OUR PRISONERS OF WAR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3102, 5 June 1917, Page 6

OUR PRISONERS OF WAR

THEIR TREATMENT IN TURKEY AND Gfc'KMANV HIGH COMMISSIONER'S KEPOKT Interesting details as to hotv Ac-iv Zealand prisoners oi war are fanny in Turkey are supplied in recent communications from the High Commissioner to tno Acting-Prime .Minister (Kir James Allen). On March 27, the liii'h Commissioner wrote: "Tim ,ii,oM important occurrence during the past fortnight has been the entire suspension of the dispatch'of parcels to prisoner* of war in Turkey. The Swiss i'ost Office reports that it i≤ uuallo to forward those parcels which hitherto went through the Austrian Post Office to Constantinople, and that the Austrian Post Office is. unable to say when tho dispatch of parcels is likely to be resumed. ... In the meantime 1 am remitting to each prisoner in Turkey a weekly sum of 10s. xn cash in lieu of the usual food parcel, and in addition to the i'oi'tnigntly allowance of 10.?., of which the Minister has already been advised.

"It will however, relieve relatives and others to learn that a report has been received from the American Ambassador at Constantinople from which it would appear that 'as i'sir as U known,' all the British prisoners of war in. Asia Minor have been furnished with outfits and winter clothing and considerable quantities of foodstuffs." Following are the numbers of prisoners iu the camps which contain New Zealanders, the numbers of out men interned in each camp being given in parentheses: —Aiio Kara Hissar, 57G (1G); Angora, 460 (4); Bilemcdik Pozante, the number not given (4); Ismidt, 88 (3); Kirshehir, 6 (1); Castnmoum, 131 oflicers (1) and men (40); Kardar Pacha Hospital, 15 (1): . "The Turkish Government,' says the High Commissioner, "is evidently now showing more consideration to British prisoners than it has done in. tho past, for post-cards havo just been received from four of our prisoners, in which each of them acknowledges a substantial number of parcels, coupled with expressions of very real gratitude." The following are tho names of prisoners in Turkey from whom acknowledgments have been lately received:—Corp), l< , . J. Maries, 10/1230, Wellington Batt.; Pte. F. (iaffney, 10/348, Wellington Bait.; Pte. C. T. King, 12/1675, Auckland Batt; Sergt. G. Al'Aneny, lu/iU, Wellington Batt. In addition to the above acknowledgments, post-cards have been received from:—Pte. Georgo thmn, 10/1830; Tpr. W. M. Martin; Tpr. (j. Salway, 12,614;. Lco.-Corpl. V. Sheppord, 10/520; Pto. N. Steaie, 10/916. The names of tho following members of the N.Z.E.F. havo recently appeared as believed to be. war in Germany, but no word has Jfct been received 'from them. In each case the date of supposed capture is added:— 12,i)GS A. Evans, 2nd Battalion, ASM., February 21, 1917; 25/762 C. Glover, 3rd Battalion, 3rd N.Z.8.8., October 2, 1916; 4th Battalion: 26/212 W. Stone, 26/222 A. Sutherland, 26/1107 .T. Watson, all captured on February 23, 1917. Later on in his report the High Commissioner says parcels would appear to be reaching our men with reasonable regularity, as is shown by the fact that .acknowledgments have been received from the following ofliers and men during the last fortnight:—2nd Lieut. S. H. lillis, R.F.C.; Corpl. W. Banks, 6/2061, Ist C.1.8.; Pte. Charles Bromley, Ist C.1.8.; Lo.-Corpl. H. Brown, 5108, Ist London Scottish; Corpl. W. Best, 12/693, Ist A.1.8.; Pte. It. Caffery, 12/1039, Ist A.1.8.; Pte. J. Carran, 23/2170, 2nd O.I.B.; Pte. Ben Good, Ist Battalion, Scots Guards; Pto. C. S. Kennedy, Ist Battalion, Scots Guards; Eflran. J. A. .Mercer, 24/226, N.Z.H.8.; Pte. A. S. Monteith, 6/2212, Ist. C.1.8.; Pte. J. Morrison, 12/2789, Ist A.1.8.; Pte. J. Murphy, 12'2793, Ist A.1.8.; Pte. H. J. Poole, 6/3833, 2nd C.1.8.; Pte. C. Richardson, C/ 3443, Ist C.1.8.; Pte. W. Rowo, 6/133, let C.1.8.; Pte. B. T. Strathern, 23,632, 2nd O.I.B.; Sergt. W. J; Turton, 6/1422, Ist C.1.8.

Acknowledgments have also been received from the following civilian New Zealanders interned at Huhleben:—T. Godfrey, H. G. Hunt, A. H. Jones, G. H. Morrison, Wilfred Morriss, G. H. S. Kitleng, T. Sullivan, junr., W. R. AVobb. The High Commissioner's next dispatch is dated April 20. He regrets to state that "the increasing mortality among New Zealand prisoners in Turkey continues to cause me grave concern." "I am glad to be able to state," he goes on to eay, "that the British Foreign Office is actively pressing for an exchange of British and Turkish prisoners of war, and has made a definite proposal to tho Ottoman Government, through tho United States Ambassador, to the effect that His Majesty's Government would be prepared to repatriate GOO -Turkish combatant prisoners of war in exchange for an equal number of British prisoners of war, tho latter to bo composed of 200- white and 400 Indian prisoners of war. and that, should tho Ottoman Government agree to this proposal, the British Government would, be willing to send a hospital ship either to Beyrout or to Mersina in order to effect the exchange."

The High Commissioner goee on to state that the dispatch of parcels to prisoners of war in Turkey, which remained suspended for about three weeks owing to' the action, of the Austrian Government, has now been resumed. "It vill bo seen," he gays, "from a copy of the Note which has been addressed by rhe Secretary of Stato for Foreign Affairs to the Unitedv Status Ambassador upon the subject, that.the American Embassy was requested to represent to the Austrian Government that the stoppage of parcels constituted a very serious aggravation of the already unsatisfactory condition under which prisoners of war in Tu.'key are interned, and that in tiio ftbswico of an early restoration of partis to Turkey, llis Majesty's Government would consider what steps should l>e taken by way ot reprisal with regard to Austrc-Hungiiriim prisoners in British liands. The firm attitude adopted by the British Government evidently l;ad the desired effect."

The High Commissioner mentions that the money remittance sent to our men in Turkey have on the whole, reached them more regularly, and certainly more expeditiously, than food parcels. "Several acknowledgments of parcels have also come to hand, and that these have been appreciated is evidenced by the following postcard received from 13/839 Trooper Arthur Pearce, Auckland Mounted Rifles, who writes from Afion Kara Hissar, under date of February 24, 1017, as follows—"Dear sir,—Just a few lines to let you know I received four parcels from you, dated October 13, in perfect condition. We had a regular beano on Sunday. I thank you very much indeed. . Toilet outfit, provisions, cigarettes, and tobacco. Kia Ora.'" The High Commissioner adds that tho position with regard to out- prisoners of J war in Germany is rather more satisfactory. Kick man is now receiving three parcel's per iortuignv, of the aggregate value of 205., in addition to the weekly supply of bread from the Bureau de Secou'rs and Prisonniers de Guerre at Berne. He received notification, through tho agency of the International lied Cross Society at Geneva, that the following names of members of the N.Z.E.F. have appeared in the German list of March 19 as prisoners of war at Dulnieu:— l4/100, Lce.-Corpl. W. J. Byrne, .Auckland liegt.; 21,213 I'te. AV. G. Clemo, Auckland Kegt.; 21,230 Pte. 0. Featherb-toue, Auckland Itogt.j 18,701 Pte. N. AV. Gribble, Auckland Begt.; 12/557 Pte. B. Heatley, Auckland Eegt.; 12/2352 Corpl. AV. Jones, Auckland E«gt.; 4/1178 Sapper A. Lockett, NZ. Engineers; 21,341 Pto. ]?. Shaw, Auckland llegt; 20/212 Minn. AV. Stone, 3rd N.Z. Itifle Brigade; 2G/222 Kfliini. A. Sutherland, N.Z. Killo Brigade. Ho at once gave orders for the dispatch of provision parcels and bread supply to theso men.