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[Page 31]
sentries and returning home about 6.30 in the evening when we had our second meal. At midday we had from 1 hour to an hour and a half off, but we were not supplied with any midday meal with exception what we bought ourselves. To those who did not have money, it meant that they had to exist on dry bread and the meals we got before going to work and after returnign were not fit for any human being to work on especially having such long hours (12). The work consisted of stone breaking and forming a road, some of us digging with picks and shovels while others wheeled the dirt away in barrows. The work was not over hard, but we had to keep on the move. They respected our Sunday giving us the day off. About the middle of June we received some clothing and 100 piastres from the American Ambassador. 100 piastres in English money was equal to 16/8. The Commandant gave us a weekly allowance of 20 piastres till this money was finished. The money indeed was a God-Send, but it did not go as far as it should have owing to the exhorbant prices charged in the canteen. Things go on the same till 6th July, when work is stopped on the roads of Afionkara-hissar. We are told that we are going out into the country to work. At first we thought we were going to work on a farm as it was the harvesting season. They also called for six volunteers to put some reapers and binders together. (these reapers and binders were supplied by Massey Harris Co.)
During the next two or three days two parties of Russians were despatched with all their belongings to the Country. On July all the English were fell in with their belongings excepting those who had volunteered for the reapers and binders. When we were fell in we were counted & recounted about twenty times. Our commandant came round and told us we were going to work in the country and also that we would be paid for all work done, but he did not state what the work would be or how far we had to go or how we were to travel. Eventually we marched off about 10 a.m. and got as far as the Council buildings where we went inside and had our names taken again. This took another two hours. Anything taking 10 minutes to do in England takes two hours in Turkey. However at noon we were again fell in out in the street. Two carts came along and we put most of our gear on them and then we marched off, little thinking we had so far to go. At 2 p.m. we crossed the range of hills. They were very steep and when we reached the top we were all just about done in. They gave us a short spell and then we continued our downward march. This was nearly as hard as the climb and it was so steep. At the bottom of the hill we passed through a small village. Here we had another rest the sentries not quite knowing what road to take. After half an hour we moved off again and crossed over a level plain. There was a range of hills on the other side and our hearts dropped when we were told that we had to go as far as the hills, if not further, for we had very bad footwear boots. We had had nothing to eat since early morning excepting the dry bread which we carried with us. There was a good water supply, there being Springs or wells every two or three