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ON ACTIVE SERVICE SERIES

A KUT PRISONER

KASTAMUNI

THE CASTLE ROCK (KASTAMUNI)

A KUT PRISONER

By H. C. W. BISHOP

LONDON: JOHN LANE, THE BODLEY HEAD
NEW YORK: JOHN LANE COMPANY. MCMXX

PRINTED BY THE ANCHOR PRESS LTD., TIPTREE, ESSEX, ENGLAND.

TO THE MEMORY OF ALL THOSE BRITISH AND INDIAN OFFICERS AND MEN OF THE KUT GARRISON WHO HAVE SUFFERED AND DIED IN CAPTIVITY THIS BOOK IS REVERENTLY DEDICATED

INTRODUCTION

The experiences related in the following pages are simply the individual fortunes of a subaltern of the Indian Army Reserve of Officers who had his first taste of fighting at the battle of Ctesiphon, and was afterwards taken prisoner by the Turks with the rest of the Kut Garrison, ultimately succeeding in escaping from Asia Minor. It is not intended to generalize in any way, since an individual, unless of exalted rank, sees as a rule only his own small environment and cannot pretend to speak for the majority of his comrades.

The book is published in the hope that it may prove of interest to the many relatives and friends of the Kut prisoners.

Acknowledgments are due to Messrs. Blackwood, the Times of India, and the Pioneer for their kind permission to republish those chapters which originally appeared in these papers.

CONTENTS

CHAPTERPAGE
I.CTESIPHON[1]
II.KUT[14]
III.FROM KUT TO KASTAMUNI[34]
IV.LIFE IN KASTAMUNI[80]
V.ESCAPE FROM KASTAMUNI[104]
VI.THE FIRST NIGHT[115]
VII.ON THE HILLS[126]
VIII.SLOW PROGRESS[135]
IX.BLUFFING THE PEASANTS[147]
X.REACHING THE COAST[158]
XI.RECAPTURED[166]
XII.RESCUED[174]
XIII.IN HIDING WITH THE TURKS[184]
XIV.CONTINUED DELAYS[104]
XV.THREE DAYS ON THE BLACK SEA[208]
XVI.THE CRIMEA AND HOME[219]
XVII.FRIENDS IN CAPTIVITY[230]
APPENDIX A[235]
APPENDIX B[238]
APPENDIX C[242]
APPENDIX D[244]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

KASTAMUNI[Frontispiece]
THE CASTLE ROCK, KASTAMUNI ["]
TO FACE PAGE
ELMEY BEY[48]
MAP USED ON JOURNEY TO THE BLACK SEA[126]
MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF ESCAPE[180]
BIHGAR BEY[196]
BOAT IN WHICH THE PARTY CROSSED THE BLACK SEA[210]
MAP OF BLACK SEA[214]
ALUPKA[220]
ALUPKA BATHS[220]
YALTA[224]
THE THREE OFFICERS AND THREE OF THEIR RESCUERS[226]
THE THREE OFFICERS AND THE AKHARDASH[228]