Gallipoli PoWs - where might they have been imprisoned?

[John_Hartley]

My man, a 6th Manchester, is buried at Baghdad, having died in October 1916.

The Battalionn was never in that theatre and, indeed, they suffered no fatalities in action throughout the whole of 1916. I can only think that he must have been taken prisoner at Gallipoli.

Does this premise hold water? Did the Turks send their PoWs to Mesoptamia?

[AlanCurragh]

John - I can't check the reference as I'm at work at the moment, but I'm sure that I've read recently that some prisoners taken at Gallipoli were indeed taken first to Constantinople, then onto Mesopotamia, to work on the railways. I'll see if I can find the reference.

Alan

[John_Hartley]

Grateful to you, Alan.

This guy is one of only two fatalities suffered overseas by the battalion in 1916. The other, whose death certificate has arrived this morning, died of malaria in Egypt.

John

[PhilB]

It would be interesting to see if there many in that cemetery from Gallipoli battalions of other regiments. That would tend to confirm Mr Rat`s suggestion.

[mebu]

John, if it's any use.....I did some work on my great uncle, from Salford, 8th Lancs Fusiliers, same 42nd Div as 6th M/crs....captured at Gallipoli,(vineyard attack, 8th August), was taken with many others to work on rail tunnel beneath the Atlas mountains, southern Turkey. Lots of Brits and Aussies died, all seem to be buried or commemorated at Baghdad...probably transferred post war...Baghdad seems to have been last resting place of many Gallipoli pows.

Regards, Peter

[AlanCurragh]

John - the reference I read was in Nigel McCrery's "All the Kings Men", concerning the Sandringham Company. He writes -

"There are no reliable figures for the total British and Dominion prisoners taken by the Turks during the Gallipoli campaign. The most accurate appraisal probably comes from the American ambassador in a communication prepared in February 1916, who put the total at approximately 490, of which at least 96 later died in captivity. Most of the other ranks were transferred to various work camps on the notorious Analotia railway and it was in these camps that the high proportion of deaths occurred as a result of the inhuman conditions imposed by their captors. In the early 1920s the remains of these unfortunate souls, where they could be located, were gathered in and individually re-interred in plot XXI, Baghdad (North Gate) War Cemetery. Those that could not be found are commemorated on special memorials in the same cemetery"

Alas, no sources are given for the information.

Alan

[John_Hartley]

Excellent bit of work, both. Many thanks.

My man, Pte B Nobbs, is indeed buried in Plot XXI. Seems to be the final confirmation.

John

[bootneck]

While indexing the register of WW1 Queen's POWs held at the Surrey History, I have so far identified 25 men from the 4th & 5th Battalions who were captured by the Turks, some attached to other regiments. 11 of which subsequently died and are buried at various sites throughout the Middle East.

regards

Bootneck

[Krithia]

Hi John,

Private Bernard J. Nobbs, 1997, 6th Manchesters was indeed captured at Gallipoli, and appears to had been interned at the camp at Bilemedik Pouzantri, this information comes from a list furnished by the Ottoman "Red Crescent". Hope this helps. When you say your man, what relation or info have you got on him?

regards, Krithia

[redescort]

John

Have a look at this thread

Ray

[John_Hartley]

Thanks for the confirmation and extra info.

I don't have any more to tell about him - my interest was simply sparked seeing his date of death and place of burial. Best bet for a date of capture will have been 7/8/15.

he is commemorated on the Stretford War Memorial.

John

[Krithia]

Almost certainly capture was 7/8/15. Nobbs was also wounded 4th June 1915.

[MartinWills]

POWs from Gallipoli tended to have a varied career in captivity - different groups found themselves in all sorts of places all over Turkey - some were held in the area around Ankara, some in or around Constantinople/Istanbul but many eventually gravitated towards the railway being built through the Taurus Mountains. They had a tough time in the hands of the Turks, but much of the railway construction was done under the auspices of the Germans and they tended to feed and care for their prisoners to a better standard - not least because they needed well fed prisoners to work on the railway. None the less many suffered and died from illness and were typically interred in dedicated small cemeteries in or around their work camp. I believe the graves were well marked which probably made their concentration (typically to Baghdad North Gate Cemetery). Some POWs are also buried at Haidar Pasha Cemetery in Istanbul

[manchester regiment]

pte 1997 bernard,james nobbs

1/6th manchesters

captured at sedul bair on 7-8-15

prisoner at kiangheri 410

22 canute rd,stretford

a report of his capture,was passed to the american embassy,on 2-3-16 from the red crescent

died 6-10-16

aged 22

mack

[manchester regiment]

these men were also in the list,with pte nobbs

interred at constantinople

1775 james leyden 14th AIF,died in hospital culhane,on 13-8-15[CWGC says 11-8-15]

robert mcgregor,fife+forth yeo,captured 28-10-15 suvla bay,age 30

cpl w.pearson,fife+forth yeo,captured 30-10-15 suvla bay,age 22

thomas moffatt,fife+forth yeo,captured 29-8-15,suvla bay,age 19

richard lee,hampshire regt,23 abengden st,bethnal green,captured 6-8-15 achi baba,age 25

8915 thomas diss,30 coppermill lane,tooting,5th wiltshires,captured 17-11-15 anafarta,age 22[died 7-7-16]

cpl 12117 robert,thomas griffiths,16 castletown rd,wrexham,wife jane,age 32,RWF[died 14-11-16]

interred at tchanak-kale

3349 L/cpl thomas taylor,1/5th norfolks,B.coy,captured 12-8-15 anafarta

[Krithia]

Hi manchester regiment

I was interested to read about James Leyden who now lies buried in Haidar Pasha cemetery, is he and also Thomas Taylor (1/5th Norfolks) listed on the American Embassy list. I have a copy but cannot find these two names. I have slowly been putting together an extended list of PoW names from the Gallipoli campaign so any more information is good information.

[mebu]

Hello Manchester Regiment, Krithia...Interesting to read of American list. in post 5 above I mentioned my great uncle, 305481 Harry Rosevere, 8th Lancs Fus, captured 7/8 August at the vineyard, worked as POW on rail tunnel at Belemedik Pozanti, died 11 march 1917, commemorated on Baghdad North gate.

Does he appear on the list you mention?

Many Thanks, Peter

[Krithia]

Hello Manchester Regiment, Krithia...Interesting to read of American list. in post 5 above I mentioned my great uncle, 305481 Harry Rosevere, 8th Lancs Fus, captured 7/8 August at the vineyard, worked as POW on rail tunnel at Belemedik Pozanti, died 11 march 1917, commemorated on Baghdad North gate.

Does he appear on the list you mention?

Many Thanks, Peter

Hi Peter,

Yes.

The list was communicated by the Foreign Office in 21st Feb 1916, listing all British PoWs in Turkey known to the American Embassy in Constantinople, received through the American Ambassador in London on 18th Feb 1916.

318 are mentioned as being transferred to Bozanti, the terminus then of the Anatolian Railway near the Taurus Mountains.

Yes your man is listed here, it simply says: ROSEVERE, HENRY, 8 LANCS. FUSRS B Co. 2371 (KIANGRI)

Note: Kiangri was a former camp he was interned at.

The only other snippet of info I have is from a translated Turkish document which was basically a debrief/interrogation paper when he was captured. When he was interviewed he was recorded to say "I fought on August 6. Turks are fighting very bravely". Very brief but not unusual. You don't want to give too much information away!

Hope this helps.

regards, Krithia

[mebu]

Krithia, that was info I didn't have, Many Thanks, Peter

[Krithia]

Hi Peter,

by any chance do you have a photo of your great uncle Harry that you could post on this site?

[manchester regiment]

Hi manchester regiment

I was interested to read about James Leyden who now lies buried in Haidar Pasha cemetery, is he and also Thomas Taylor (1/5th Norfolks) listed on the American Embassy list. I have a copy but cannot find these two names. I have slowly been putting together an extended list of PoW names from the Gallipoli campaign so any more information is good information.

hiya krithia.

the list of names,were mixed up in the service records of pte edwin haslam[manchester regt]it was a communication from the US embassy,all the men i posted,were on the list.

ps.are there anymore manchesters in your list.

regards

mack

[mebu]

Hi Peter,

by any chance do you have a photo of your great uncle Harry that you could post on this site?

Hello Krithia, sorry, wish I did, Regards Peter

[Krithia]

hiya krithia.

the list of names,were mixed up in the service records of pte edwin haslam[manchester regt]it was a communication from the US embassy,all the men i posted,were on the list.

ps.are there anymore manchesters in your list.

regards

mack

Was Edwin Haslam a prisoner as well?

The manchesters I have listed are:

2323 Pte Christopher Nealon(1/7th Manch)

3417 Pte Percy Cubley(1/11th Manch)

3498 Sgt Albert Cherriman(1/11th Manch)

3726 Corp John Henry Espin(1/11th Manch)

3888 Pte Hugh Sellers(1/11th Manch)

Pte Joseph Ian Calstron(1/7th Manch)

1822 Pte John Pearson(1/7th Manch)

Lieutenant Edgar Granger (1/7th Manch)

regards , Krithia

[manchester regiment]

Was Edwin Haslam a prisoner as well?

The manchesters I have listed are:

2323 Pte Christopher Nealon(1/7th Manch)

3417 Pte Percy Cubley(1/11th Manch)

3498 Sgt Albert Cherriman(1/11th Manch)

3726 Corp John Henry Espin(1/11th Manch)

3888 Pte Hugh Sellers(1/11th Manch)

Pte Joseph Ian Calstron(1/7th Manch)

1822 Pte John Pearson(1/7th Manch)

Lieutenant Edgar Granger (1/7th Manch)

regards , Krithia

[manchester regiment]

Was Edwin Haslam a prisoner as well?

The manchesters I have listed are:

2323 Pte Christopher Nealon(1/7th Manch)

3417 Pte Percy Cubley(1/11th Manch)

3498 Sgt Albert Cherriman(1/11th Manch)

3726 Corp John Henry Espin(1/11th Manch)

3888 Pte Hugh Sellers(1/11th Manch)

Pte Joseph Ian Calstron(1/7th Manch)

1822 Pte John Pearson(1/7th Manch)

Lieutenant Edgar Granger (1/7th Manch)

regards , Krithia

thanks krithia.

edwin haslam,wasnt a POW,the POW communication seems to have got mixed up in his records

regards

mack