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[Page 36]
of cheese which we were allowed for 64 men. He turned round to the Turkish Commandant and told him it was not sufficient for 64 mice. Of course this caused trouble and shortly after our officers were taken away. September 16th large numbers of recruits come into town today. They are living in the mosque opposite us. September 20th number of recruits leave here today. A number of them are Greeks. September 21st a lot of Turkish troops come into the town on their way to the Dardanelles. They come up to have a look at us. September 25th we see the officers while out shopping. They tell us we can expect money about the middle of the week. September 26th we receive 5 piastres per man from our officers. At this time we are all just about on the rocks for money. We are waiting patiently for the American Ambassador to put in an appearance as he has promised. September 28th good news in the papers re bombardment of German lines by our artillery. The Germans are forced to retire 3 miles. September 29th we are visited by a German officer with two Turkish Officers. October 2nd our Captain with one officer from E 15 have to go to Constantinople. We do not know the reason why. October 5th. The crew of AE 11 are fell in and mustered and also the soldiers. They are very careful to pick out all the R.C's.
[Note from side of page:]
These were sent to Constantinople & had a much easier time than the rest of the prisoners. I don't know if the same inducements were held out to these prisoners as that renegrade Casement officer to the Irish Prisoners in Germany but no doubt the R.C. Archbishop put in a good word for them.
Afterwards we are told that all the Non protestants from AE 11 and the Soldiers are going to be moved from Afionkara-Hissar for a long time. We did not know where we were going, or the reason why we were separated from the RC's.
[Note from the side of page:]
We learnt afterwards that they were put in prison for 15 days for alleg as apprisal reprisal for alleged bad treatment of Turkish officers in Egypt.
We were ordered to be ready to leave by 12.30 and that we would not take our beds, spoons or mugs.
About 11.30 one of our A.B's acting as officers servant came up with a message from the officers saying that they heard we were leaving for Angora where the other Dardanelles prisoners were. They also sent us £2:0:0: to buy food with on the journey and a message to take to the Captain should we meet him. About 12 noon we were fell in again and had our bundles searched. They took all our mugs, the Commandant declaring that they had been given to us when we arrived in Kar hissar but we had bought them with our own m money. It was not a bit of good arguing the point. We were then served out with two loaves of bread and a few black olives, to last us on the journey. We then marched down to the station and put in a closed in horse truck 39 of us in all and the doors were locked. There were 4 small windows in this truck about a foot square and of course the place soon became very stuffy. We were put in the truck, about 1.30 but did not move out of the station till 6.15. We arrived at Eskichehir about 2 a.m. about 160 miles from Kara-hissar. Sept 30th Eskichehir is a main junction on the Bagdad line. We remained here locked in all the time till 11a.m. the following day, when we renewed our journey over very desolate looking country quite flat, not a blade of green grass to be