THE TURKISH SOLDIER

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2656, 30 December 1915, Page 9

THE TURKISH SOLDIER

One of the German war correspondents with: the Turkish army at the Dardanelles gives the following picture of the .Turkish soldier:— ■ The Turkish soldier, a3 I saw him and as he was described to me by German officers, is a quiet and brave man, easy to lead under good leadership. Above 1 all, he is a fatalist. His belief is kismet, as they say in Germany, or "Ifadcr," as" the Khalif of all the faithful once called it in my 'presence. So strong is his fatalism, bo strong is his slielicf in the decrees of unalterable destiny, that at the beginning of the war 110 power could drivo him into the trenches. He was accustomed to stand in tho open field, and simply awaited for the unrolling of the scroll of fate. It is therefore not surprising- that ho should btiild his trenches even /to-day 'in a. lethargig manner, and heavy losses were caused at the beginning of the war in the Dardanelles on account of this antipathy 'to'"taking cover. That the Turkish soldier, as has been e&id, is-only good in dcfence is untrue. On many occasions his attack has been so fierce that even English discipline lias not been_ able to stand up against his bayonet in the last four months. Although the Turk makes God partly responsible for what happens in an attack, ho is always anxious to assist tho Deity. Tho hatred which the Gohnans feel for the English, who arc the least loved of their seven foes, is shared by the Turks. The Frenchman puts him into a rage, but he hates the Englishman.