The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul IntrigueMousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
History
The Secrets of a Kuttite: An Authentic Story of Kut, Adventures in Captivity and Stamboul Intrigue
Mousley, Edward O. (Edward Opotiki)
Al Kut (Iraq) -- History -- Siege, 1915-1916; World War, 1914-1918 -- Prisoners and prisons, Turkish
On returning to the prison I found our room had been
changed, and of all people in the world I met there, Vicomte
D'Arici, my Italian friend from Kastamuni. He had been
brought to gaol for trial. He was a brave man, well read, an
excellent linguist, and had done foreign secret service for
Rome for years. He knew of people I had known in Germany.
In fact, it was the most exquisite good fortune that brought
us together in prison when the one aim of the commandant at
Kastamuni had been to separate us. We talked German day
and night. He was up for being in possession of plans of the
Dardanelles forts, and of all kinds of intelligence which he had
gathered at Adalia, where, being free for many months after the
outbreak of hostilities, he had been in a position to do this.
He had, I understood, got quite a lot through to the Italian
Foreign Office.
Nothing but the barest reference to the adventures and
intrigues that now followed is possible in this diary. He was
still carrying excellent information of the internal state of
Turkey, the army and navy, the inner politics, the German
supervision. Through him I got acquainted with one De Nari,
an Italian engineer of great influence and power and ability,
a prominent man in the Committee of Union and Progress,
and a close friend to Turkey. By dint of much work I continued
to pay bogus visits to a doctor's apartments beneath
de Nari's, and the posta believed this was my dentist. We
discussed politics, and de Nari, who was most hospitable and
kind, gave me information over coffee and smokes.
He was an intimate friend of Midhat Chukri Bey, the
secretary of the Union and Progress, and of Telaat Pasha, the
Grand Vizier. The latter was, it appears, quite interested in
Newcombe and me, and had some idea of getting in touch with
England direct. I had several offers made to me, and only
too glad would I have been to take any offer direct through
to our Foreign Office, especially as Telaat wouldn't trust any
ordinary envoy from Turkey. As the Germans had all the
codes, to begin _pourparlers_ by means of a prisoner would be
the most secretive. I became quickly _au courant_ with politics
there. I was told that when peace was in sight I was to be
sent home with an offer. I did not, however, like the great
influence that De Nari had in the councils of things, and it
seemed that the whole cabinet was a mass of infidelity and
intrigue. A few decided and definite men could have persuaded
Turkey out of the war, and, personally, I think it a great pity
we didn't bomb fortified Stamboul years before.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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