A NEW ZEALANDR'S EXPERIENCES.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 February 1918, Page 1

A NEW ZEALANDR'S EXPERIENCES.

IN TURKISH PRISONS. LONDON February 20.

Corporal A. Shoebridge of the Wellington Battalion, New Zealand, was among the first of the prisoners to arrive from Turkey. Ho states that ho was engaged in the attack at Anafarta in Ihi 5 when the Anzacs wore forced 1o retire. He was left on the field shot in the elbow. and taken with other New Zealanders from Gallipoli in a jolting cart. They stopped on the roadside and an old Turkish women belaboured them with a heavy stick, killing his mate who was suffering from a serious bayonet wound in the stomach. The body was left on the roadside. Shoebridgo was sent to a good hospital in Constantinople for a few days. He was told that the British were ill-treating Turkish prisoners and as reprisal he was sent to a building like a stable, with windows hoarded, and . dark. He laid on the dirty floor with a blanket over caeli prisoner. His wounds were unattended. Later 'he was sent to various hospitals, and throughout the treatment and food was wretched, consisting of bread, boiled (cheat, and potatoes . • • r Other prisoners states that British prisoners died like flies, and were buried unclothed and uncoffined, in holes holding four. The conditions of the prisoners from Kut and at first one could not believe that they were British. Some were clad in a short only Prisoners received £4 monthly from (lie American Consul, and then the Dptc-h Consul, and were permitted to buy food, but the prices were terrible They stayed ten weeks in Austria on route, find there the food was worse and scarcer than in Turkey. The. conditions in Turkey are. now much improve®.