Easy to read full book summaries for any book.
The book is a report by the International Committee of the Red Cross on the conditions of Turkish prisoners of war in Egypt during World War I. The report details the visits of the committee's delegates to various camps, including Heliopolis, Maadi, Sidi Bishr, and others, where they found that the prisoners were well-treated and provided with adequate food, clothing, and shelter. The camps were well-organized, with good sanitary conditions, medical care, and opportunities for exercise and recreation. The prisoners were allowed to practice their religion and receive visitors. The report highlights the humanity and kindness of the English authorities in their treatment of the prisoners. The delegates express their gratitude to the English authorities for their cooperation and hope that the report will contribute to the improvement of conditions for prisoners of war in other countries. The report concludes that the conditions in the Egyptian prisoner-of-war camps are satisfactory, and the prisoners appear to be well-cared for. The delegates also hope that the English Government's proposals concerning repatriation of interned civilians will soon be extended to all mutilated prisoners of war. Overall, the report presents a positive picture of the treatment of Turkish prisoners of war in Egypt during World War I, and serves as a testament to the efforts of the English authorities to provide humane treatment to their prisoners.
The report details the conditions of Turkish prisoners of war in Egypt during World War I. The delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited several camps, including Heliopolis, Maadi, and Sidi Bishr, and found that the prisoners were well-treated and provided with adequate food, clothing, and shelter. The report highlights the good sanitary conditions, medical care, and opportunities for exercise and recreation. The prisoners were also allowed to practice their religion and receive visitors. The report concludes that the English authorities treated the prisoners with humanity and did their best to alleviate their suffering. The delegates express their gratitude to the English authorities for their cooperation and hope that the report will contribute to the improvement of conditions for prisoners of war in other countries.
The Heliopolis Camp, visited on January 2, 1917, is a well-organized facility that houses 3,906 Turkish non-commissioned officers and men. The camp is situated in a healthy location, with good ventilation and sanitation. The prisoners are provided with adequate food, clothing, and shelter. They have access to medical care, and the camp has a well-stocked infirmary with a consulting room, sick ward, and isolation ward. The prisoners are also allowed to practice their religion and receive visitors. The camp's administration is efficient, and the prisoners are treated with respect and kindness by the English authorities. The delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross were impressed with the conditions at the Heliopolis Camp and noted that the prisoners looked well-nourished and content.
The Hospital No. 2 at Abbassiah, near Cairo, is a well-organized facility that provides medical care to Turkish prisoners of war. The hospital is staffed by English doctors and Turkish orderlies, and is equipped with modern amenities such as a sterilizing stove and a laboratory. The prisoners are provided with comfortable clothing, including pyjamas and a bright blue suit with white facings and a red necktie. The hospital's dietary system is also well-organized, with a variety of food options available to the prisoners, including meat, vegetables, and rice. The medical attention provided to the prisoners is of high quality, with a focus on treating wounds and illnesses such as tuberculosis, dysentery, and malaria. The hospital's death rate is relatively low, with 66 Turkish prisoners dying between August 1916 and January 1917. Overall, the hospital provides a high level of care to the Turkish prisoners, and is a testament to the humanity and kindness of the English authorities.
The Maadi Camp, located 9-1/3 miles south of Cairo, is a primary camp where all prisoners are initially taken after capture and then distributed to other camps in Egypt. The camp has 5,556 Turkish non-commissioned officers and men, including 1,200 recently captured at El Arish. The prisoners are housed in old buildings and newly constructed barracks, with adequate ventilation and space. They are provided with new clothing, including a dark blue cloth tunic, trousers, and a red fez, and have access to hot and cold shower baths, laundry facilities, and medical attention. The camp has a well-organized medical service, with a head doctor and several assistants, and a hospital with 40 beds. The prisoners are allowed to practice their religion, and a small mosque has been built for them. They also have opportunities for recreation, including wrestling, cards, and dominoes, and can manufacture items such as mandolines and guitars. The camp commandant makes daily inspections, and prisoners can make complaints and have the right to appeal to higher authorities. Overall, the conditions at the Maadi Camp are satisfactory, with adequate food, clothing, and medical care, and the prisoners appear to be well-treated and content.
The Egyptian Red Cross Hospital at Cairo, visited on January 4, 1917, is a well-organized facility that provides medical care to Turkish prisoners of war. The hospital is managed by the Turkish Red Cross and is staffed by Egyptian doctors and orderlies. The patients are provided with comfortable clothing, including nightshirts, hospital jackets, and slippers. The hospital's dietary system is well-organized, with a variety of food options available to the patients. The medical attention provided is of high quality, with a focus on treating wounds and illnesses. The hospital has a low mortality rate, with 45 deaths in 1915 and 110 in 1916. The patients are allowed to practice their religion, and the hospital has a mosque and a chapel. The hospital's administration is efficient, and the patients are treated with respect and kindness by the staff. Overall, the conditions at the Egyptian Red Cross Hospital at Cairo are satisfactory, and the patients appear to be well-cared for.
The Cairo Citadel Camp, visited on January 3, 1917, is a unique camp that houses only women and children, mostly from Hedjaz, who were captured near Mecca. The camp is managed by Miss Lewis, who has demonstrated great patience, tact, and kindness in her role. The women and children are divided into three classes, with the first class consisting of officers' wives and children, the second class comprising non-commissioned officers' families, and the third class made up of soldiers' wives and servants. The camp provides adequate accommodation, with 40 inhabited rooms and an extensive garden. The women and children receive all their linen and clothing from the English authorities, and the food is wholesome and palatable, with no complaints made. The camp has a well-organized medical service, with a head physician and a Greek doctor who visit the camp regularly. The infirmary is commodious, and the medical register is well-maintained. The women and children have access to a school, and they can practice their religious observances freely. Some of the women have expressed a wish to see their husbands or sons who are prisoners in other camps, and the English Government has allowed some husbands to visit their wives in the Citadel. The camp has a canteen where the women can buy extra food and other items, and they can also receive money orders and parcels. Overall, the conditions in the Cairo Citadel Camp are satisfactory, and the women and children appear to be well-cared for.
The Ras-el-Tin Camp, located 5 kilometers from Alexandria, houses 45 Ottoman civilians of military age and 24 others, including elderly men and those exempted from military service due to illness. The camp also holds 400 Austro-Germans who were in Egypt when war was declared and could not return home. The prisoners are accommodated in tents, with three men per tent, and have access to stone buildings with rooms for elderly or weak prisoners. The camp is well-organized, with a committee presided over by the camp commandant that arranges menus for each week. The prisoners receive a complete outfit, including clothing and footwear, and have access to a canteen that sells various commodities. The camp has a good sanitary condition, with abundant and wholesome drinking water, bathrooms with hot and cold water, and a well-organized system for washing and disinfecting clothes. Medical attention is provided by a resident doctor and an English Red Cross orderly, with serious cases sent to Hospital No. 21 in Alexandria. The prisoners have opportunities for exercise, sports, and intellectual activities, including a circulating library, theatrical performances, and a cinematograph show every evening. The camp's discipline is satisfactory, with few cases of infraction of rules, and the prisoners are generally content with their treatment.
The Sidi Bishr Camp, located 15 kilometers northeast of Alexandria, is a well-organized facility that houses 430 Turkish officers, 60 of whom have been there since February 1915, as well as 410 orderlies, 10 imaums, and 20 civilians. The camp is situated in a healthy spot on the sea shore, with a kitchen garden and a flat piece of ground for games. The officers' quarters are well-equipped, with electricity, furniture, and adequate bedding. The food is wholesome and sufficient, with a menu that includes meat, bread, and vegetables. The Turkish officers are warmly and suitably clad, and can procure toilet articles and other equipment as needed. The camp has a good hygiene system, with abundant and wholesome drinking water, toilet facilities, and baths. Medical attention is provided by an English doctor and an Armenian doctor, with a well-equipped infirmary and isolation ward. The prisoners have every chance of worshipping according to their own creed, and can engage in various activities such as football, tennis, and reading. The camp commandant, Lieut.-Colonel Coates, is responsible for the administration of the camp, and the American chargé d'affaires in Egypt has visited the camp twice.
The Bilbeis Camp, located 65 kilometers northeast of Cairo, houses 540 prisoners from diverse nationalities, including Bedouins, Arabs, Turks, and Egyptians. The camp is well-organized, with adequate accommodation, food, and clothing. The prisoners have access to medical care, and the camp has a well-equipped infirmary. The prisoners are allowed to practice their religion and have opportunities for exercise and recreation. The camp administration provides for the prisoners' needs, and the prisoners are generally satisfied with their treatment. The delegates of the International Committee of the Red Cross found the conditions in the Bilbeis Camp to be satisfactory, with no complaints or issues noted during their visit.
The report concludes that the conditions in the Egyptian prisoner-of-war camps are satisfactory, with adequate food, clothing, and medical care provided to the Turkish prisoners. The camps are well-organized, and the prisoners are treated with humanity and kindness by the English authorities. The report highlights the good sanitary conditions, medical care, and opportunities for exercise and recreation. The prisoners are allowed to practice their religion and receive visitors. The report expresses gratitude to the English authorities for their cooperation and hopes that the report will contribute to the improvement of conditions for prisoners of war in other countries. The delegates also hope that the English Government's proposals concerning repatriation of interned civilians will soon bear fruit and be extended to all mutilated prisoners of war.