"It won't be any good!" "It's perect!" "It won't be any good!" "I never pick a bad watermelon!" "Want a bet?" "Sure." "For what?" "You're on!" "Giddy up." "I have to piss!" "My tummy hurs!" "I'm thirsy!" "You're the one who's no good." "Giddy up.." "hold on." "Get of now..." "Oh, my poor litle brother isn't feeling well?" "Open wide!" "Come on!" "Open up!" "Mustafa, you can't Just lie there moaning." "welcome Keri, my son, are you well?" "Doctor Kirkor despite all the warnings our organization has given you you are still treating Turkish patients!" "See here, I won't warn you again." "My boy, what diference does it make if a patient is Turkish, english..." "A sick man is a sick man." "Don't talk so much!" "Look here!" "This is the Iast time I warn you!" "Munire, I'm thirsy!" "Wait for me please." "Yes sir Mr. Kirkor." "hello there Mehmet my boy Is your father home?" "He is at school uncle Kirkor." "But Mustafa is upstairs and you are the only one who can save us from his whining..." "Don't wory, I'II take care of him." "hello Munire my girl, are you well?" "I am fine, thank you uncle Kirkor." "Why do you call him?" "Are there no doctors Ief that you have to call an Armenian?" "It's not the first time he has come here..." "He has been looking afer us since we were babies." "I swear, if it were up to these guys they would strangle us all." "They use evey opporuniy they can to get rid of us." "...and you let an Armenian into your house..." "You're Just like your dad SeIim." "It's like I'm listening to uncle all Riza talk." "What's this got to do with my father?" "You haven't eaten your dinner Mustafa bey my son." "So now I have to give you an injection to make you stronger." "Munire please..." "uncle Kirkor, if it's alright, could Mustafa eat his meal." "...and if he doesn't get stronger, then you could give him the injection?" "will he eat it though?" "What if he doesn't listen to you again?" "I swear I will..." "really!" "He'II do as I ask, won't you Mustafa?" "I will." "Its bronchitis, Iike before." "Let him rest for a few days." "Be careful about what he eats and the medication." "Otherise this could become pneumonia." "Goodbye!" "Goodbye uncle Kirkor, thank you." "Let's go." "Sory to bother you Aunt AIiye, thank you for coming." "Don't mention it my dear." "I hope he is beter soon." "Mehmet!" "Don't make too much noise!" "alright Munire!" "Have you seen anyhing but good from that man?" "We are the children of the war." "We are a generation that grew up, even as babies, on the sorrows of war stories..." "We did not experience any wars at first hand in Van..." "But there was not a single household that had not sufered the sorrow of warare." "We learned from Grandfather Rasih in the 93 war from our brother Captain Mithat, who died in the balkan War..." "My mother passed away, unable to bear the pain of that war." "We have all seen the cold face of war, but we have never felt it "vey close"." "until that day..." "There dead both of them." "That day I felt what enmiy was with my entire hear." "NotJust enmiy..." "Hate that came up to our doors and the war that quickly caught up our children..." "Friends..." "We have a visitor from our istanbul branch." "He has brought us the greetings of Mr. gabriel, and some instructions..." "please Brother Amazaso." "hello brothers!" "hello..." "welcome." "When the Russian army atacks Turkey we will star uprisings everhere and oficial buildings will be bombed..." "Our brothers in the Turkish army will deser from their detachments to Join the Russian army..." "You have spoken to the doctor today?" "I spoke with him." "It was a vey useful interview." "Our brothers in Van will continue to arm and suppor our organization when the army leaves the ciy successive rebeIIions will begin." "May he rest in peace." "My deepest sympathy." "Let's go!" "select paricuIarIy those boys who are of high school age." "You will train them to shoot..." "But don't say they are "learning to shoot" or that this is miIitay training..." "Give it a more famiIy-Iike atmosphere, Iike it is a spor." "In this way the young men will become more familiar with the rifle." "And the Tashnak gueriIIas will understand that we aren'tJust kicking our heels." "They are geting more and more out of hand with each passing day." "Find the headmaster of the high school Mr. JemaI." "If he is free, tell him I would Iike to drink cofee with him this evening." "Yes sir!" "Inform JemaI Bey of the Pasha's invitation immediately." "Ready!" "Fire!" "Today, I was invited by the army commander KamiI Pasha." "We had cofee together." "He has found a wonderul summer task for you." "Training with rifles." "First you will be trained, and then there will be a competition..." "When do we star, papa?" "I thought you were too ill even to go to the corner shop?" "Ah, papa!" "Your turn will come." "First the bigger boys." "Fire!" "He missed again." "Lieutenant SuIeyman?" "My brother missed again!" "I and Lieutenant SuIeyman knew each other since we were children." "Even when we were Just stared primay school he would say..." ""I'm going to be a lieutenant!" then he would say "And I'm going to mary you!"" "When the war finished he became a lieutenant and then we got engaged." "When we were preparing for our wedding, the TrabIus War began and we said let the war finish and then we will get married and SuIeyman went of to war." "You missed?" "Why did you miss?" "Because you are still scared!" "Don't wory, the rifle won't go of right away!" "Give it here!" "Now watch!" "You can feel when the trigger engages with your finger." "Press until the trigger becomes firm." "See, it doesn't go of..." "When you feel it become hard..." "Then the rifle is ready to shoot." "Go ahead, ty!" "The TrabIus War finished, and the balkan War stared, SuIeyman went there too." "...it lasted for to years..." "Good Job Mehmet!" "Do you think we earned some tea?" "Right away Iieutenant!" "Years later that summer he came." "...and afer all those years we imagined living a summer without war." "...even though eveyone was saying that a great war would break out in Europe."" "Sometimes, I think you love him more than me." "Who, Mehmet?" "No.Your rifle!" "Thank you!" "enjoy it." "We were happy." "We were planning to get married in the autumn." "Ready!" "Fire!" "Ready!" "Fire!" "The result of the firing competition First place..." "One of the reasons for last year's defeat in the balkan War was as Mahmud Muhtar Pasha said..." ""Pride and conceit!"" "He would say "allah doesn't like pride and conceit, and this is why we were defeated!"" "As a nation we don't love each other enough!" "This is the actual problem." "At least we don't love each other as much as the people of Western countries." "My request to you as an older brother, as an elder..." "always love one another, protect one another, watch out for one another, ..." "always remain friends." "If you argue, don't stop speaking to one another, never!" "always keep your hears together." "Both for your own future and for that of your county." "What is the latest news in Europe Governor?" "I am sure you have the latest news from istanbul." "They say that it isn't vey good." "Things are heating up." "God protect us, but if war breaks out..." "Then the division might leave the town..." "Sir, war won't break out inshaIIah and the division will always be with us." "Your excellency..." "Of course, we mustn't fall to be prepared." "well done." "well, good evening my boy." "Good evening my pasha!" "hello, good evening friends." "Good evening Pasha." "My pasha!" "Your excellency, we are vey grateful for the rifle training that you have provided for our sons..." "However..." "This..." "What does this signif?" "Our boys will one day, inshallah, finish school and then they will go to the army..." "My hope is that they are ready a litle earlier..." "It has nothing to do with the war or the Tashnak gueriIIas." "The training is not because of them!" "Good evening Headmaster" "Good evening Sermet bey." "May allah give you repose." "Good night Mehmet." "Good night Ferit." "Didn't I say to you that if you couldn't do something, you shouldn't ty?" "Get inside." "You have totally embarrassed me again!" "Get inside!" "Mehmet?" "Mehmet?" "The Ar of War." "...to our beloved brother Mehmet." "First prize in the shooting contest in 1914." "With my love..." "KamiI Pasha Commander general of the 19th Brigade." "Who are they Sergeant Musa?" "probably Armenians." "They are emigrating." "They are saying that there will be war again sir!" "The Russians aren't content with Kars and Ardahan..." "Now they have their eye on Van and Erzurum..." "Oh, these are the good Armenians..." "They aren't interested in rebelling and all that." "They Just want to get away and save themselves." "The guerillas will Join the Russians to ty to take eveyhing here..." "May allah not leave us in need." "Even when the enemy is asleep one must be aware..." "And the enemy isn't sleeping sir." "Giddy up you nag." "If you don't get me to Van by afernoon, then there'II be trouble!" "Hear ye..." "Hear ye!" "A general mobilization has been declared!" "AII soldiers are to take up arms!" "general mobilization has been declared!" "AII soldiers are to take up arms!" "We are out of sugar." "Yes, yes we've heard." "I would be surprised if there is no mobilization!" "Giddy up!" "Papa!" "mobilization has been declared, Papa!" "That's what they're saying!" "You're not frightened, are you?" "No." "We Just came to town, we were wandering around." "Fine, then take these provisions home, and I will go see all Riza." "Thank you vey much Sergeant Musa, God be with you." "Thank you sir!" "Give a litle to the sergeant..." "He has rights to it afer all." "Ok papa." "Here, Mehmet." "I'm tired, you take the reins for a while!" "Giddi up you old nag!" "Hear ye..." "Hear ye." "general mobilization has been declared, soldiers are to take up arms!" "soldiers are to take up arms!" "You haven't been around for three days, so you probably haven't heard." "Eveybody in Europe is at each others' throats;" "Germans, Russians, english, French." "The big war that eveybody has been talking about seems to have finally stared." "That's why there is a general mobilization, we have to be prepared for war too." "They are calling all the young men to arms again." "So who are we going to fight this time?" "They say apparently it is not clear yet." "Whoever atacks us..." "At least it is clear who will atack us; the Russians for sure!" "The Russians for sure, my nephew has Just come from Erzurum..." "He says the Tashnak bastards are openly saying that they will demolish Van." "We saw a convoy of Armenians emigrating, camels ox cars, children..." "They have destroyed the county and now naturally they are running away..." "shall I tell you something Headmaster JemaI?" "You should have no mercy for the enemies of the Turks!" "Wherever you find them..." "Be right back, papa." "They killed him." "Dear or dear..." "Are there no limits?" "Where are you going brothers!" "You belong here, we belong here." "Why would you abandon your own land?" "Don't ty to stop us." "We don't want war or land." "We are merely tying to find somewhere for our children to live!" "If you are thinking of your children, turn back!" "Up ahead are Turkish gangs, they will chop you into pieces." "Turn back and wait for the blessed day." "Our Russian brothers will be here soon and this will once again be Armenia!" "Come on." "You are making a big mistake, believe me." "Those who listen to us will be saved." "If you want to live, listen to us!" "Don't go!" "So, Headmaster, you think that the situation in the villages isn't vey good?" "We guessed that the Tashnak activities had increased to such a degree..." "That is why I wasn't surprised." "Look, we have reached such a state that there is a murder nearly evey day." "So, it seems that we are the next to leave." "You are one of the people I trust in this ciy." "Thank you, you are vey kind Pasha." "There is no need to hide things from you." "Information from Erzurum, from the Third Army." "They say that the Russians could atack at any moment." "...and we are ordered to transfer to the border as soon as possible..." "Why wory about not smoking at a time like this." "Light one Headmaster!" "This order is to be kept secret..." "We don't want the Tashnak gueriIIas to Iearn about our deparure until the Iast possible minute..." "But I am going to teach them such a lesson." "That it will take them a few months to recover." "Headmaster!" "I entrust the young men first to allah and then to you." "How much longer do we have to wait before going into action?" "general mobilization has been declared." "They say we should wait for the Andronik Division to leave." "We have to wait!" "What if they don't go?" "Don't wory." "It won't be long!" "Van will be ours, all ours!" "It will be ours." "Stop talking so much and get busy, come on, get on with it." "It will be ours, all ours!" "One day we will be freed from this torment, one day." "We will strike to the East and to the West with lightning, haiI one day." "We will shine in the black clouds and strike with lightning..." "We will send thunder, haiI one day." "From Kars, Batum, the Caucasus we will destroy the fors with the national cannons, one day." "We are born as Turks, we will live as Turks, and we will always be Turks..." "One day we will be free from this vile Russian grip, one day!" "Bravo!" "well done!" "Hurray!" "Bravo!" "I swear, he is notjust the great SeIim, but Yavuz sultan SeIim." "allah!" "It is time for evening prayer." "We've lost track of time!" "What is happening?" "Ferit, where are you going?" "It's late." "Come here!" "What are you stupid or something?" "Don't you ever use this?" "mobilization had been declared, eveybody is on aIer the streets are full of villains and thieves..." "Our litle friend isn't worried at all, enjoying himself all night!" "Where are you going?" "Come here!" "Sit down there and listen to me!" "The situation isn't good." "War is about to break out." "We have to leave Van immediately!" "Your uncle has writen to us." "He is looking for a safe place for the family in istanbul." "He asks us to come too." "He says "Send Ferit ahead"." "Go, get out of here!" "My dear, are you hungy?" "There are some beans." "No, thank you mother, I ate with Mehmet!" "Look what you've done to this boy." "He can't think of anyhing but his stomach!" "Is a war going to star?" "If war breaks out..." "Does Lieutenant SuIeyman have to go?" "Of course he will go." "He is the one they really need and he will be one of the first to go." "What about you?" "I'm not old enough yet." "But if they send me of course I will go." "Did I do all that training for nothing?" "But I haven't had any training yet!" "Don't be in such a rush..." "You are still too young." "By the time it is your turn the war will be long over." "Don't think about such things, it's time to go to sleep." "May allah give you comfor!" "Mehmet..." "will Chubby Ferit go as well?" "Sir, afer the arrival of the 48th troop at the border..." "Our transition will be completed." "Are there any questions?" "Keep your eyes peeled..." "They have managed to take away much from us." "If they atack again they will be atacking to take eveyhing!" "My father for days has been talking about nothing but..." "istanbul this, istanbul that." "It's all he can think about..." "Sometimes..." "I wish that I was dead and free of all this!" "If you are going to die then die in the war!" "Why are you wasting your life for nothing here?" "We won't be here much longer at any rate!" "My father keeps saying "The situation is vey serious" and..." "He can't talk about anyhing else." "He says we have to move as soon as possible." "Are you moving or running away?" "Why don't you ask your dad when you get home?" "Give him my greetings." "Cowards!" "Why don't you leave him alone?" "What has he done?" "The way his father..." "If the father is not a man what can you expect from the son?" "He should say "I'm not going, I'm not running away"..." "He should say, there's been a call up, why don't you Join up..." "Ferit!" "Wait, I'm coming too." "Ferit." "Sometimes you know sometimes you really are no good!" "Mehmet, we're going home!" "Don't get wet!" "Go under the leaves." "Come on, we should go too." "Come on." "Come on, Iet's go come on." "Mustafa!" "Just look at you!" "You've only Just goten beter!" "uncle Sabri's son died in training." "They all went to give their condolences." "Why didn't you go?" "I couldn't." "I need some more time." "What does this mean?" "What do you think?" "For Mehmet to give him hear, a present." "I'II be back!" "When will you come?" "I'II be here at the first chance I get." "So many days..." "So many days..." "I guess you didn't have a chance." "...and now you give me this gun..." "When are you going?" "We're not going anyhere sultan Munire." "We will be here." "Sure and that is what you said when you went to the TrabIus War." "I didn't see you for three years then." "That was diferent." "believe me my dear, nothing will happen!" "What about the mobilization?" "And you are transferring to the border and the war?" "Even if you don't go now, you will go in the end!" "Take this..." "A present from me." "Even my father didn't give the slightest indication..." "It was only days later that I realized you had gone..." "And without you the ciy was empy, it had become another ciy." "I am afraid but I am happy!" "Because I am grateful that there is no war yet." "And that, inshallah, there never will be..." "Do you know what saddens me most?" "Forget spending holidays together but years have gone by and we have not been able to share a Ramadan meal." "That is fate." "Next year, inshallah!" "May allah keep you safe my SuIeyman, Your Munire." "May you have a blessed holiday, sir." "Happy holidays to you Commander!" "Headmaster, blessed holiday!" "And to you too." "Happy holidays!" "Happy holidays!" "Sir, there is a telegram for you." "The Russians have gone on the atack towards Erzurum." "The war has stared gentlemen." "3 MONTHS LATER" "We don't have enough ammunition at the front." "Thank God there is fog everhere and the Russians cannot move." "Otherise they would have destroyed us by now." "We don't have enough ammunition even for a week!" "Lieutenant colonel all Ihsan said we had requested ammunition from Erzurum?" "Is there no news?" "Erzurum is waiting for more from istanbul." "istanbul is waiting for more from Germany." "The Germans say it'II arrive tomorrow." "I don't get itas things are being dragged out so long then why are we asking for help all the way from Erzurum instead of bringing the ammunitions that are in Van?" "Just last month we asked for reinforcements from Van." "They sent eveyone including the prisoners in the jail..." "Other than 3-5 guards in the ciy, there is not a man Ief who can hold a gun." "Now you suggest that we take what ammunitions they have lef?" "I pray that KamiI Pasha doesn't hear you or he will make you go get the munitions in Van." "...and cary them here on your back." "Today we spoke with the governor of Erzurum." "Our division isn't Ieting the Russians through, thank God." "However..." "As a result of 3 months of war there aren't many carridges Ief..." "And if replacement munitions don't arrive quickly from Erzurum they say that the situation will be vey serious..." "Ibrahim Bey, the commander of the Home Guard, and myself thought we have decided to send the remaining munitions in the ciy to the division..." "We are going to send it but there are no horses or cars Ief." "We will send it, we want to send it but how?" "Headmaster, your tea!" "Thank you Ragip Efendi." "So, Headmaster?" "What kind of measure do you suggest?" "We should cary the munitions ourselves!" "That is all fine and well Headmaster." "How many people are we here..." "Let's say we put the munitions on our backs and set out the front is at Ieast a five to six day walk..." "What happens if we aren't strong enough and the munitions lay wasted in the mountains?" "Moreover, if we go, the school, hospital, the province..." "The ciy will all be completely abandoned." "The most imporant thing is the securiy of our ciy." "Our division broke the back of the wretched Tashnaks." "However, they are watching us..." "If we go, who will protect our homes if, God forbid, there is an atack?" "Sir I have a suggestion, but..." "Go ahead." "I hate to say it but... if there is no other way I have a 16 year old son..." "My only forune in this world, my only possession, the light of my eye..." "I give you my son." "Let us gather all the boys of his age who are at the school and in the ciy." "Doctor, what kind of suggestion is that?" "I'II pretend I didn't hear it!" "Headmaster, I leave our young ones to allah and you." "Protect them from danger and accidents the best that you can..." "Are we the only ones who will protect our homes against the Russians?" "Are we to say to our children "You are too litle, stay where you are?"" "At the moment, thank God, the Russians are not yet at our door the Tashnak gueriIIas have been broken..." "No mater how dificult it is, I can see no other solution..." "Go home and ask your wife about your idea!" "Let's see if she is as generous as you." "What kind of a mother would agree to send her child on such a dangerous duy, doctor?" "What kind of a mother..." "What kind of a mother..." "We'II take the munitions ourselves, the children are too young..." "Doctor if you had suggested that you and I, only us, were to cary the munitions believe me, that would have been much more reasonable!" "But our children?" "Let them take the children they say!" "As if I found my son in the street..." "I'm gonna load him with goods and send him of into the mountains!" "Send your own children!" "well, I don't understand either, but let's wait and see what happens." "Good evening." "Good evening!" "As if my son could save the county!" "Open up!" "Did you die!" "Eveybody in the ciy has gone mad." "Eveybody!" "We're leaving, star packing." "Don't waste time with trinkets." "Just take what we will need on the road." "We'II set up home in istanbul again." "We'II set out tomorrow before the sun is up." "Get on with it!" "Why are you Just siting there?" "Get up now or I'II kill you!" "I'm not coming Papa." "What do you mean "I'm not coming"?" "Stay out of it woman!" "How can you talk to your father..." "I'm not coming!" "UngratefuI wretch!" "You are no Ionger my son!" "Stay here then!" "Stay and..." "Ingrate!" "If war breaks out does Lieutenant SuIeyman have to go?" "Of course he will go." "He is the one they really need." "...he will be one of the first to go." "And you?" "If the division wasn't in the ciy there is no doubt that those murderers, the Tashnak gueriIIas'd have killed Dr. Kirkor in our own house." "...and us as well..." "Stay away from that!" "Haven't all these seperations been enough?" "How many more people will I have to cy for?" "If it were me, I would go, Mehmet!" "That night, we experienced the darkest moments of our lives" "One side were thousands of soldiers waiting hopelessly for ammunition at the front." "Lieutenant SuIeyman..." "Evey house had a Lieutenant SuIeyman." "...Ief without ammunition in the middle of the war." "In evey house a son, a father." "On the other side those who had not yet had their fill of childhood the young saplings that had not yet experienced spring." "I couId do nothing half of my hear was pleading, screaming "Don't go boys, don't do this..."" "while the other half was shouting "Don't hesitate!" "Run!" "Go right now!" "My duy is to protect you, not to throw you out on a dangerous Journey" "Is it not our duy sir to make sure that the enemy does not trample the graves of our brothers?" "Yes, yes, this is our duy, yes..." "That's my father!" "well, if it is your father, so what nephew?" "What are you frightened of?" "What's all this!" "This isn't a barn you know!" "Is he here?" "He's here." "Come and get him if you think you can." "Ok, ok, Ferit go home." "But you, come inside!" "Ferit!" "Come boy." "You go home son." "Your dad and me are gonna have a talk!" "Look here!" "I'm Just gonna say this once;" "leave the boy alone!" "Don't interere with him!" "He has made his decision and he is going with his friends!" "He's not going anyhere!" "Look here sir!" "I'm telling you this for your own good and this is the Iast time I will tell you..." "How can he go?" "He's still Just a child." "We are all small in your eyes man." "You think you are the only great person in the universe, you and allah..." "If you still believe in Him that is!" "Then you go with him!" "Stay with him!" "I'II give you whatever you want!" "Money, it's always money with you!" "Is it not enough that you made people faII outJust for the sake of money so that you would get rich?" "I haven't done anyhing brother, really." "I've done nothing!" "Stop driveIing brother!" "Now you remember who your relatives are!" "What were you thinking when you sold that Tashnak filth weapons for a few pennies?" "Now those weapons are aimed at our children!" "See what your greed has bought you!" "What weapons?" "What money?" "Say your prayers you wretch!" "Say your prayers." "Brother." "Are you still tying to fool us?" "Where did you get all that money?" "Where did you get all that money?" "I swear brother I didn't sell them any weapons!" "Brother, I swear I didn't know the weapons were going to them!" "I swear on my children, I didn't know brother!" "If I had known would I have done it?" "would I brother?" "Get out of here now!" "Ok brother!" "Leave the boy alone!" "Let him do whatever he wants!" "If I hear even a whisper of something..." "If I even suspect..." "I will rip you apar with my bare hands, got it?" "Now get out of here!" "Ferit!" "My son!" "My life!" "Don't leave me, son, don't leave me!" "Now!" "This is a vey dificuIt and serious patriotic duy..." "Those who are willing, of their own accord, to volunteer, take one step forard!" "My children!" "My boys!" "Any rights you may owe me, any efor I have made I relinquish them." "bless you!" "bless you!" "That day with a unified desire on the par of our students... 120 boys were chosen for this great Journey. 120 children beteen 12 and 1 7." "First we turned to dressing them for the weather because this was to be a Iong Journey..." "Long and arduous." "For days and nights, they would be crossing snoy mountains..." "Those families that could gave sheets, curains, blankets, whatever they had... 32 children who were 15 or over were given rifles and were quickly trained." "plans were made for our children on this long Journey." "AII details were considered." "The governor appointed some soldiers to provide extra securiy." ""Our children need these more than we do" they said and gave them to the convoy." "May allah make it complete!" "120 children as if missing you is not enough, now the wory of our children has setIed in our hears." "Our prayers are with you." "allah keep my SuIeyman safe..." "Keep all of you safe." "Your Munire." "Sister!" "could you give this to Reyhan?" "With AIIah's will we will deliver the munitions and in the same way I will deliver this Ieter, to Lieutenant SuIeyman, inshallah." "1 10!" "Here!" "1 1 1 !" "Here!" "1 12!" "Here!" "1 13!" "Here!" "1 14!" "Here!" "1 15!" "Here!" "1 16!" "Here!" "1 1 7!" "Here!" "1 18!" "Here!" "1 19!" "Here!" "120!" "Here!" "I am the Iast one Sergeant!" "children!" "My sons!" "Your Journey is long and treacherous!" "You will cross impassable mountains!" "Once you have stared on your way it will not be possible to turn back!" "Be careful!" "My boys..." "You older boys look out for the younger ones you younger ones, listen to the the older boys." "Ty to keep hold of each other as much as possible and do not leave the line." "If you have any dificulties inform Sergeant Musa right away!" "Now my boys!" "Now my brave ones!" "May allah make your way clear." "May he bless our war efor." "My litle soldiers!" "Brother, please don't go." "Now Iads!" "Forard march!" "The most glorious army, the most glorious soldiers on to victoy." "The most glorious army the most glorious soldiers, on to victoy." "In one hand a shield, in one hand a dagger on to the front." "Oh glorious soldier!" "Even on the sea, all is victorious..." "allah's name on our lips, AIIahu Ekber!" "May our army always be victorious!" "39 Idris!" "Here!" "41 AbduIIah!" "Here!" "43 Ýzzetin!" "Here!" "44 Muharrem!" "Here!" "45 all KemaI!" "Here!" "47 Ferit!" "Here!" "Come on lads." "Come on." "I think the time is right." "Not yet be patient!" "Let them get a bit more tired, and then we'II pick them of, one by one!" "Let's get to the horses!" "The Tashnak gueriIIas were seen near the Abadan village, sir." "along the route the children are walking..." "There were many of them." "When were they seen?" "Two days ago!" "What a state we are in!" "They call us a division, but we don't have enough forces for anyhing..." "Our ammunition is spent, desperately we wait for a handful of bullets carried on the back of our children, that will only help for a few days." "This is what happens if you go to war on the promises of the Germans..." "Our own neglect, our own lack of will, and own incompetence means that our own innocent children have to undergo these dificuIties in the spring of their lives..." "Put together a detachment of the strong ones, but hury..." "Yes sir!" "Yes sir?" "Be careful!" "1 16 Bahatin!" "Here!" "1 1 7 SeIim!" "Here!" "1 18 AbduIIah!" "Here!" "1 19 Ramazan!" "Here!" "120 Hakki, son of Enver?" "Here!" "The students brigade with 120 students is ready for your orders sergeant!" "Thank you!" "At ease!" "Atack!" "What're you doing?" "Get down!" "Get down!" "Atack!" "Give me that." "Down!" "Down!" "Agop!" "Agop!" "Go!" "Go around them!" "quickly!" "Stay down!" "soldiers!" "Forard!" "Is anyone wounded?" "We are fine, sir." "Sergean Musa!" "My SuIeyman!" "My sister's fiancé is here." "They saved us." "We have been saved thank God!" "Atention!" "Now, lads." "Head for the front." "Those are our men!" "Our men!" "SuIeyman..." "They were in Abadan on the 23rd, and they passed Tadan on the 24th..." "They are coming my dear, they are coming..." "To make the route shorer, they have lef the main road and are taking a shorcut through the mountains." "Thank god!" "They will come much faster now they are carying less..." "The governor says they did remarkably well, to cover eighy kilometers in to days." "Our litle brothers were lucky those days as the weather was so good..." "No one was worried in Van anymore." "I'II never forget that evening the evening of 24 Januay." "We experienced the first night of peace of mind in ten days..." "Come on lads." "Forard march!" "Mehmet, the weather is turning." "Don't let anyone separate from the line." "Eveyone stay close." "Pass it down the line." "Yes sir Sergeant." "Friends!" "Eveyone stay close..." "Link arms!" "Don't stop!" "Eveyone stay close." "Come on lads." "Come on." "Go!" "Go!" "Go!" "Papa!" "Papa!" "Papa!" "Papa." "Look outside!" "What's the mater dear?" "Papa." "Look outside!" "slow down, dear." "Don't be so quick to wory." "Papa, where are you going?" "To the governor's ofice;" "perhaps they have some news." "It's not long to morning now." "I can't let you go on your own in this weather!" "I'm coming too." "Is the governor in?" "He's upstairs." "please come in Miss, I'II take that." "Teacher JemaI is here, he wants to see you." "Show him in." "Headmaster, welcome." "please come..." "Thank you." "...and sit down." "My dear, come sit here please." "Do you have any information about the children?" "I have been tying all night but the telegraph lines are frozen..." "It is impossible to get in touch with nobody." "We must pray that the storm hit there earlier and that the children saw it and did not leave their places, inshallah." "There is nothing we can do, but be patient and wait right now." "If you look at the mater from a positive aspect, Headmaster at Ieast the children aren't carying anyhing!" "Come on lads!" "Come on." "Those who are in the rear, hold on to those in front of you." "Papa..." "Papa, Iet's go." "Munire!" "We waited." "We waited the whole day for some news..." "AII through the day, with the hours seeming like centuries, we heard nothing." "My father and the others wanted to go up in the mountains and look..." "However, the governor refused to let any parent leave the ciy..." "until we receive news about our children no one is to leave the ciy!" "Where will you go?" "Where will you look?" "Perhaps they don't even know where they are..." "only AIIah knows where they are." "Get up." "Get up." "Mehmet..." "Get up." "Get up." "My boy!" "Where is my son?" "Come on!" ".." "Where is my lamb?" "Where is my love?" "120 of our children set out on the Journey, however, only 40 managed to return." "SeIim." "Ferit." "Sait, AbduIIah." "Sergeant Musa..." "They Ief, but they did not return." "Hussein, son of Riza." "No change!" "Ismet, son of Rahmi!" "Improvement!" "Izzetin, son of Muharrem." "Improvement!" "Idris, Son of SaduIIah!" "No change!" "Cezmi, Son of TaIat!" "uncle, wait, Headmaster, it is you." "Pass." "Improvement!" "all KemaI, son of IIyas!" "No change!" "Fahreddin, son of Mahmut?" "No change!" "Omer, son of Sadýk?" "Improvement!" "IsmaiI, son of Ethem!" "No change!" "Ibrahim, son of Ihsan!" "Improvement!" "Ibrahim, son of Ihsan!" "Improvement!" "Hakki, son of Enver!" "Hakki, son of Enver!" "Hakki is my grandson, his father is in Yemen!" "Granddad, come over here!" "Make way, Iet him through, make way!" "Granddad, your grandson has passed away." "May allah grant those who remain a Iong life." "condolences." "What are you saying?" "What are you telling me?" "believe me my dear, nothing will happen!" "Don't wory Munire." "With AIIah's will we will deliver the munitions and in the same way I will deliver this Ieter to Lieutenant SuIeyman, inshallah"" "What do you think?" "For Mehmet to give him hear, a present?" "Take this, a present from me." "Of the 120 children who Ief Van in Januay 1915, only 22 remained." "98 died marrs and they were honored with eternal life among the honored annals of our national histoy." "My SuIeyman..." "You went along with your brothers." "May you be in heaven." "We commemorate with gratitude all these heroes even though we do not know their names who gave heroicaIIy of their sweat, blood and lives without hesitation to protect our county, our future, for our children, securing a peaceful healthy and bountiful life in Turkey." "Those seIf-sacrificing heroes should know that none of their efors were in vain." "And as long as the world lasts they will not be in vain." "May they rest in peace and light!"