A Turkish funeral with Turkish and German soldiers and officers attending and praying. Is this a young Mustapha Kemal praying?
Türk[isches] BegräbnisTurkish funeral
"Conflicting versions began to reach us. It was said that large forces of Turkish soldiers had broken through our right flank and were swarming across the countryside, killing everything in their way. We heard alas! too, that it was our 103rd Regiment which had been forced out of their trenches and driven backwards. We had received no orders, so were obliged to remain where we were. In about three hours' time we noted that the great wave of movement on the road had dwindled into small, fitful groups. Soon news was brought that the Turkestanski Division had swept up in the nick of time, suppressed the enemy encroachment and reoccupied our trenches. A feeling of great thankfulness spread among us; we smiled and chatted cheerfully again. The Retreat was at an end!"
Excerpt from the diary of Florence Farmborough, an English nurse serving with the Russian Red Cross, writing on September 10 (August 28 Old Style), 1916. The advance of Russia's Brusilov Offensive was nearly at its limit, with intermittent advances at its southern end. At this time, Turkish troops were deployed to Europe both against Russia and as part of Mackensen's army invading Romania. German General Liman von Sanders had advised Turkish War Minister Enver Pasha against sending any of his troops to fight in Europe when they were needed in the Caucasus Mountains, where the Turks were fighting the Russians, and in Mesopotamia and Palestine, where they were battling the British.
Nurse at the Russian Front, a Diary 1914-18 by Florence Farmborough, page 236, copyright © 1974 by Florence Farmborough, publisher: Constable and Company Limited, publication date: 1974
1916-09-10, 1916, September, Turks, Turkish soldier
