19 Temmuz 2019 Cuma

TNT POW Reports: Turks in Greek Hands (1920-1923)/Part XXII

//Ed. Note:

Milos Island see Part XV of this TNT series for another
POW's report about Milos Island.


milos island map ile ilgili görsel sonucu

Our Prisoners on Milos Island:

The report of Gazizade Hacı Mehmed Sadık Efendi, a professor from
Eskişehir:

1)Upon hearing about the impending attack, I was working as a tithe
collector in Dodurga village of Bozüyük town. I sealed the warehouse
and went to Bozüyük, intending to return to my family in Eskişehir.  
It was Friday, the 17th day of the month of Muharrem.  Since the last
train had left for Eskişehir, I could not return there.  Returning to
Dodurga village was also problematic because the local Greeks and
Armenians were inflicting all sorts of torture on Moslems along the
way.  Because of the danger of staying in Bozüyük I thought I would
head for Bursa but when I reached Aksu the Greeks accused me of
spying and took me prisoner.

bozüyük haritası ile ilgili görsel sonucu
This POW was captured by the Greeks near Bozüyük,
between Eskişehir and Bilecik, transported via Bursa
and its port Mudanya to Salonica (Thessaloniki) and
from there to Milos Island.

2)I was transported via Mudanya and Salonica to Milos Island.  The
Thracians held on Milos Island were repatriated by one ship and those
of us from Anatolia were returned to Izmir on another.  Approximately
80 civilian prisoners remained on Milos Island and they were housed
in a tent.  I heard from those who came after us that the Greeks burned
both these sick prisoners and the tent together. 

3)On Milos Island there were about 5,000 male and female civilian
prisoners from Anatolia and Thrace.  We were transported to Milos
Island from Salonica on the second ship.  The prisoners were put in the
ship’s hold with no water for two day and 672 civilian prisoners died
from thirst.  Of the remaining prisoners, 8 to 10 died each day on Milos
Island from hunger.  Out of 5,000 prisoners, 3,000 could not return and
2,000 died.

//Ed. Note: of number of separate POW reports mention 
the deaths of some 670 people en route to Milos Island 
from Salonica. This one says the prisoners died of thirst, 
while others say the prisoners were throw alive into the 
sea by the Greeks.//

4)Prior to being transported to Milos Island, 800 of us civilian prisoners
were kept in the Beyaz Kale there for 3 months. Besides being given
small amounts of bread for 2 months, we got nothing else. For a month
we were given very meager soldiers’ meals consisting of unhealthy food.  
Subsequently, we were transported to Milos Island, where were given a
loaf of bread for 6 peole each day and nothing else.  Consequently, a
great many prisoners died from hunger. 

beyaz kale selanik ile ilgili görsel sonucu
"Beyaz Kale" (White Fortress) in Salonica (Thessaloniki)

5)We were not given the money and letters sent to us from our country.  
As for clothing, a few days before we returned to Turkey a few prisoners
were given old clothes that Greek soldiers had discarded but some of
these clothes did not even cover one’s private areas.  Just before we
returned to Turkey we were given some of the money and letters that had
come from our families and the day before we left they gave us some
Greek money. But since we departed right away, this Greek money was
of no benefit to us.   And although the Greek Gendarmerie would kill
prisoners on a whim, I saw that the Greek government took no
responsibility for this. 

Elhac (pilgrim) Mehmed Sadık, a professor from Eskişehir

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