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

//Ed. Note: Fuad Bey adjusts to prison camp life in 
Russian-held Sarıkamış.//


                                         Turkish POWs

1 March 1916 Monday

Since all of our appeals to the Commander with regard to everything 

we need as the result of our captivity go unheard,  we received no 

response. Today’s noon meal came from the restaurant. Quite strange. 

There was a big pot of cabbage soup in which there were very large 

pieces of meat and meatballs, as well. We got angry about this and 

said this wasn’t appropriate for officers. In the afternoon we told the 

officer who knows French that we wouldn’t eat from such a restaurant

anymore because the food they had given us was an insult. We added

that we need money  again. He promised to tell the Commander and 

left. In the evening something fried, made of cow’s meat, came from 

the restaurant. This wasn’t too bad and we had no choice but to eat it.

At night I learned a few Russian words from a Russian ?borazan?

sergeant named Kobavi Aksenti. At first we tried to talk using signs. 

My goal was to learn Russian.

2 March 1916 Tuesday

We have to make do with the restaurant because no money is coming 

from the Command. The food has improved somewhat and is better 

prepared. Given that the Command doesn’t pay any attention to what 

we say it seems that henceforth we will eat from the restaurant.

But we perceive tha the restaurant has been advised to improve the 

meals. Once again we went to bed late. I shared a bed with Fahri but I

was uncomfortable because he had quite a few fleas on him. I put up 

with this for three hours then I dozed off on a window sill. The night 

passed very badly. Today I wrote a letter to my brother Ekrem.

Finally, Bath Time

3 March 1916 Wednesday

Toward mid-day a Russian officer came and said that we would go 

to the bath. After Some objections were made we decided to go. The 

Russians gave us each an underwear and a shirt. The underwear was 

old and the shirt new. We have no choice but to accept them because 

we’re indigent. Just at the time we were going to the bath, a fellow

named Mustafa did something that makes a person angry – although 

all the rest of us went outside in order to go to the bath, he wouldn’t. 

He kept us waiting. My friend Zühdü became quite aggravated at this

and spoke harshly. So on our way to the bath Hurşid and Zühdü 

exchanged words because of this. Right away I spoke up for Zühdü.

I got very angry. With great difficulty we reached the bath and waited

a bit. Since there were no towels I entered the bath in my underwear. 

The bath is a military bath and the room rather large, with rows in the

middle. On one side there were hot and cold water faucets, nicely 

done. Quite a few pails and buckets, as well. We just about did our 

laundry at the bath. We washed everything we had. I left my old 

underwear and jacket there. I went to the city to get the evening 

meal under guard. The Russians and especially the Armenians 

were staring at us.

4 March 1916  Thursday

Once again the aggravations of captivity. At mid-day the wrote our 

names. Supposedly, they will give us a salary. At night we pass the 

time doing trivial things like telling stories. Aksenti came again at 

night and we chatted. The Russian toilets are odd. When someone

lives in Turkey it’s not possible to get a complete and accurate picture

of foreign customs and morals. One has to see these things. Now 

we’ll see and understand Russian things. Russian toilets don’t have

water, they’re out in the open, a chair with a hole in the middle. 

They clean themselves with paper. These toilets are for common 

use but now and then there are private ones, too. In our barracks 

there’s a toilet exclusively for officers that is only covered around

its perimeter. We are using this and it’s comfortable for us.

I Need to Find a Friend

5 March 1916 Sunday

I’m really suffering from lonliness and since I can’t find anyone to
share my thoughts with, the aggravation mounts. I have to find a friend.
There are eight of us here. Two of these are bigots and one is a
secretary in the provincial justice office. Because of the manners and
all sorts of other shortcomings I cannot choose any of them. The other
four are graduates of the Teachers University and of course I find them
preferable to the others.  I’ve decided to choose a friend from one of
them and Zühdü from Edirne is more sociable, better and smarter so I
find him to be suitable. I see him as a good and permanent friend.
When he was little he went to a military school. We know each other's
friends from schools. I’m sharing my thoughts and talking with him a
lot because he’s a good-hearted person. The restaurant proprietor is
serving good food lately. Today one or two Russian officers who are
prisoners and who are in the room next to us, came to visit us.



//END of PART XV//