Reports on atrocities in the districts of Yalova and Guemlek and in the Ismid Peninsula : $b Presented to Parliament by command of His MajestyInter-Allied Commission of Enquiry into Atrocities in Yalova and Guemlek
History
Reports on atrocities in the districts of Yalova and Guemlek and in the Ismid Peninsula : $b Presented to Parliament by command of His Majesty
Inter-Allied Commission of Enquiry into Atrocities in Yalova and Guemlek
Greco-Turkish War, 1921-1922 -- Atrocities
The commission left Constantinople at noon on the 12th May, and arrived
at Guemlek at 4·30. The Greek General Leonardopoulos, commanding the
10th Division, who was found to be at Guemlek, at once came on board and
appeared rather vexed at our arrival, but was quite courteous and even
offered to place two motor cars at the disposal of the commission, in
order that it might visit Bazar Keui on the morrow. The commission
landed at 6 o’clock and found the mayor on the beach, who conducted the
commission to the Greek part of the town. Hundreds of refugees from
Greek and Armenian villages destroyed by the Kemalists were met, more
particularly those from Kiz Derbent, Elmalik, Vizir Han, Hudieh,
Fulajik, Levkeh and Kuplu. The Greek refugees in Guemlek had very bad
quarters, but were fed by the Greek army.
At 9 A.M. on the 13th May, the commission drove out to the Turkish
villages behind the Greek lines, Bazar Keui being reached without any
incident. A crowd of Greek refugees, mostly composed of women, gave a
friendly demonstration when the commission left Guemlek. Bazar Keui was
found to be completely destroyed, with the exception of a few houses
occupied by Greek troops.
The commission was received by the Greek commandant (commander of the
Bazar Keui detachment), who stated that he had not been at Bazar Keui at
the beginning of April, when the village was occupied by the 5th
Infantry Regiment. The present commandant only took over at Bazar Keui
on the 15th April. When the Greek army reached Bilejik a regiment was
left behind to ensure communications. When the retreat commenced,
however, the Turkish population became very excited, and looted and
burnt the Greek and Armenian villages of Kiz Derbent and Chengeller.
Many of the inhabitants of these destroyed villages came to Bazar Keui.
At the same time some Turkish peasants attacked the Greek lines of
communications, and in consequence of this the commandant received the
order to evacuate the Turkish population of various villages within his
sector. This work began on the 16th April, but when the Turkish houses
were left empty, the Greek and Armenian refugees set fire to them in
order to avenge themselves.
After this interview, the commission visited the destroyed village of
Chengeller. It had been razed to the ground, but here and there people
were still living in the ruins. They stated that the village had been
sacked by the Turks, and that many of the inhabitants had been killed in
their houses.
The commission returned to Bazar Keui. This town had been systematically
destroyed by fire. There were no inhabitants and no proofs of explosion,
and no bodies were found.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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