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

//Ed. Note:  Fuad Bey, still at Sarıkamış prison camp, has
trouble getting food from the camp's Armenian grocer.
He also has some interesting discussions about women
and hears news of Ottoman Army expoits elsewhere.//


The Battle of Sarıkamış, December 1914. By the time Fuad
Bey reached Sarıkamış a year or so later, it was solidly in 
Russian control.

1 April 1916 Saturday

Zühdü and I went to the Command early and requested money. Instead 

he gave us a pass and showed us a grocer’s  (an Armenian’s) store,

saying that we would get everything we need from here. We went to 

the store but we couldn’t get anything. Upon our return we stood and 

chatted with Basri, Şerif and Tevfik. In the afternoon some of us 

fellows went to the grocer but he said ‘I don’t know you’ and wouldn’t

give them anything. What a disgrace! Today’s duty officer was a 

Georgian. He came and talked with us, played games with us. At

night Kazim told a long story. Terrible sleeplessness – the result of 

thinking about the past.

The Veiling of Women and Liberal Women

2 April 1916 Sunday

Although some fellows went to the Command in the morning to 

resolve the grocer problem they were unsuccessful. All they heard 

was that the grocer would change. The weather was good up until 

midday, then it changed for the worse. A sudden snow storm covered

everything in white. In the evening we had a general discussion about 

the veiling of women and liberal women. The most adamant 

conservative, Hurşid, insisted that women are like prisoners. But

Zühdü and I, with our sensible responses, carried the day and 

convinced everyone. Again at night, as we did last night, we 

chatted with Kazim about the future. We had a good time.

3 April 1916 Monday

Since unfortunately nothing was done about the grocer problem this

morning it was brought  up again to the Command at night. A Cossack

officer prisoner came to us at night. He was rather polite. Later another,

handsome officer came, evidently the duty officer. As he entered the 

room he chuckled at me and said hello. I responded in kind.

But his disposition was odd. Anyway, shortly  afterwards they all left.

4 April 1916 Tuesday

The weather is bad and very cold. Everywhere is covered with snow. 

The enemy command’s  negligence has gradually exacerbated our 

misery here. Although we make requests morning and night nothing 

happens. Again, the decision has been put off till tomorrow. Zühdü 

went over to visit the fellows on the other side and he brought this

news upon his return: our forces have taken two Russian regiments 

prisoner, one infantry and one cavalry. Apparently, these are the 155^th

and 156^th regiments. Enver Paşa has attacked Egypt with a supporting 

force from Germany. Soldiers have been sent to the Erzurum-Trabzon

front. Our forces have gone on the attack in the eastern theater of

operations. We were pleased to hear this. At night we enjoyed games

in an orderly fashion. I caught a bit of a cold today, the reason being

that the other fellows had opened my window while I was sleeping to 

let some air in. I was somewhat annoyed by this.

5 April 1916 Wednesday

The weather is bad again and cold. There’s snow everywhere. My

cold continued today but it’s not very serious. We went to the Command

again in the morning and because the designated Armenian grocer said 

that he couldn’t give a list of names unless an account was implemented 

regarding the approximate nature of one ruble worth of goods, the 

matter was again put off till tomorrow. The aide-de-camp promised that

tomorrow he would take the list of names back and give it to another 

store. But the Russians lie a lot. First they say ‘siças’ (‘right away’), 

then its put off till tomorrow.  What deception! Months pass. A person

abandons all hope. Our needs are great, for everything.  There’s no tea,

no sugar, no cigarettes. What comes from the restaurant isn’t  enough 

to fill a man’s stomach, much less. If this isn’t straightened out we’ll 

die of starvation. Fleas are everywhere, underwear is in short supply, 

there’s no good bed. Everything is lacking.

6 April 1916 Thursday

The weather is bad, very cold. My discomfort has eased somewhat. 

In the afternoon Regimental Second Lieutenant Osman visited our 

house. He told us about how they took asylum in Austria during the

Balkan War and the life and the things he witnessed there until until 

he came back to Istanbul. A bit later Aksenti came and said that we

would be moved to Baku sometime in April. I gave hime a drawing 

of the Sarıkamış church that I made on a card and today I again wrote

a song from //dil-I divane// and taught it. In the evening Zühdü and

I went to the Command where we saw the aide.  But all we got were 

half-baked responses and words. Aksenti came again in the evening.

Since I didn’t have any cigarettes he gave me one. I was embarrassed.

I saw my father in a dream at night. Although I requested a career in 

engineering he suggested that I pursue a career in the bureaucracy.

7 April 1916 Friday

Time passes with a thousand terrible thoughts within this misery, 

deprivation and torture.  In the morning Zühdü and Kazim went to 

the Command about the grocer. They got the paper  from the 

Armenian grocer but the newly-designated shopkeeper objected and

wouldn’t give them anything. Even though they went back to the 

Command when this happened they couldn’t find anyone there. In 

the afternoon Tahir’s captain (Mustafa) came for a visit and we talked

 a bit. At night we passed the time with long discussions.

We continually ask God to return us to our homeland safe and sound.

//END of PART XIX//