The commanders have chosen two hundred men to unload the boat. That night until the morning, we have unloaded all the ammunition from the boat to the shore. The boat was a battleship I guess, I am not sure but its name was Turgut or Barbaros. We have stayed there for forty days. The sick soldiers were lying behind the pines. After we have stayed there for forty days, they took us to Sogandere where we had our training. The British have already ran away, in those days. Sogandere was in Helles. I have trained there for three months. Everywhere was full of dead bodies. I have seen them, when we were walking around. One day, Enver Pasha, and other pashas have come. They inspected us. They have chosen four hundred men and said, “you will go to the Galichia Front.”

At first, we have set out on foot. We arrived at Arapli, Yegen and Uzunkopru, by walking. In Uzunkopru, we got into a train. The train had passed Bulgaria, Sofia, and Romania. At last, we arrived at Galichia...

There was a river between our position and the enemy trenches. It was so rainy. There was no food. We could not have found anything to eat for eighteen days. The officer commanded us to tie stones on our stomachs. I have found two raw potatoes and I ate them.

When the Germans were defeated, they drew us back to the place they called “bare hill.” In that hill, we have fight against the Russians. The Austrians had run away. Later, the armies have changed their positions. They placed us on the right, the Germans on the left and the Austrians in the front. We again positioned our fronts. We have eaten once and attacked. During the second attack, I was wounded. Our army had broken down. I was wounded and lying on the floor when the enemy soldiers came. They took my rifle. They have taken the ammunition in my bag. One of them put a slice of bread on my chest, I said “water,” he shrugged his shoulders meaning there was none. They passed and walked up to the hill. It was very cold winter. Another soldier came with a bayonet on his hand. I thought, “he is going to kill me.” Then another came and they had a talk in their own language. The second one removed the first one from my side. There are so merciful people. God knows!

In two hours, our army came. They attacked and defeated the enemy. With difficulty I have risen my head and looked around. Everywhere was full of enemy’s deaths.

In the morning, they took me to the dressing station. There was an officer. I told him:

-If you are a Muslim, please come here.

He came. I said:

• Please cover me with a cloak and give me some water. He replied.
• I have sent a man for water. When he comes, I will give plenty.

Then the doctors came. They examined me and said:

• This one’s injury seems bad; we can’t dress it here. Take him to the station.”

In the morning a foreign horse-car has come. They took me inside. There were five other wounded beside me. He was drawing so fast. I have lost my mind. Everywhere was dim. At last, they took me to the dressing station. They have bandaged my wound. Later, I was taken to a train. The journey took four days and four nights. Then we have arrived at Gedik, a town in Austria. In the hospital, we have been seriously cared. There was famine in those years. Two days a week, women came to visit us. They were bringing cigarettes and biscuits. Sometimes they were giving money.

We were calling the doctors as “pani.” The nurses were calling the doctors same. There was a nurse named Pavla. She was twenty or twenty-five. She was so beautiful. She had really taken care of me. If she still alive, I would like to say hello. In Vienna, they said, “if you stay, we will give wives, shops”. I have rejected. I regret for not staying there. Now everybody tries to go there. If I have stayed, I would be a banker until now.

I have stayed at the hospital for two years and came to Edirne (Turkey). In the Turkish hospital, the doctors had torn the papers, which I took from Austria. They said, “Turkey can not pay this salary.” They gave me a salary of 75 kurus (Turkish money). I do not have a medal. For sixty years, I am having my salary.

My right hipbone is still broken. I can’t lie on it. Many men from my village recruited for the National Forces during the Independence War. How could I do?