges, and a syrup made
from dates, which they sold at excessive prices.
Bathing was allowed in the river, and some enthusiasts who still had
fishing tackle spent a considerable time on the bank, but without much
success.
One day, General Townshend passed up-stream in a launch accompanied by
two or three of his staff _en route_ to Bagdad. All ranks rushed to the
bank to give him a parting cheer, which one felt meant that all knew he
had done his best for us throughout.
With the end of the siege one had expected all the worst features of the
last few weeks to disappear, but the heavy mortality from enteritis
continued at Shamran. It was especially heavy amongst the British ranks,
in many cases being aggravated by a too suddenly increased diet, of
which the Turkish biscuits formed a large part.
A few days after our arrival, it was announced that the men would all
have to march up, while officers would be taken up in batches by the
steamers. The first party to leave contained the generals and staff, and
most of the officers from British units. The following day the men were
to march. Our doctors insisted on a very thorough examination, as a
large proportion of the men were unable to march. The Turks would not,
however, accept the British doctors' decisions, and reduced the unfit to
a much smaller number.
The result was that large numbers fell out after the first day, and had
to be taken on board the _Julnar_, which was bringing up a number of men
from the Kut hospitals whom the Turks considered not ill enough to be
exchanged. We were all convinced that had it not been for German
counsels at Constantinople some arrangement for our return on _parole_
to India might have been made.
The men were told to take one blanket or greatcoat each, as well as
their haversacks and water-bottles. They had no transport whatever, and
our hearts misgave us as we watched them go. The column wound slowly out
of the camp with many checks, and it was over an hour before they were
clear; all seemed to be carrying big loads, and many things must have
been thrown away or sold before they reached Bagdad. The Turks were only
too anxious to buy, when they could not steal any clothing, boots, or
equipment, their own clothing and equipment being at a very low ebb
after months of service in Mesopotamia, to say nothing of the long march
down from Asia Minor. Many had no boots, and were just wearing sandals
of goat-skin, such as they are accustomed to use in the country
districts of Anatolia.
When the men had departed, the camp seemed very forlorn; about 150
British and Indian officers were left, while the hospital tents
contained many sick of all ranks.
Two days later, on May 10th, the second party of officers left on the
steamer _Khalifa_, which had on board a few German gunners returning to
Bagdad and a good number of Turkish officers. The journey took three
days; on the second day we passed the _Julnar_. She was covered with
bullet-marks, showing through what a severe fire she had forced her way.
Now she was loaded with sick from Kut. We waved to those on board, but
were not near enough to speak to them.
Our steamer used to tie up to the bank for a short while twice a day, in
the morning and evening, enabling us to get a hurried bathe and a little
change from the cramped space on the deck, where we spent the rest of
the time.
The third day we passed the battlefield of Ctesiphon, full of memories
of the victory which had proved so disastrous six months before. We
halted for the night not far from the Arch, and were greeted by the
local Arabs, who danced and fired off ancient rifles and pistols in the
air in derision at our captivity. The women also contributed their share
by making a peculiar kind of trilling sound. How we hoped they might
soon be singing in a very different fashion when our troops should
advance again and take Bagdad.
We reached Bagdad the next morning. As we slowly paddled up the river,
we could see the Red Crescent flag floating from almost every good house
on the river sides; hospitals seemed to be everywhere, and we realized
what awful casualties the Relieving Force had inflicted on the Turks.
For some miles before Bagdad is reached, the river is fringed with palm
groves, gardens, and cultivated land. When we left Kut the river was
within a few feet of the highest ground, but here the banks were very
much higher.
We were landed at the old British Residency, and, after a little delay,
were formed up in order of seniority and marched off along what appeared
to be the main road. It was evidently arranged as a triumphal procession
to impress the inhabitants. At length, after a march of two miles,
passing through the covered-in bazaar, where the shade was most
welcome, we emerged on the north side of the town, and reached our
destination at the Cavalry Barracks. We had been promised furnished
quarters, but found bare floors and empty rooms; the building formed a
large quadrangle, and was empty of all troops when we arrived. A little
later our orderlies and servants appeared, bringing our kit from the
steamer. On leaving Shamran colonels were allowed to take two orderlies
or Indian servants, other officers being allowed one each.
Fortunately, just before we left, some money in Turkish gold had been
sent up by the Relieving Force by aeroplane, and thus all ranks had a
little cash.
When the second party reached Bagdad, the first party had already
departed for Mosul, and rumours arose about the journey, people saying
at first that we should have carriages from the railhead at Samarra,
then that only donkeys would be available, while others thought we
should be lucky to get anything.
While at the barracks we were given a month's pay by the Turkish
authorities, on what proved to be for senior officers a very generous
scale, the greatest mercy being that half the amount was paid in gold.
Had this not been done, we should have been in a truly sorry plight on
the long journeys by road across the desert, since no Arab would look at
Turkish notes, and insisted on being paid in hard cash.
At this time, the Russian force under General Baratoff had made a sudden
advance through the Pusht-i-Kuh mountains and reached Khanikin, 90 miles
north-east of Bagdad; the Turks were therefore very anxious to get us
away, while some of the under-strappers, evidently thinking the Russians
would reach Bagdad, began to talk in a very different strain, pretending
that they had really been pro-British all the time.
Very few people succeeded in getting out of the barracks, but two or
three officers, duly escorted, managed to get a gharry, and drove
straight to the American consul, who arranged to give them money, and
did everything he could for them. He said he expected to see many of us,
and went on to tell them exactly what he thought of the campaign up to
date. He was very pessimistic over the future treatment of the British
troops, and declared that had we known what would happen to them we
would have cut our way out of Kut at whatever cost. We hoped this was
exaggeration, and that things would not turn out as badly as he
expected; but events proved only too truly how entirely his fears were
justified. Hopelessly inadequate rations, no transport, no medical
arrangements for the sick who fell out, and utter incapability of all
Turkish authorities, constitute one of the blackest crimes committed
during any war.
It is only right to add that whenever we met German officers they did
all they could to help us, more than one saying they considered that we
and they were civilized people in a land of barbarians.
Two days after reaching Bagdad we were paraded in the hot sun in the
afternoon and marched off to the station, passing over the bridge of
boats and through the Shia quarter of the city, which lies on the right
bank of the river. We were all only too glad to get away from the
insanitary conditions which are inseparable from all Turkish buildings.
After a wait of two hours at the station, we were packed into a train
which started about six o'clock. A few miles north of Bagdad we passed
the Great Mosque at Kazmain, its golden domes and minarets shining in
the setting sun. The train proceeded at a good rate; everything in
connection with the railway was naturally German, and of a substantial
description. The length of line then completed to the railhead at
Samaria was 80 miles, passing through slightly undulating country the
whole way. This had been finished by the Germans before the war broke
out.
Most of us were weary, and many preferred lying on the floor of the
corridors or vestibules at the end of the cars, to sitting straight up
in the cramped compartments. We made several halts, and it was near
midnight when we arrived. Our guards, a few gendarmes, seemed to have no
idea where we were going, or what was to be done with us. Eventually we
were told to leave our kit, which was to be brought along later, and
were guided down towards the river. After walking a mile, we found
ourselves in a small Arab village on the river bank, and were conducted
into a courtyard some 40 yards square, where we were told we were to
stay. There was a rough shelter round three sides, formed by brushwood
supported on a rough wooden framework; this promised a certain amount of
shade, and we were all glad to be in the open air rather than in another
barrack building. There were no signs of any transport fetching our kit,
so the most enterprising managed to procure two trollies, and trundled
them up to the station along a narrow-gauge line. The Turks used this
line for taking stores, ammunition, etc., to the railway, from the rafts
on which they were floated down from Mosul. By dawn, nearly all the kit
had been collected, and we had settled down as best we could.
There was a certain amount of food obtainable from Arab vendors, and as
we had our Indian servants, and a few things left from stores received
at Shamran, we were fairly comfortable. As usual, no one seemed to know
how long we were to be there, before our journey by road across the
desert began. Fortunately, we were not guarded very strictly, and were
allowed to go outside the courtyard, and down to the river to bathe; the
current here was very strong, and only the most powerful swimmers could
make any headway against it, and that only for a few yards.
The town of Samarra was on the other bank, and some little height above
the land on our side. It stands back from the river, and contains a fine
mosque, with a golden dome. The inhabitants cross the river in
gufahs--the large round coracles which are used all down the Tigris.
Owing to the current a start always has to be made very much higher
up-stream than the point where it is desired to land on the other side.
During the three or four days which we spent at Samarra, a large
quantity of German gun-ammunition arrived by raft from up-stream, and
was carried by Arabs up the bank to the trollies. These rafts carry big
loads; they are formed by a skeleton frame of wood on which is placed
brushwood, the frame being supported by inflated skins which are tied to
it. On reaching the end of a journey, the skins are deflated and sent
back up the river to be used again. As there are rapids between Samarra
and Bagdad, it was not possible to float the rafts right down to Bagdad,
and consequently everything had to be transhipped to the railway. One
night some large motors arrived, and went on at once by road towards
Bagdad. Reports immediately circulated that Enver Pasha had arrived; but
this cannot have been true.
We had now learnt who our commandant on the journey was to be. He was a
yuzbashi or captain, by name Elmey Bey, a little man with an enormous
moustache, which made him look very fierce. He knew a very little
French, and could therefore be approached without an interpreter. We
did not really appreciate him until later. One morning he escorted a few
of us over to the town; there was nothing to be seen except the mosque,
and we were not allowed to look at this even from the gateway, much less
to enter the courtyard.
[Illustration: ELMEY BEY
_(From a Water-colour Drawing by Lt. Browne)_]
After making a few purchases, we went into an Arab cafe and partook of
coffee and tea flavoured with citron. Elmey Bey would not let us pay for
anything, and we thought it most hospitable of him. He said he would
accept our hospitality another day. However, he eventually left the cafe
without paying anything, and apparently the proprietor was really our
unwilling host.
The town seemed very deserted, many of the inhabitants being over on the
other side, selling anything they could to the first batch of troops,
who had reached Samarra that morning by rail, and were now camped in the
open a little way above us. We were not allowed to go to see them, but
one or two managed to get messages through, and an Indian clerk
belonging to my regiment came to see us. He looked thin, and had
evidently had a hard time. He said that on the way to Bagdad the guards
had flogged men who fell out, to see if they were really ill, and that
conditions as regards rations were pretty bad generally. None of our
men, however, had succumbed so far, and, as many of the regiment had
been anything but fit to start with, we hoped they would be able to
stand it. We gave him a few little things in the way of eatables before
he went back.
The next day, we were told we were going to march; and the question of
transport became all-important. At first the Turks said there would be
two animals--donkeys, mules, or ponies--to each officer; this seemed
much too good to be true, and when the time came there was barely one
animal to every officer. These had all been forcibly commandeered from
the villagers round, and a good many were taken back again on the sly by
their owners before we could get hold of them. Others were taken by the
gendarmes who formed our guard, while several were too small to be of
use, or were hopelessly lame. By the time we had got our kit packed, we
had left for riding one reasonably large donkey and a diminutive beast
between the six officers and seven Indian servants in our mess.
We started at sunset in a dust-storm. Fortunately it did not last long,
and we got along without mishap till about eleven o'clock, when a heavy
rainstorm came on. All through the night, and especially after every
halt, we had been urged on by our Arab escort shouting "Yallah, yallah!"
This really means "O God!" but is used by the Arabs for "Get on and
hurry up." How we came to loathe that cry! About two in the morning, we
reached some water; luckily, in the dark, we could not see what we were
drinking. We must have done fifteen to twenty miles; and, as most of us
had not marched any distance for months, we were only too glad to fall
asleep for a few hours. At dawn we were again on the move, having had
some trouble in finding our own animals again; the wise had marked
theirs with copying pencil, and this method was generally resorted to
afterwards.
We went on with halts of a few minutes every hour, and got down to the
river again at midday. It was now pretty hot, and we were told we should
arrive at Tekrit, a small Arab town, in one hour. Throughout Turkey and
Mesopotamia distances are measured by hours; a good working plan is to
add on 50 per cent. to the average of what one is told, as no two men
will ever say the same; if journeying by night it is safer to double it.
That last hour to Tekrit was one of the worst we had; actually it was
nearer two hours. There was a blazing sun, and we were very tired. The
road left the river and went up a hill, then down and up again. On each
rise we expected to see the town, but it was dreadfully slow in
appearing. From some distance off we were met by Arab boys and women
selling eggs, raisins, sour curds, and chapatties. Finally, we were
taken through the place down to the river edge, a sort of dirty, stony
beach, where we were told to camp; we had covered 30 to 35 miles in the
last nineteen hours, and most of us had marched almost the whole
distance.
There was a small Arab cafe which we were allowed to use, but otherwise
there was no shade. Arabs sauntered about our bivouac, and were anything
but friendly; the place was filthy, and we were far from feeling
cheerful.
Some of the houses of the town stand up on a rocky crag above the river.
Tekrit is a very old place, and at one time there was a bridge over the
river here. It was laid waste by the Mongols and the people butchered.
Before we left, we were all wishing that some such fate might be in
store for the present inhabitants.
Some of us bathed, but the water was very shallow and dirty. Arabs could
be seen swimming across the river supported on inflated skins, in
exactly the same way as Xenophon has described their forefathers doing
2,000 years ago.
That afternoon we tried to arrange to hire extra animals, as we felt
that we could never get along if the succeeding marches were so severe.
A good many animals were forthcoming, mostly mules and large donkeys.
The usual terms were to be one pound in gold, paid in advance, and a
second on arrival at Mosul. The following evening, just before starting,
the owners demanded the whole two pounds in advance; there was nothing
for it but to comply, the reason undoubtedly being that the commandant
of the town and Elmey Bey both desired to have their share before
starting, as otherwise they would not see any of it. A long delay ensued
before we got off, and it was getting dark before we were clear of the
town.
The march that night was uneventful, and we halted for a few hours
before dawn near the river, continuing our way as soon as it got light.
We passed a few Arab encampments, formed of dark tents, where the nomads
come at certain seasons to cultivate the surrounding land, together with
their flocks of sheep and goats. Not a single house, or even mud-hut,
was to be seen. Our next halt, which we reached in the middle of the
morning, was a serai standing by itself on a low ridge. It was built on
the usual square pattern, and contained a well, which however, was not
of very much use, as the water was unfit for drinking; drinking water
had all to be carried from the river, over a mile away.
Elmey Bey, or "Phil May," as we christened him, had by this time shown
how anxious he was to help us, by doing nothing at all to assist us
either in buying provisions or keeping prices down. Our escort consisted
of a few Arab gendarmes, and, on arrival at any village or encampment,
they would make the people put up their prices, and insist on taking the
difference as commission themselves; whenever they could manage it they
prevented all country people from approaching us until their own demands
had been satisfied.
Phil May rode the whole way, and would hurry on and be comfortably
asleep in his camp bed by the time we reached the end of the march. If
worried sufficiently by the senior officers, he would occasionally go to
the extent of abusing one or more of the gendarmes, and administer the
usual punishment adopted by all officers in the Turkish army--slapping
the face of the culprit. It says a good deal for the discipline of the
Turkish soldier that a sergeant will stand up like a lamb and have his
face smacked by the veriest nincompoop of an officer.
Leaving the serai again the following morning, we did a short march of
some six or seven miles only, down to the river. This was to be a very
strenuous day, for that evening we were to start on the long waterless
march about which we had heard so much. It was said to be 40 miles, that
we should halt during the next day, and not reach water till the morning
after, thus doing two all-night marches. Most people had bought
goatskins, tied up to hold water, from the local Arabs. Most of them
leaked more or less rapidly, the new skins being much the worst, and all
gave the water a very strong flavour.
We got away about 5 p.m., and nothing special happened till about 11
o'clock, when suddenly the escort became wildly excited, and dashed up
and down; we were halted and told there were hostile Arabs about; the
gendarmes fired off a few shots into the air, but nothing more occurred.
All we could find to account for the disturbance was that one officer
had lost his donkey, which had got loose and gone careering off to the
side of the road. As it was a dark night, this may very likely have
alarmed one or two of the gendarmes, who did not strike us as being men
of valour.
Two hours later we halted, and, after a sketchy supper, soon got to
sleep. In the morning, instead of remaining where we were for the day,
as we had expected, we had to move on once more to the tune of "Yallah,
yallah." After three hours or so we reached some low sand-hills, and
amongst these found an unexpected stream, where we proceeded to camp.
This stream, like so many more in this part of the world, was not pure
water, but contained salts of various descriptions, said by the Turks to
make the water bad for drinking. We drank steadily from this and other
similar streams; and, luckily, for the most part, felt no ill effects.
That evening, we were again upon the road, our destination being
Shilgat, a small Turkish post on the Tigris, which we were meeting once
more. We arrived eventually about midnight, after a very wearisome
march, and after a long wait were herded into the courtyard of the
Turkish fort. When the kit had been sorted out, we were very soon
asleep, the usual precautions being taken to see that boots were hidden
under one's valise, or tied up in some way to prevent theft. As the
Turkish troops were always badly off for footgear, boots were the
articles most often stolen, and several pairs had disappeared in this
way before we reached our journey's end. All were thoroughly tired out,
and it had been decided that we would insist on a rest the following
day. Great was our wrath, therefore, to find ourselves awakened again at
dawn, and told we must move at once to another place. Phil May came in
for more abuse, and lost his temper promptly. We settled down,
eventually, in another enclosure not far away, where we had more room.
Later on, we succeeded in our efforts to get a whole day's rest.
In ancient times Shilgat was Assur, the first capital of the Assyrian
Empire. Archaeologists had evidently been at work here; all the
foundations of the old city had been laid bare; it had covered a
considerable area, and had been built largely of marble. Situated on a
high promontory overlooking the Tigris and the flat plains beyond, the
old town must have been an imposing sight from all the surrounding
country. Now, only the foundations remain, and no carving or
inscriptions are to be seen.
Next day, we were off once more across flat, uninteresting country,
keeping close to the river. At the start, there was considerable delay
owing to donkeys getting bogged in a creek which we had to cross. After
a midday halt for a couple of hours, we continued our weary way, and
finally bivouacked for the night on the bank of the river.
The following day's march proved one of the most unpleasant of the whole
journey. After an early start, we soon reached a Turkish post, where a
long delay occurred while our orderlies drew rations. At this place
there were small bitumen works, these being the first signs of any
modern industry which we had seen since leaving Bagdad. A little farther
on, the track rose to higher ground, and we left the river away on our
right. It began to get hot towards midday, and a warm wind got up,
bringing clouds of dust to meet us. At length, in the afternoon, we
reached a Turkish post, where after much altercation we were refused an
entrance, and had to retrace our steps to a somewhat sulphurous stream a
little way back, where we camped for the night.
The country all round at this time of year is covered with long thin
grass, and in many places there are quantities of wild flowers, scarlet
poppies being very conspicuous.
In order to defeat the gendarmes, we had by now formed a kind of trade
union for buying eggs from villagers. On approaching each place, it was
decided how much should be paid for eggs, these being more in demand
than any other kind of food. In the Bagdad district the Persian kron is
the usual unit: a kron is equivalent to fourpence or two Turkish
piastres; farther north the piastre, or qrush, is used. The cheapest
rate we obtained for eggs was eight for a piastre, or four a penny,
whereas when the gendarmes had their own way we had to pay a penny for
each.
Our next march took us to Hamamali, a place on the river, and containing
an old bath, as its name implies. There are bitumen springs entering the
river here, but they are not strong enough to render the water unfit for
drinking. Supplies were very plentiful--eggs, raisins, bread, and dates
being the most sought after. After a few hours' rest and a bathe in the
river, we started off again in the evening, looking forward to a real
rest on reaching Mosul the next day. We bivouacked beside the road, and
were moving at an early hour next morning. The road wound up and down
over low hills, and some attempt had been made to metal the surface and
build good bridges, showing that we were getting near to an important
place. As we reached the top of one ridge, a full view of the Tigris
valley burst upon us, Mosul lying straight ahead of us, while farther to
the right across the river lay the ruins of old Nineveh. In the
immediate foreground, the course of the river was marked by green
cultivated land and low woods, while away, in the distance, rose the
dark mountains of Kurdistan.
On approaching the town more closely, one noticed a great difference in
the mosques, as compared with Bagdad. Here the minarets were of plain
stone-work, and were not capped by gorgeous golden domes or brilliant
blue tile-work.
We were marched into a large building, formed on the usual Turkish
pattern of a hollow square. This seemed to be chiefly used as a prison.
We were given three or four empty rooms on the upper story. Water was
scarce, and had to be brought in by hand. In other respects, the
building had all the filthy characteristics inseparable from the Turk.
Soon after arriving, we were given Red Crescent post-cards to send home,
and these turned out to be the first news our friends in England
received from us. For food we were allowed to go out to restaurants in
the town. One of these, run by a Frenchman, was a great joy to us, after
the scratch meals which we had been forced to be content with for so
long. We had covered the 175 miles from Samarra to Mosul in just under
ten days, and had it not been for the extra animals hired at Tekrit we
should scarcely have managed this. As it was, most people could ride for
an hour and walk for an hour alternately, though some were not so
fortunate.
We were promised many things in Mosul, amongst others that we should be
allowed to go to bathe in the river. This was never allowed in the end,
although we went in parties to the bazaar, where we laid in stocks of
flour, rice, and raisins, for the journey on to Ras-el-Ain. We were told
that very few supplies were obtainable on the road until we reached
Nisibin, 120 miles away.
At Samarra, we had left behind a few officers who had not sufficiently
recovered from the effects of the siege to proceed at once on the road
journey. At Shilgat, we picked up one officer left by the first party,
and left one or two of our own servants behind. All these we hoped would
recover enough to come on with the troops or subsequent parties of
officers. At Mosul, we found one of our doctors left behind by the first
party, and attending to an officer who was down with enteric.
After a rest of two days at Mosul, we started off on June 1 for the 200
miles to the railhead at Ras-el-Ain. Our transport was now composed
chiefly of carts, and a few extra carts were hired by paying in advance
as before. There was the usual uncertainty as to how many marches it
would take us, and how many hours we should be on the road the first
day. We were now going almost due west, and would not see our old friend
the Tigris again.
In response to our complaints to the commandant at Mosul of the way in
which our Arab escort had behaved, these men were changed for Turkish
soldiers, who gave us less trouble. Our party was accompanied by three
magnificent Arab horses, which were being taken to Constantinople for
Enver Pasha. The Mosul district has been the finest horse-breeding
country in Asia from the earliest times; indeed, it would be hard to
imagine a country better suited for the purpose than the rolling grassy
plains stretching away on both sides of the river.
After leaving the Tigris, we did not see a single tree for a hundred
miles, and there was very little water of any description. The first
night we spent by some dirty pools after a march of more than twenty
miles. The carts were not as restful as might be imagined, since they
had no springs, and every few minutes the Jehu would urge his steeds
into a canter to catch up distance lost on the cart in front, or merely
to try to get ahead of it. The harness was largely composed of string
and rope, which often gave way, thus occasioning a long rattle for all
on board before the former place in the procession was regained. Some of
the horses had most appalling sores: they are evidently worked till they
drop, and receive the harshest treatment from the drivers. The boys
driving our carts were Kurds, wild, quick-tempered, and reckless.
The second day brought us to a camp beside a stream of pure sweet water,
a welcome change after all the dirty pools and salt-laden springs which
we had experienced. The following day, after a halt near some dirty
springs at noon, we started on another long waterless trek in the late
afternoon. We went on steadily all night, passing a large prairie fire.
These fires are started to burn up the old long grass and make way for
the fresh growth. They extend for miles, and at night are a fine sight,
with heavy clouds of smoke hanging above.
We halted for two hours about two in the morning, and then got under way
once more. About nine o'clock we came to a good stream and towards
midday reached our camp at Demir Kapo. Here, there was a small river
which yielded a number of fish. We saw a few Germans, and a German
wireless section was camped near. We bathed in the stream, and were very
glad to rest for the remainder of the day and the following morning.
Two more marches brought us to Nisibin. The country after leaving Mosul
had been almost uninhabited, but here there were small villages dotted
about. On getting nearer to them, we found that they were deserted; our
guards told us they were Armenian villages, and that the people had all
been killed earlier in the war. We passed a great many of these awful
testimonies to the barbarity of Turkish politics.
Away on our right, as we approached Nisibin, could be seen Mardin, a
city built on a rock overlooking the plains, and forming, as it were, a
look-out from the southern fringe of the Taurus Mountains. As to how
far Mardin also was a city of the dead, it was impossible to tell.
Before the war, the main Armenian population had extended from this
district over a belt of land running north-eastwards up to Erzerum and
Van.
At Nisibin, we camped near the river, and had a full day's rest. This
place saw as much fighting as any spot in Mesopotamia in the old days,
having been the frontier station between Rome and Parthia. There are not
many relics of the past to be seen at the present day, but close to our
bivouac stood four old pillars, bearing transverse stones which had
formed part of the Roman Forum. They stood out forlornly in a field on
high ground, and, as might be expected, supported a stork's nest. These
birds often build a new nest on the top of one or more old ones: they
are very common in Mesopotamia, and several were seen in Bagdad.
The following evening saw us moving on again, and the day after we
halted at midday at Tel Erman. At this point, there is a road branching
away to the north of the route we had followed and leading up to
Diarbekr. The Turks were moving a good many troops at this time up to
the Caucasus fronts, through Diarbekr, to meet the Russian pressure. We
found a large camel convoy just beyond the village; since leaving Mosul
we had met no troops or convoys destined for Bagdad or the Persian
front; everything for Mesopotamia appeared to go down the Euphrates on
rafts, this being the quickest way.
Tel Erman lived in our memories as being the first place where we had
obtained any fruit since leaving Bagdad three weeks before. Some small
cherries and apricots were to be had and were eagerly bought up.
During the evening's march, we passed a regiment of Turkish cavalry,
who, for Turks, seemed to be wonderfully well equipped. The average Turk
never looks happy on a horse, but these fellows made a better show than
usual. As we approached the railhead at Ras-el-Ain, signs of activity
increased, and there were more dead horses at the roadside, showing that
the traffic was heavier.
The last day's march was one of the worst; during the morning stage the
sun was hot, there was no breeze, and quantities of sand-flies assailed
us. Towards midday, we reached a big Turkish camp, where there were a
good many men and stores in course of transit eastwards. Here we rested
until late in the afternoon, when our final march to Ras-el-Ain began.
The last few miles were accomplished at a good pace to a sustained
whistling accompaniment, ranging over most of the popular songs of the
last few years.
Every one thought that our troubles were over, as we were now on a
railway, and whatever might happen would not have to walk any farther.
These hopes were dispelled a few days later, when we heard of the two
breaks in the line across the Taurus Mountains, which had not yet been
completed, thus necessitating two more trips by road.
We bivouacked in the open by the station, and early in the morning were
told to get ready at once to go by the next train. An hour later, it
appeared that we were not going till the following day. By this time we
had ceased to pay much attention to Turkish orders, unless we saw that
actual preparations were being made to carry them out. In the afternoon,
the Turks took away all Hindu orderlies and servants, and informed us
that all the doctors in our party, except one, were to stay here to look
after the Indian troops on their arrival, as the latter were going to be
put to work on continuing the railway farther east towards Nisibin. We
were very sorry for our medical friends, since their prospects looked
anything but cheerful. Local food supplied from the country round
seemed almost non-existent, and the shops in the village had very
little.
By the time we reached Ras-el-Ain, we had completed 200 miles from Mosul
in ten days. Most of us had walked half the distance, and bumped in
carts over the other half. We had kept tolerably cheerful, apart from a
few inveterate grousers; altogether we had survived wonderfully well,
and had fared infinitely better than the troops from Kut, who were
marching along in our tracks a few days behind us.
From Ras-el-Ain we started for Aleppo the next morning, the journey
taking nearly twelve hours. The only interesting place through which we
passed was Jerrablus, the ancient Carchemish, where the line crosses the
Euphrates by a fine bridge. There was not much sign of activity on the
river banks, but before we left the station a complete train loaded with
German motor-lorries had arrived, and after a few minutes continued its
way eastwards.
On reaching Aleppo, in the evening, the orderlies and servants were
marched off by themselves, and after loading our kit on to carts we were
driven away in gharries from the station. This seemed to be almost the
height of luxury, and we thought that at last we had reached a place
where we should be really well treated. The gharries took us to various
small hotels, but when once inside we were not allowed to go out again.
The Turks said that our kit would be delivered at once; some people
waited up hoping for the arrival of their valises, but the wiser seized
what bedding there was obtainable in the hotel, and laying it on a
veranda made the best of a bad job, and went to sleep.
In the morning, we were not allowed out to get any food. The hotel
sharks refused to let boys come up with rolls, but tried to sell to us
themselves at double the prices. However, we eventually got hold of a
boy who threw up rolls from the street below to our veranda, and thus
outwitted our enemies.
All efforts to get out for breakfast, or to fetch our kit, proved
unavailing, until about midday we were allowed to go a few yards down
the street to where our kit had all been thrown inside a gateway the
night before. Fortunately, although a good many valises had evidently
been opened, very little had been stolen.
It was not until four o'clock in the afternoon that we were finally
allowed out in parties to a restaurant not a hundred yards away. While
we were shut in, we had seen Phil May in the road and shouted to him;
but, although he could see very well what we wanted, he never took the
trouble to come into the hotel, much less to help us.
The next day passed in much the same fashion, except that we were
allowed out at midday, and no one was sorry when we were marched off
back to the station early the following morning. Here we met the
orderlies, who had fared much worse than we had. The first night they
had been packed into a small room in some filthy barracks, and had
suffered severely from the verminous pests which flourish in every
Turkish building.
A railway journey of a few hours brought us to Islahie, which was then
the railhead for the journey over the Anti-Taurus range.
There were some Austrian troops in Aleppo, and we now began to meet many
more Germans. Turkish training-camps were much in evidence at the
stations we passed after leaving Aleppo, and a good deal of material was
going south on the railway. Most of this was going to Egypt to assist in
the attack which ended so disastrously for the Turks.
We spent the night at Islahie under some rough tent shelters. All our
clothes had been fumigated in a steam waggon specially designed for the
purpose.
The following morning we noticed a crowd of men, women, and children
moving off along the road and looking very wretched. Our guards said
that these were Armenians who had been working on the line, but were
being taken away to make room for our troops, who would be set to work
in their place; they also added that these Armenians would be marched
off into a waterless spot in the hills, and kept there till they died.
We left our camp in the evening, travelling the first part of the way in
carts, over one of the most bumpy roads ever seen. After a halt at the
foot of the pass, we marched up, starting at midnight. There was a fine
moon, and the scenery as we climbed higher became very grand. The road
appeared to be only lately completed, and was probably due to German
energy. As we neared the summit three or four bodies were seen lying in
the ditch beside the road; these were evidently some of the Armenians we
had seen starting off that morning. After descending the farther side,
we bivouacked under trees in a pretty spot, and on the slope opposite
saw the Armenians. Soon after they left and we did not see anything more
of them. That evening we continued our way downhill, meeting several
batches of sturdy Turkish youths who had just been called up and were
on their way to training-camps near Aleppo. We were descending rapidly,
and our drivers maintained a headlong gallop, with the result that two
carts were completely overturned, but fortunately with no ill effects to
the passengers. We finally bivouacked not far from the railhead, and
reached the station of Mamoure early the following morning.
The railway journey across the plain, through Adana, took some six
hours, bringing us to Kulek Boghaz, a station within five miles of
Tarsus. From this point the road journey over the main Taurus range
began. All supplies were being brought over by German motor-lorries, and
everything was being run by a German commandant. During the night
several helmets were stolen and probably found their way to German
soldiers, who either had no sun helmets or very inferior ones. The
commandant did his best to recover them, but without success. He told us
that we should leave the next morning at 9 o'clock. Punctually to the
minute, a dozen motor-lorries rolled up, and we were soon speeding along
the road towards the mountains. The road had been cut up dreadfully by
the heavy traffic, so that we were jolted about almost as badly as we
had been in the Turkish carts. The scenery grew finer as we ascended,
until half-way we reached an open space amongst the hills, which the
Germans had made the headquarters of their motor service, and christened
"Camp Taurus." Here were enormous repair tents, one for each make of
car, with living quarters and offices all of a most complete and
elaborate type. After a halt here, we continued our way, still rising
slowly until we entered the Cilician Gates, where the road just finds
room to pass through a narrow rocky gorge. On the farther side, the
descent begins at once, and is very steep in places. The road here was
being repaired by bands of forced labourers, and had a much better
surface.
As we neared the railway again, at Bozanti, we noticed a few British
prisoners. These were naval men taken in the Dardanelles. They said they
were being paid, and apparently had not much to complain about. We were
not allowed to stop and speak to them, and can only hope that they fared
better than our own troops who were put to work shortly afterwards on
the neighbouring sections of the line through the Taurus.
At Bozanti, we were able to buy a few stores, some of which were British
and had been left behind at Gallipoli when we evacuated the peninsula.
With only a short wait, we were packed like sardines into a train, and
the next stage of the journey began.
The next morning we reached Konia, and were told to leave the train, but
not to take our kit out, as the train was stopping for some time. The
local commandant arrived, and proved to be the best Turkish officer we
had met. Under his direction, we were taken to a hospital building,
where there were two large rooms containing rough beds. These were a
great delight after sleeping on the ground for weeks. The commandant, a
little later, decided that we should be allowed to remain here until the
next day, so that we might have a rest. If we had relied on Phil May,
our kit would have all gone on in the afternoon to Constantinople, but
luckily we just managed to rescue it in time.
The greatest delight of Konia, from our point of view, was an hotel near
the station, to which we were allowed to go for meals. This was run by a
Frenchwoman, who was kindness itself, and could not do enough for us.
Few of us will forget the delights of her omelets or the hot baths in a
real long bath, the first we had seen since leaving India.
The journey next day was more comfortable, as we had more room. After
spending another night in the train, we arrived in the morning at Afion
Kara Hissar, where a good number of Gallipoli prisoners were interned.
In the evening, we reached Eski Chehir, the junction for the Angora
line. Here all our Mohammedan servants were taken from us. We were
conducted a little way into the town to the houses where a number of
Indian Mohammedan officers, who had come along with the first party,
were living. They seemed to have fared pretty well, and certainly had
very good quarters. They were very glad to see us, and we anxiously
inquired after their experiences by the way.
Up to this point we had fondly imagined that Angora would be the end of
our journey, but just before starting in the evening we were told that
another ten days by road lay in front of us after reaching Angora. We
were packed tight in the train, and rumbled on slowly through the night,
arriving at Angora at eleven o'clock next day. Our kit was left to be
brought in carts, while we were marched through the town to a big
building over a mile beyond. This had been built as an Agricultural
College, but latterly used as a Military School. Here we found the
first party of officers, whom we had last seen at Shamran camp. They
seemed to have had a much more unpleasant journey than we had; whether
it was because they had most of the staff officers amongst them, or had
adopted the plan of telling every Turk and interpreter exactly what they
thought of them, certain it is that they were not enjoying life, and
when we arrived had not been allowed outside the building for two whole
days.
We had bidden farewell to Phil May with great delight at Eski Chehir,
and had since then been in charge of a much pleasanter officer. Thanks
to his efforts, we succeeded in getting permission to stay out of doors
to cook and to go down to a neighbouring stream to bathe in the evening.
We felt that the first party really owed us a great debt of gratitude in
thus providing them with an opportunity of washing and getting a little
fresh air.
All our orderlies had been marched off from the station to some dirty
Turkish barracks, so that we were entirely dependent on our own culinary
efforts. Two days after our arrival, the first party left in carts for
Yozgad, a distance of 100 miles due east on the road to Sivas and
Erzerum. We remained for a week, being only allowed to go into the town
once to make purchases. The journey to Kastamuni began under the best
conditions. The weather was perfect, and as we were well over 2,000 feet
above sea-level the sun was never too hot at midday. Also, we had a new
commandant, who did what he could to help us. The distance in front of
us was 140 miles, and we expected to take fully a week.
The road led through countless orchards for the first few miles, and
then on into more open country. Cherries and small apricots abounded,
and supplies in general were plentiful; a very different state of
affairs existed a year later, when prices had doubled and trebled, and
in many cases advanced very much more. We reached a small village the
first evening, and our commandant appeared much surprised that we should
prefer to sleep in the open rather than in the very doubtful shelters
attached to the local rest-house.
The following day we reached Kalejik, a picturesque little place with
the ruins of an old castle perched on a rocky pinnacle in the centre of
the town. Some such ruin seems to keep watch over all Turkish towns. We
had already seen similar old forts perched on hills at Afion Kara
Hissar and Angora.
Next morning, most of our carts were taken away, and we were given
donkeys instead. A small moke cannot keep pace with a cart, and it is an
open question whether riding the animal with a loading saddle is less
fatiguing than walking along and driving it in front of one. Provided
all one's kit had been put on a cart, the easiest way was often to let
the moke go where it liked, and walk on oneself without it.
Two days from Kalejik brought us to Changri, a prettily situated little
place, which came suddenly into view, as we rounded a bend in the road,
after traversing a very desolate and uninteresting stretch of country
all day. We bivouacked under some trees by a stream, which, however, was
not fit to drink from. The local commandant and Town Council paid us a
visit. We were allowed to visit the bazaar, and generally made ourselves
comfortable.
In the morning, we were given more carts again, much to our delight, and
continued our way northward. The road now began to cross some high
ridges. On one of these we passed a police post, and a halt was made
while our commandant stalked a few sitting pigeons with his shot-gun,
eventually securing one after a great deal of trouble. Beyond
sand-grouse, between Bagdad and Mosul, we had seen very little game of
any sort since we left Kut.
We camped by a stream, after a very steep and bumpy descent from a high
ridge. It is extraordinary what treatment the light Turkish transport
carts can stand without anything giving way.
Our next march led us up a very long ascent, and proved the most
enjoyable day of our whole journey. After ascending some distance, the
road entered pine woods, and reminded us very strongly of roads near
different hill stations in India. We halted at midday very near the top
of the pass, which must be close on 4,000 feet, while the mountains on
either side rise to another 2,000 feet. The views were glorious, and we
wished it might have been possible to stay longer in such scenery. By
evening, we had dropped down a long distance on the other side and were
nearly out of the woods again when we halted for our last bivouac.
We were now within ten miles of Kastamuni, and by eleven o'clock next
morning, July 5th, were in sight of the place. The old castle, standing
on its rocky crest, was the first sight which greeted us as we looked
down into the valley from the top of the ridge along which we had come.
The town, spreading up and down the valley round the base of the castle
rock, seemed very much larger than any Turkish town we had seen since
leaving Aleppo. The valley was green with cultivated fields and trees,
while the hillsides were bare and brown.
We were halted just outside the town, while a number of local gendarmes
formed up on each side of the road. After a long wait, we thus
progressed in state into the town and through the bazaar to our
quarters, which proved to be houses from which the former Greek
inhabitants had been ejected. In the end, although somewhat crowded, we
found ourselves each with a bed, bedding, and a little other furniture.
Most of us had not slept in a bed for eight months or more, apart
perhaps from a few days in hospital, and all we desired at the moment
was one long rest.
During the last week, which had been by far the pleasantest of the whole
trek, we had averaged twenty miles a day. Our journey altogether had
been nearly 1,700 miles, and was probably the longest distance across
country any prisoners of war have had to travel to the place of their
confinement.