PRISONER OF THE TURKS

Otago Witness, Issue 3397, 23 April 1919, Page 19

PRISONER OF THE TURKS

TALE OF TERRIBLE SUFFERING. NEW ZEALAND SOLDIER'S STORY. A poignant story of Turkish brutality towards their British prisoners was told to a Press reporter by Private George Gunn, -who returned to Christchurch with the Wiltshire's draft, ho having been released after over three years' captivity in Turkey upon th© signing of the armistice. Private Gunn, who carries the mark of Turkish cruelty upon his face, is a brother of Mrs HyLancl, 22 Burke street, Addingtcn. He left New Zealand with the Fourth Reinforcements, attached to the Wellington Battalion. At the battle of Suvla Bay his battalion was ordered to take Hill 971. He and a number of comrades, after capturing an advanced trench, were cut off by the Turks and every man stood his ground and fell. A BLACK HOLE. Private Gunn was badly wounded, and the first thing he remembered upon partially recovering consciousness was a Turkish soldier trying to stamp his face in. When he next opened his eyes it was to find himself in hospital in Constantinople, under the charge of a German doctor and Turco-Jewish nurses. The Germans have a lot of crimes to account for, but that German doctor was, according to Private Gunn, an exception to his race, for he proved! himself a real good sort, and under his efficient handling and the careful attention of the nurses, who were very solicitous, end could speak English, having long been associated with British people, his woundfe rapidly mended, and he was able to leave the hospital fully recovered. Then began his term of misery. With several others he was thrown into a vile dungeon underneath the ground. Here they were herded together, so closely confined that there was not sufficient room, for thern to stretch themselves upon the floor. They were slowly starved, their only meal being a little wheat-meal. Sanitary conveniences there were none, and sentries seized every opportunity ..of prodding at them with bayonets. Attemps were made by the prisoners to get into touch with the American Ambassador and finally, after a month's sojourn in this hell they were released, though not before several of them had died. The next month they were given a certain amount of liberty, and had the pleasure of seeing the city become« panic-stricken oyer the raids of British aviators. The British could, in Private Gunn's opinion, have blown the Whole place to pieces, but their object was the Ministry of War buildings, which they failed to hit, though they went dangerously near to it on more than' one occasion. One bomb intended for the War Office fell upon a bazaar and blew it to pieces along with 300 people. A TERRIBLE TREK. A few days later Private Gunn end other New Zealand prisoners were sent to Angora, in Asia MinoT, and from there they were compelled to march 100 miles in four days. The memory of that awful journey will never be forgotten by those who participated in it. With only a shirt and a pair of pants for clothing, racked with fever, their feet absolutely raw, they were forced along by their guards, who needed little inducement to club them on the-head and face with their rifle stocks. It was in this manner that Private Gunn received the scars that are now on his face. Arrived at their destination, Private Guxm and other prisoners had to be removed to a hospital, where a Turkish doctor was in charge. It was a terrible place, no medicine was dispensed, the burgeon was negligent, and the women were spiteful. NEW ZEALANCER FLOGGED. In the bed next to him lay Private Jeff Arney, of the Auckland' Battalion. Arney, ill as he was, was flogged almost to death, and then died, Private Gunn believing that he was given something to " finish him> off." The flogging aroused the ire of * Paddy" O'Connor, a Sydney man, who, though he had lost one leg, roso in his bed, seized a stool, and ' outed" the two men who were flogging Arney. Several more men, Private Gunn believes, were deliberately done away with, and this suspicion induced him to getout of that hospital in record time and attempt to fight the fever without aid. Periods of frightfid suffering followed at various camps, and it was whilst engaged in tunnelling work at th© Taurus mountains that Private Gunn saw the poor unfortunates of General Townshend's army arrive after their terrible trek from Kut. He endorses all the stories that have been told concerning their sufferings, and states that several died in his own arms. Without food, without clothing, emaciated, and fever-ridden, they were a piteous sight, and had it not been for the other prisoners giving them a portion of their scanty stores, many more of them would have succumbed. Hundreds died and were buried in the soil in one mass only 18 inches under the ground. "If I were to go there," said Private Gunn, " it would be impossible for mo to- pick out any particular person." PRAYED FOR DEATH. Terrible months for Private Gunn and his comrades followed. The Turks starved them, ill-treated them, and jeered at them. Very few of the parcels of food sent by the British ever reached the prisoners, men were jabbed at with bayonets, or clubbed with rifles, the Turks openly boasting that the British were beaten', but the prisoners were always upheld by the'ir faith in British invincibility. Many a man died; only those with stern resolve were able to live. Many a night Private Gunn prayed for death, buWwith the mommo - came the grim determination to stick it out. It was simply this, he believes, which saved hhn. " I am the luckiest man alive to be here after what I have gone through," he deolaved to the preesniair. When Jerusalem fell the Turks became very spite ful, and tho prisoners suffered severely bscauso of the British victory. Towards the end the Turks attempted to cultivate their goodwill, but the memory of their sufferings was too keen to allow the prisoners to forget the frightful past. ARMENIAN MASSACRES. Sergeant Gunn and his comrades followed tho trail of the Armenian massacres. They would see women's hair sticking out of the "round, and limbs and other portions of human renr-dns revealed everywhere. They one day entered a church which was dripping with blood. Private Gunn has returned to tho dominion with eight other New Zealand prisoners of tho Turks. He is a stockily built man, strong both in physique and in will, and one in conversing with him could easily imagine how ho would come through where many another would die. Despite his experiences,he is looking surprisingly fit and well, though his memory is somewhat affected, it being a matter of difficulty for him to remember places and dates. He is a, man of but few words, audi it was'only with difficulty that the pressman could get him tq speak.