Thursday, 23 July 2015

Poem ~ Karim: Turkish Hero - Friday, 23 July 1915


Turkish prisoners captured at Ramadi being marched to a concentration camp, escorted by men of the 1st and 5th Royal West Kent regiment.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Turkish_prisoners_Ramadi_World_War_1.jpg


From the fierce fighting of the Dardanelles,
The capture of prisoners were commonplace.
From out of such an event was an uncommon
Action to be noted in official communications.

The word, regarding one particular prisoner,
Arrived Cairo on 12 July - a day before their
Arrival of the Turkish soldiers taken in action -
Among them a young man of Caucasus origin.

Conveyed out of the fighting zone of Dardanelles
180 prisoners came to Cairo by train's arrival.
Assembled on the platform, in the heat of Egypt
A British Officer to address them stepped out

Amid the Turkish men the name of a Circassian
Karim was called out.  From amid the Turkish
Ranks one nervous anxious figure stepped
Towards the Officer in charge came forward.

He addressed the young captured Circassian,
By name of Karim - though an interpreter
To be thanked for his actions – in growing ease
Karim was reminded of his selfless actions.
     
He had carried a wounded British private from
The Royal Scots into the safety of his enemy
Lines – Perhaps the Officer then shook young
Karim’s hand, to thank him in his Language.

With the other prisoners aside, in orders to begin
Their march to camp at Tura this young Karim
In act of small gratitude was taken by motorcar
Across Egypt’s sands to the prison camp at Tura.

by Jamie Mann.

Anon.,1915. Brave Turkish Prisoner  - British Recognition. The Daily Telegraph, [online]  23 July. P.10. Col.5. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/11739275/Daily-Telegraph-July-23-1915.html [Accessed: 23 July 2015].

Mann, J., 2015. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal communication, 23 July 2015). 



#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary #worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1Dardanelles

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