A page from Fuad Bey's tiny matchbox diary.
//A lull in the fighting between Turkish and Russian troops
finds Fuat Bey marching north from Karaçoban toward his
regiment's HQS at Kepenek, where he will end 1915 and
enter 1916, with his most serious days as a fighting soldier
just around the corner. In early January 1916, Fuad Bey
provides some personal information and recalls some of
the details about his time at Kepenek that he did not
previously record in his diary. //
The Enemy Attack Diminishes
2 September 1915
We’ve stayed on the northeastern flank of Kürte village all this time.
For now the enemy’s attack has died down. The enemy had been here
and thinking they would remain here for the winter they had made
some earthworks. I received two cream sweets from my father along
with three batteries for a pocket flashlight. But I’m having a terrible
time with the food and I’ve made a complaint to Major Abdullah about
this. It seems that the provisions I want will be given to me for a
promissory note. Happily, I received letters from my friends Ismail and
Emin, along with letters and newspapers from my father.
3-15 September 1915 (no entries)
16 September 1915
We departed the northeastern flank of Kürte village toward evening,
crossed the Hinis Stream and at midnight we reached the area of
Gündüz village where we spent the night.
17 September 1915
We left here in the morning, passing by villages. In the evening we
came to Bayrub but we didn’t stop, continuing on till midnight across
very rocky terrain. It was really bad. At midnight we reached
Elmaağaç.
18 September 1915 (no entry)
19 September 1915
We remained in Elmaağaç. The water is very good. I joined up with
Salih to eat. Major Şerif sent me 10 mecidiye (2 liras), some more
money and an okka (2.8 lbs.) of sugar that my father had sent.
20 September 1915
We departed Elmaağaç toward morning. Passing Bayraktar and Kefri,
we came to Çatalviran and settled into tents.
21 September-10 October 1915 (no entries)
We Settled Into Homes in Çatalviran Village
11 October 1915
Veterinarian Nafız, Müftü and Salih. Here I got some photographs
of my father and my five siblings. My father is again working on my
behalf. The school seems to be working against him.
12 October 1915
We departed Çatalviran in the morning. Passing Turnagöl and
Güzeldere, we came to Simo Komu and settled in.
Marching north from Karaçoban (blue circle), Fuad Bey
eventually reached Kepenek village, about 30 kilometers
directly south of Horasan, but north of Karayazı.
13 October 1915 (no entry)
14 October 1915
We remained at Simo Komu. The snow and rain began to fall.
15 October 1915
At mid-day, we left Simo Komu and reached Kepenek where the
regimental headquarters had been set up. We settled in.
16 October 11 January 1915 (no entries)
12 January 1916
We’ve been at Kepenek all this time. I worked together with
Aide-de-Camp Salih on issues concerning food but I became very
angry at his rudeness and I wanted to quit. Veterinarian Nafız was
very helpful and this time I stayed with him. We found a small room
in a roof house and we lived there together. We became quite good
friends in this miserable situation. Salih can’t stand this and now and
then he sulks. One day I complained and the regimental commander
scolded him.
While we’ve been here I took leave and went to Hasankale (probably
12 October Rumi). We entered the town that day and stayed in
Sergeant Sabri’s two-story house. We bought a few things and toured
the next day, buying some more items. The next day we went to the
hot spring at Hasankale. The water was nice but the bath was filthy,
no one was taking care of it. Inside everything was dirty. In any event,
we came back that day and got caught in heavy rain as we reached
Köprü village at night. With difficulty we came to Arzi toward dawn
and in the morning I went straight to headquarters. At holiday time
I took leave again with the veterinarian and we went to Arzi. I was
introduced to Chief Veterinarian Ömer Lütfi and Postal Division 28
official Hazım. We had a nice meal.
Our life at Kepenek went well and I met a lot of other officers like
Artilleryman Nurettin, Rıfkı, Doctor Nuri and others. Toward
the end, we got together in the room with the doctors and Nurettin
most nights and had some good meals. Very nice. But Salih would
get very angry with me because I was talking with these other
fellows. I got a number of letters and money from my father. Later
he sent me my ankle boots and galoshes, along with chocolate
and sugar. He recently wrote that he had also sent 25 mecidiye
(5 liras), a rubber knife for the veterinarian, a notebook and an
undershirt but I never received them. I only got two flannel
underwears.
Upon the recommendation of the veterinarian here I wrote a
proposal to my father about entering medical school and he agreed.
My father said that I should just look after myself and he would
take care of the registration and acceptance at the school, which
made me very happy. I then applied to the head of the Bursa school
with both official and personal letters, my goal being to have him
give me a certificate showing that I had completed my high
school education. A month later I received a reply to the official
letter saying that the certificate was obtained from the War Academy.
But there was no reply to my personal letter. He just put a certificate
in the envelope with the letter and sent it. I was glad about this and
right away I sent it by registered mail. I also wrote a long letter to my
brother about my trip from Istanbul to Erzurum. In particular, the
Istanbul-Sivas part. My father had my brother Ekrem registered for
free to the first class of Galatasaray at Yüksek Kaldırım street in
Istanbul, which made me very happy. His number is 0529. Now my
mother and father are alone…
During these past three months there has been a calm between us
and the enemy. Other than some skirmishes during reconnaissance
partrols across from us, there have not been any incidents.
Erzurum in the winter of 1915-1916.
//END of PART IX//
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