The food was good and we sat down to a table.

TCD MS 3416 page 69

TCD MS 3416 page 69

[June 1916]

Chapter V

Life at YOZGAD.

On our arrival at Yozgad, June 30th 1916, we were placed in two Armenian houses, which at first sight appeared to be moderately clean. We were very shortly provided with a meal in the smaller of the two houses, the food was good and we sat down to a table. Mattresses & quilts were given out to us and we began to settle ourselves into the rooms. The average room was 6 x 5 paces in area and into which we were obliged to crowd 6 or 7 persons.

On the whole things looked favourable, and I thought there was every possibility of making ourselves comfortable. I soon found, however that we were not destined to have such a comfortable time as I had anticipated, for during the next 18 days we were kept in close confinement in our houses, & were not even allowed to walk even for a few minutes daily in the lane that separated the two houses; it was not until July 18th that we were marched out under a heavy guard which consisted of infantry and mounted gendarmes for an hours exercise. We were halted on an open space outside the town and told to “Play”!