TNT Matchbox Diary: A Turkish POW in Russian Prison Camp (1915-1918)/Part V

The tragic Battle of Sarıkamış in December 1914 just 

preceded Fuat Bey's arrival at the Caucasus Front. 

Newspaper clipping is from the New York Times of the 

era.  The number of Turkish deaths is generally assessed

to have been as many as 90,000.

16 March 1915

Today I got the procedural documents. The restaurant owner Enver took 

them (and they were sent to the transport branch via him.) He dealt with

the lieutenant colonel in particular on my behalf. Sabri also went to his 

detachment, the 10^th Army Corps.

17-20 March  1915 (no entries)

21 March 1915

The procedural documents went from the transport branch to the central 

headquarters and from there they were sent to the fortifications command

(for the lieutenant colonel there) but nothing could be done. I’ll be going 

to the 28^th Division upon the order of the Army Corps.  In the event that 

happens, I have been recommended to the commander of the 84^th 

Regiment, Major Abdullah of Harput.

22 March 1915

I wrote a telegram to my father telling him that my detachment has 

changed. I went to headquarters to have it certified. Just then, the 

official there nabbed me and I was nearly shipped out. Fortunately, I 

tricked the woman. I saw Şerif  and we headed out from there.  

Torment, distress.  Now I’m hopeless. Anyway, I sent the telegram. 

I wasn’t able to get leave from Dispatch Commander İbrahim. A real

calamity. Now it was evening and I was feeling hopeless. As the 

door was closing a woman came and kicked me out but I was saved. 

I had dinner at a restaurant and came home. Tahsin Nazım came as 

well. I explained the incident to him and he consoled me. I was very 

upset. Today will be difficult for me to forget.

23 March 1915 (no entry)

24 March 1915

I got two letters from Şerif. I stayed in Erzurum and got ready. I 

continually wrote letters and I sent a secret one to my father in which

I explained the situation completely.

Departure at the Kars Gate

25 March 1915

In the morning I went to headquarters and from there to dispatch. I 

said farewell to Tahsin. The house servant came with me up until I 

went out through the Kars Gate.  Around noon we departed Erzurum 

and reached Korucuk in the evening. We stayed in a shabby room with

 the Gendarmerie. I got the documents there and examined them 

carefully.  The problem once again is the result of the Court Martial

at the Second Central Command, from the War Academy. The 

procedural date concerning me is 3 January (21 December) 331-915 

(Rumi 330). Very unjust, excuses…I cursed it with hatred as I read it.

Damn such things!

26 March 1915

We departed Korucuk and came to Hasankale. I had the documents

with me. As soon as we stopped I started to walk by myself and by 

evening we reached Badicivan where the 84^th Regiment was. I had

a cape and a greatcoat, as well as a bread sack, underwear and a shirt. 

I gave one of the letters Şerif had given me to Major Abdullah (I had

given the other one to a lieutenant colonel in Hasankale). As a guest,

I went to a stable where the regimental clerical office was.

27 March 1915

No response came about my documents, which we sent to the 28^th 

Division last evening. I spent today in Badicivan waiting.

28 March 1915

In the morning, based on an order from the division, I went to the 

division headquarters at Okumi by way of Mıyadin (83^rd Regiment). I 

waited until evening. Captain Fahri of the General Staff put me through

a long, cruel process. A thousand curses! In any event, in the evening I

returned to Badicivan with a cavalryman and settled in with my 

assignment in the 84^th Regiment. My heart lightened a bit. I wrote a 

letter to my father right away.

Badicivan village (today's Esendere) is located just 

northwest of Hasankale (today's Pasinler), east of Erzurum.

Sarıkamış is at upper right in today's Kars province.

29 March-4 April  1915 (no entries)

5 April 1915

I’m staying in Badicivan this whole time. My soul is aching, I’m all

 alone. I’m consoling myself with my morale. The regimental aide-de

-camp, Second Lieutenant Salih, came.  He has a mustache and he’s 1

328 (class of 1912). I’m passing time by myself. Corporal Arif, Cavalry

Corporal Bekir, Sergeant Memduh and the notorious Cevat of Trablus

are said to be here. I went to find them but I didn’t.

6 April 1915

The order to advance has been given but rescinded. Things are calm 

again. During the night and before I awoke toward morning I had a 

terrible dream.  It was like my brother was at the window crying. My 

father and mother were grieved, very sad. They’re saying they told me 

not to go to the Caucasus. They’re crying, feeling sorry for me…right

away I sent them a telegram with my address and told them not to 

worry. I sent it to Hasankale thanks to Major Abdullah.

7-22 April 1915 (no entries)

23 April 1915

I remain in Badicivan, with the documents. I spoke with Doctor Ibrahim

of the 3^rd Battalion and gave him Şerif’s letter. I made a formal statement

that I was sick and tried to get transferred  but to no avail. One of the 

infirmary doctors felt sorry for me and he gave me some advice along 

with  medicine. He was a considerate person but I forgot his name.

Aggravation. Once again I wrote letters to my father and friends.

24 April 1915

I wrote a long petition about the reinstatement of my rights and sent 

it to the division.

25 April-5 May 1915 (no entries)

6 May 1915

Still in Badicivan. Through the division secretary, Ahmet, I found out 

the petition number.  I wrote to Istanbul. But I couldn’t find out the Army

Corps number. I know the 3^rd Battalion Aide-de-Camp, Ethem, here. He’s

my classmate. The 1^st Battalion Aide-de-Camp, Şerif, was angry because 

my chest was exposed. I don’t get along with Şerif. He’s quite cruel.

While we’ve been here the Machine Gun Company of the Bagdad 

Division has come to our regiment. We were chatting with one of its 

sergeants, who was probably a casualty.  There’s no one else to talk to. 

I’m always alone. Sometimes I amuse myself by making

maps. I’m consoling myself with strength. Since I left Istanbul I haven’t 

gotten a letter from home. 

     A Turkish machine gun crew on the Caucasus Front.

//END OF PART V//

Duplicity Without Necessity

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 30 December 2018)


Only thing Şahin's missing is the police "tough guy" look.

Around noon the day before yesterday, Erol Şahin drove up to the
Bakırköy courthouse in Istanbul wearing a police chief's uniform and
with a police lamp blinking on the hood of his car.  Police at the
courthouse gate asked Şahin for his ID card and where his duty station is.
Flummoxed, Şahin headed for the exit but was caught.

A search of Şahin's person and car yielded the business card of a police
chief, an ID card from the Retired Police Assistance Association, an ID
photo of himself in a police chief's uniform, a blank-shooting
revolver and magazine, 6 blanks, a wallet with the police insignia on
it, a bullet-proof vest, two promissory notes for someone named İsmail
Yahya E. for 50,000 TL and 60,000 TL, and two checks for 10,000 TL
and 12,000 TL.

Police determined that Şahin had roamed around Istanbul for 3 months,
wearing a police uniform and driving his car outfitted with the police
lamp and siren.  It turned out that Şahin is, in reality, a fruit and
vegetable seller (!) in Bayrampaşa, Istanbul.  He said in his statement
that "even my wife thinks I'm a policeman."  Şahin was charged with
intentional fraud and forging official documents and jailed.


                  Şahin's "beat", on the left along the shore.

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türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Sözcü Newspaper, 30 December 2018)


                     Indian road, left, cowboy road, right.

AKP (ruling party) Parliamentarian Ahmet Hamdi Çamlı wanted to
tout his party's road-building accomplishments in the Black Sea
region so he posted two road photos side-by-side showing a dangerous
mountain road and a smooth coastal highway.  However, Çamlı, who
used to be President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's chauffeur (!), used a
photo of the Kinnaur district of India as if it were a rural area of the
Turkey's Black Sea region.  Social media mavens quickly spotted the
fraud and called Çamlı out.


                       "Hold me back! Lest I tweet again..."

TNT Animal Kingdom Edition: A Few Good Humans

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 December 2018)


another bird saved see this recent TNT report for another bird
rescue in Osmaniye province.


The other vulture is the Gendarmerie's Turkish-Serbian avian
interpreter.

A wounded vulture on the verge of freezing in the snow was rescued
by Gendarmerie troops in Seyhandede village of Çermik district in
western Diyarbakır province.  One of the vulture's wings was broken
and on the other was a label that read "Sasa Marinkoviç, Birds of Prey
Protection Foundation." Together with a GPS chip, the Gendarmerie
was able to determine that the bird belongs to the Serbian Prey
Protection Directorate.  After treatment by a veterinarian the vulture
was delivered to the Turkish National Parks Directorate.



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türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Hürriyet Newspaper, 29 December 2018


         Cold and wet but safe and warm, at the same time.

A dog that fell through the ice on Lake Sıhke, just east of Van city,
was rescued by a team comprised of police and AFAD (search &
rescue) members.  Policeman Burak Ökten (35), who carried the canine
to safety, has adopted the dog and named him "Buz" (ice).

Ökten said that his love of animals began together with his police
career 11 years ago.  He spent 3 years assigned to the Underwater
Police Camp in Van and last year he adopted two puppies whose
mother was killed in a traffic accident in Edremit district. He
takes care of an abandoned street cat, as well.  Ökten explained
that "We just did our job and then adopted this dog. I'd like everyone
to be sensitive to the needs of animals."

Taking Up O.J.'s 'Running Through Airports' Mantle

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 30 December 2018)


                    But he's not chasing the 'real killer'...


Slovenian economics professor Milan Vodopivec (66) came to Atatürk
Airport in Istanbul from Riyad, Saudi Arabia, and had a 6-hour layover
before his flight to Slovenia.  To pass the time, Vodopivec first did yoga
and then ran for 1.5 hours through the terminal, to the amazement of
other passengers and airport workers.

Vodopivec explained that he is a frequent flyer and has run around
airport terminals all over the world during his layovers: "I've run
every day since I was 19. I use my spare time at airports to run,too.
So far I've run in airports in India, Indonesia, Tokyo, Singapore,
Bangkok and Frankfurt."



                      O.J., in happier days.

Rearenders Edition

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 8 October 2009)


     Pioneering bass-akwards suicide attempt ends in failure.

In Turgutlu district of Manisa province, a 61-year-old man sat on a
soda bottle in a suicide attempt.  The incident occurred on Narlı Street
in the Subaşı neighborhood.  For some as yet unexplained reason,
K.Y. (61) sat on the bottle in his home in a suicide attempt but when
the pain became excruciating his wife heard his cries and took him to
Turgutlu State Hospital.  A surgeon was able to extricate the bottle
from K.Y.'s anus and he was released in his wife's custody.


Fortunately, the surgeon was visiting Turgulu from NYC.

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türkçe links to original Turkish article.

(HaberTürk Newspaper, 2 December 2018)


      Ceramic is just about part of their wardrobe anymore.

In Izmir, members of the Inflamed Intestines Patients and Families
Assistance Association (IBHAYD) staged a demonstration to call
attention to their plight, which requires them to go to the toilet
30-40 times per day (!).  Association President Ömür Akkaya
explained that IBHAYD members need special cards to allow them
to jump lines at public toilets. 


                        They won't be vacant for long...