the death rates in the ...camps have also been exaggerated over the years.

".... I have now gained my PhD and my husband is now translating the rewritten thesis into Turkish for publication in Turkey, probably through Koc University. It will also be published in Australia, probably in the next year. Re the comments about Malta. The British sent these men to Malta in the hope of finding evidence against them of crimes against the British (and Christians).
Most were city Governors, officers etc and some were accused of mistreating POWs. Several were Commandants of POW camps. Mazlum Bey was Commandant of Afion camp for about 9 months in 1916. He was replaced on the recommendation of Turkish Camp Inspector Ziya Bey, who made many improvements of camp conditions throughout Turkey.

(Unfortunately he was also sent to Malta for a time). Evidence was not found whilst the men were locked away. Mazlum Bey was accused of cruelty and other 'crimes'. One crime was the sodomy of two British naval men.

However, the two men examined by British surgeons were found not to have had any signs of sodomy practiced upon them.

Despite some prisoners accusing him of beatings, various reports from the International Red Cross and Red Crescent stated that they had been exaggerated.

However, it seems that he was benefitting from inflated prices and theft of supplies.

Thus he was removed by the Turkish War Office at the end of 1916.

Many of the memoirs published at the end of the war have exaggerated their hardships.

Many of these memoirs do not reveal that at the main camp for the Berlin-Baghdad railway at Belemedik, the men were able to drink alcohol (also at Afyon), shop for themselves, visit taverns and restaurants - and also visit the local railway brothel.

The figures relating to the death rates in the camps have also been exaggerated over the years.

It was to the benefit of the British Government to exaggerate Turkish behaviour to justify the take-over and carving up of Ottoman territory after the war. "

Dr.JL Inspector, HSIE (History)