WE recently featured an article on the Dorchester men who died as prisoners of war of the Turks after being captured at Kut-al Amara.

We reproduced a photo from July 25 1916 taken in Dorchester showing people collecting for the surviving prisoners of the Turks.

The relief effort was known as Komic Kuts Kollecting Koppers.

Thanks to local historian Greg Schofield who got in touch to tell us more about the men who were subjected to the appalling treatment, in which the captured Dorset men were made to march 1,200 miles to Turkish POW camps.

The men were involved in the Siege of Kut Al Amara prompted by Turkey's entry into the First World War on October 29 1914.

Greg said: "Prisoners of the Turks had no access to external supervision to ensure humane treatment, and as a result they were often forced into slave labour, beatings were common, and they were subject to sexual abuse and even summary execution.

"Little wonder that so few of their prisoners survived."

There were six Weymouth men who died as a result of their treatment.

*Frederick George Burt, Private in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 6th September, 1916, aged 26, at Baghtsche. A brother also captured survived. They had lived at 36, Penny Street

• John Thomas Dudley, Private in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 22nd July, 1916, aged 28, of Beri-Beri at Mosel. His brother Steven was also taken prisoner and died. He lived at 84, Newstead Road.

• Steven Dudley, Private in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 5th September, 1916, aged 24, of Enteritis at Baghtsche, His brother John Thomas was also taken prisoner and died. He lived at 72, Newstead Road.

• William J. Langdon, Lance Corporal in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 31st December, 1916, aged 26, of Beri-Beri at Baghtsche. He lived at 65, Franchise Street, had been a member of the Church Lad’s Brigade, and enlisted at the age of 17.

• Bertie George Legg, Private in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 27th July, 1916, aged 26, at Baghtsche. He lived at 11, High Street. He also lost a brother, William James, who was fighting the Turks in Palestine,

• William Rushen, Private in the 2nd Dorsetshires. Died 21st August, of dysentery. He had lived at 18, Rose Terrace, Granville Road.