D.S.O. FOR A TURK

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 267, 5 August 1920, Page 5

D.S.O. FOR A TURK

A BRAVE SECRET AGENT HO'NOUE-ED. Captain Alexander Aaronsolin, a, Turkish subject, but of Jewish birth, who when the war broke cut wa? a sergeant in tho Turkish army, has been invested by the King, with tlie D.5.0.. states the "Daily Mail." He won this honour at 27 for successfully penetrating the enemy lines in Palestine inSeptem her, 1918, and bringing back information which materially assisted the British "push" -against the Turks to tho north of Jaffa. Tall, fair, with blue eyes, curly hair, clean-shaven, and u frank and easy countenance, which might belong to any race, enthusiastic and versatile, he "bluffed" the Turks on innumerable occasions. He. was heartily congratulated by the King for the work he had done on behalf of Great Britain. In an interview Captain Aaronsohi;, who is attached to the Intelligence Diviflion, G.H.Q., Palestine, said: "At Athlit, close to Haifa, near tho foot of Monnt 'Carmol, my sister SaTah, in the early days of the war, established a eecreit servico headquarters which baffled tho Turks. By this means we knew their plans almost- as quickly as they knew them themselves. "My sharo was very lil'tlo. I can speak seven languages, and at times I have worked with Syrians. Christians, and Jews in the labour gangs. Practically all my family, Including my father, my brother, and sister, were members of our organisation, which embraced in tho eni) nearly all parts of Palestine and Mesopotamia. "Wo wore fighting for an ideal, as tho Jews of Palestine felt that if the Turks and tho Germnris won tho war it would bo a tremendous blow to Zionism. - "In August, 1917, when tho Turks were preparing a big offensive on tho other side of Beershoba, wc got. to know of it a few hours beforehand. My sister was arrested a month later. She was beaten on. tho soles of her feet with a green -twig, her teeth wore pulled out, and hot bricks wer placed under her arm 9to mako her speak. She refused, and was taken to Damascus, whero she shot herself. I tracked down the man who approved of this torture, MajorGeneral Hassnn Bey, chief of the Turkish Medical Servico (lie had also allowed my father, a man of 72, to be tortured), and he was tried and sentenced to ten years' penal servitude. M,v sister's last words to her captors were: 'You may spill all tho blood you want, you may tort'uro us, but you cannot prevent tho British Army from coming hero.' "General Allenby gave ilie the ribbon of the D.S.O. in Palestine." The British Government will erect a monument at Athlit to Miss Aarousohn.