It was a regiment formed of six subdivisions.

One day, Cemal Pasha Minister of Marine came to inspect us. After his inspection, they took us to Istanbul Sultan Ahmet Mosque. We stayed in the mosque for several days. Then we were sent to different fronts. Some of us went to Arabia, some Bosphorus. My division was sent to Gallipoli. We have been embarked to a boat from the Galata Harbour. In those days, in the Marmara Sea there were submarines. Thus, they gave our boat torpedo. We have launched from the Galata Harbour and anchored in Akbas pier, in Canakkale. We unloaded the boat. In that moment, a shell had fallen very near.

We passed from Eceabat, a ruined town. All the houses were broken down. Many houses were burning. At night, we came close to Kritia. We have spent that night in 9^th Regiment. The next morning, we found ourselves in Kirithia. We positioned our batteries. We had been preparing in a rush. When we have finished the preparations, the enemy was very near. We began to fire our guns. We spent that week in our trenches. Then we have been ordered to draw back to Zeytinlik. We positioned our tents and guns. I was in the Heavy Artillery Division. We had 12 -inch heavy hotwisers. We went to Yorgi Stream with two batteries. We stayed there for two months. The war was continuing. There had been attacks all the time. We lost two of our gunners. We had an officer named Refik. This time, we have positioned in the Domuz Stream. For three months, we fired against the enemy. Our commander was Nadir Effendi. His rank was first lieutenant. Our observation point was on Achi Baba. The Group commander’s observation point was located above us. One-day commander Nadir Effendi told me that the Group commander was calling me. I went to his room and knocked on his door. He told me that “you are going to the skirmisher line. There you will find the commander of 16^th Regiment and he will give a mission.”

I have immediately set of with a soldier. We began to walk through the line of skirmish in Kritihia village. When we have arrived at the village, the war was continuing. It was a ruined village. There were wounded soldiers lying on the ruins of the houses. The soldiers were trying to carry the wounded friends to the dressing station. We did not stayed there. We returned to our own regiment. In the morning, I set of again, this time I did not take anybody. I was alone. When I was walking, I saw a soldier. I asked from which division was he. He answered “we are the third division of 16^th Regiment. We are resting there” he singed with his hand. “Lets go together” I said. The soldiers were underground, they are in the shelters. We went there. I went down. I saw an infantry officer. I told him that the Group commander called me. He turned to the sergeant and said “Sergeant, find a sharp man. He will go to the headquarters with this friend.” Then a soldier came. He had guns. He took me. We were walking on the land. The enemy who saw us was beginning to fire on us. We were running. Sometimes, we used the secret passages. While we were running I saw the headquarters. Ten dead soldiers were lying on the floor. They were just brought from the front and awaiting for the burial.

I have directly gone to the commander. He was a tall man. He told me that “wait in the telephone room, you will be gone with a soldier.” I replied “I don’t need a private.”

I entered a very narrow tunnel, which led me to the skirmish line. The soldiers were firing their guns behind a pile of sandbags. Their commander began to talk. He said “when we came here, there were only twelve soldiers remained from the regiment which has previously positioned in here.”

The French disposition was just a hundred kilometres far. The enemy was bombarding from both the sea and the land. Suddenly, a bomb had fallen on the space between us and the French position. It has broken down the sandbags. One of the bags hit my back, and I have changed my position.

Another shell followed the first one...It hit the nail of the skirmish line... Four of five men had died... A few were wounded. The medical officer came and took the wounded and the dead to the dressing station. I saw one of the dead, he was a red meat, and he was not looking like a human. Our commander has sent a man to learn if I was alive or not. The man who saw I am alive left the front.

In that day, I have seen the skirmish line closely and I have inspected the condition of the enemy gunfire. In the evening, I left the line and set of for my regiment. The bullets were passing around me. However, I returned safe. The friends said he returned alive...

One day I was at the observing point. Our commander Sami Bey was standing on the rear. First Lieutenant Refik was commanding the batteries. Later another lieutenant came. He was an Albanian. I was observing the French lines with the binoculars... I saw a strange action in the French lines. I have called out the firs lieutenant.

-There is something strange among the French.

-Look carefully, said he.

I looked again and saw that the French was ready to attack on us by their bayonets. When they have come forward, our soldiers stood. A combat began. It lasted so long. Our forces were less than the French forces. They drew back our soldiers. Then a noise came toward Soganlidere. I said to myself, reinforcements are coming from Soganlidere. They came running. They followed the French. I remember one of our men was running after a French man. The French was running so fast. If ours chased him, he would have killed him. They ran and ran, I don’t know their end. That day, we captured the French trenches...

There were 10,5 inch batteries in the pine grove. They began firing on the hill. Today the memorial stands on that hill. On that hill a French arsenal has burnt. They were running to stop the fire. They could not have stopped it. At last, they ran away. It was their last attack. From then on, they have given up attacking.

We brought our batteries to Gaba Tepe. I was again on the observaiton point. One morning, it was early, the enemy landed new soldiers on the Suvla. I have watched their landings. On the moment they have landed, the Suvla War began. They have stayed for three months but could not gained anything. At last, they left the peninsula.

One morning, the friends said, the French have ran away to Helles. I jumped on a horse and went there. Our men have spread on the plain. The French have left everything, food, clothes, etc.

After the enemy has left the peninsula, we stayed in a village for some time. Then they collected us and took us to Enez. After the armistice, the British and the French exploded all the guns they have left in the region.