Turkish Soldier Letter Home

One of Munirs letters from Gallipoli to his friend Huseyin:


I got up from my earth bedstead. Im approaching the edge of the hole and looking out of it now. The earth is wet because of the fog and humidity… Sweet grass is flowing down like emerald creeks. The Sun is rising …

The British are late today. We dont hear any sound of weapons as we are used to. Now, Im going down and writing the letter down here on the earth. My friend is busy with signing some papers. I need sleep so much right now. I didnt sleep last night because of the fires of heavy cannons.

… My commander is calling me now. Ill continue writing. …

… Now, Im back. But I cant continue my letter because the British started to fire. Its so harsh. Wow! Todays fight is different. Its like a hell here. I wish I had some sleep. The sound of the heavy bullets is so loud that your ear cant resist. Bye my brother.

While I was going to see the commander, I picked up two tulips. Im enclosing them to the letter as a souvenir of Gallipoli. I hope well see each other again.


The letter reached its destination three weeks later. There was a little note signed by a name, Nihat:

Sir, Im a friend of Munir. He died. I was wounded and now Im in the hospital. Im sending this the letter that he could have time to post. Because he wrote this a day before he became a martyr.

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