The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-07-20
MWZZWzZN1I
BRITISH ARTILLERY IN ACTION ON GALLlPOM
British Filler Shows Atrocious Treat
ment of Prisoners Was Checked Only
! When Turkish Forces Feared De-
feat--Gives Story of Death March
of the Kut-el-Amara Garrison

during the last eighteen months OF the
war the influence of American and
Dutch diplomats had brought about
improvements in the treatment of
prisoners of war. Also in 1918 the
Turkish politicians were again levered
by fear. for they were beginning to
realize that Germany was not uncon-
querable; and they were putting forth
feelers for a separate peace.
In the camp at Atom Kara Hissar,
for example, I had small cause for
complaint, as the officers we're treated
infinitely better than the men. We
were given no food, but our monthly
pay as captured officers $3.50 to $50 a
month, according to rank), together
with the Red Cross allowance 1921 a
month at the then rate of exchange),
and an occasional food parcel from
home, kept us from actual hunger
But 1t was otherwise with the
Tommies. Their pay and Red Cross
allowance totalled less than sl2
month for each man, half their parcels
were stolen. and for the most part
the food supplied consisted OF one
small loaf of bad bread and one basin
OF thin soup.per day.
Their lot, in turn, was infinitely
better than that of prisoners of other
nationalities. who received neither
money nor parcels, and, unlike the
Tommies, no clothes from Red Cross
funds. They tried to keep alive on
the starvation rations of a small loaf
and basin OF soup each day. Often
having sold part of their clothing TO
obtain extra food, they shivered coat
less, bootless and in rags, through the
bitter winters OF Anatolia- Thousands
OF Russians Serbs and Rumanians
died Of hunger or exposure. At the
prison house Of Psamatia I sometimes
saw them in their rags scramblng
desperately for a cigarette end, or for
grains of rice or sugar that had fallen
from home parcel being carried
through the yard by a Tommy or an
Indian native.
Yet even their sufferings We're less
than those endured by the Britishers
and Indians captured in Mesopotamia
prior to or at the fall OF Kut-el
Amara. But 20 per cent. OF those men
were alive when Turkey sued for en-
| armistice. From these survivors.
when was a fellow prisoner in Tur-
key, | heard OF the Death March.
Every detail has been verified by
some Of the victims. and Capt. Yeats
Brown was an eye witness OF the
brutalities at Mosul, with which the
story begins
OF ancient Nineveh. In the DAYS
OF Haroun-al-R aschid and of other
Arabian Caliphs 1t was a famous and
nourishing city. To-day II is dirty,
arid, poor and unlovely.
A Living Death.
To this town there came in the
winter Of 1915-l916 nine British off,
GERS, mostly aviators captured during
Gen. Townshend's brilliant but i'll fated
advance toward Bagdad Their own
treatment was vile, but, as they soon
discovered, not TO be compared with
| that OF the soldier prisoners. who were
herded together in a cellar under
meath their room. Among this small
group OF officers was Capt. Yeats
Brown, and owing to the fortunate
receipt OF sum of money in gold
|
else in helping the men who were
dying In the cellar.
The experience OF Mr.. B., an English
civil telegraphist, captured in October
1915. at Shaikh Saad on the River
/ Tigrts, Is typical OF many. He was de-
prived OF all his clothing and given In
exchange a few rags. Then he travelled
on foot-although forced to keep pace
with Turkish cavalry--to Bagdad. and
thence to Mosul. a distance OF 800
miles. Arriving at Mosul in an alto
gether pitiable condition, he was put
into the dark cellar. with some hundred
| Indian soldiers. While there he re-
ceived nothing to eat but bread and
thin soup.
The only Englishman among these
Indians, In dampness, darkness and an
atmosphere OF death. he lived for two