Adam Dyer

Adam Dyer (1877-) was an American shipping company heir and mercenary who fought in the Turkish War of Independence.

Biography[]

Adam Dyer was born in New York City, New York in 1877, and he became the heir to a shipping company. During World War I, his father and brother were each killed while commanding merchant ships which were sunk by German warships, and Dyer was the senior officer aboard a third ship which was seized by the Imperial German Navy and interned at the Ottoman Turkish port of Izmir (Smyrna). In 1922, Dyer traveled to Greece with the objective of reclaiming his ship, which had been renamed the Star of Islam. While attempting to sail from Greece to Turkey on a small felucca, his boat began to sink, and he was rescued by the mercenary Josh Corey, who was sailing aboard the Cybele. Dyer gave Corey $500 worth of gold in exchange for Corey's help, and he and Corey both fought off an attempted mutiny by the two Greek crew members of the boat. Dyer and Corey parted ways amicably after introducing themselves, with Corey sailing off on a lifeboat as Dyer sailed the Cybele to the Greek coast and told the captain Kyriakos Papadopoulos that the ship's owner, whose name he found out to be Mitsos Andriadis, had been injured in a "terrible accident" when cargo fell on him, thus justifying the two injured Greeks aboard the ship.

Dyer then made his way to a harborside bar to rest, and, while there, he was confronted by the mercenary Bolek and his minions. Bolek interrogated Dyer, demanding to know about the nature of Dyer's relationship with Corey, as he noticed that Dyer had sailed to port on Corey's boat and with Corey's pistol. As Dyer was about to tell Bolek his story, Corey arrived and said that he liked to hear stories, and Corey had his men (whom he joked were practicing their Greek with the local girls) release Dyer and make preparations to leave on their boat. Corey and Dyer then sat down for drinks, where Corey revealed that his men had come to believe that the Greek coast guard, smugglers, or pirates had killed him. Corey then asked Dyer what he was doing in the Aegean, and Dyer said that he had come to claim what was his; Corey said that he wasn't as particular about what he took, and explained to Dyer that his men were all former soldiers who had been forgotten, fallen on hard times, and became mercenaries.

Shortly after, Greek Coast Guard soldiers arrived, with Kyriakos Papadopoulos leading Captain Theodosis Pardelis to Dyer, accusing him of having murdered his cousin Mitsos. Dyer was at the center of the interrogation while Corey pretended not to know him, but, when Papadopoulos found Mitsos' watch on Corey's person, Corey was dragged into the interrogation, as he was also suspected of murder. Corey, confronted by Papadopoulos and the coast guardsmen, proceeded to kick Papadopoulos to the floor, leading to a bar fight in which the mercenaries beat down all of the Greek coast guards (including Vlassis Nicolatis, Likourgos Demetriiades, and Aristidis Pipas), upsetting the brothel's madam by destroying much of her furniture in the process. Afterwards, Corey and his men left the bar, and Dyer ran to the Cybele as the coast guardsmen fired at him. Dyer was able to jump aboard the boat just in time, escaping with the mercenaries.

Corey inspecting the Thompson submachine guns

Aboard the Cybele, Corey opened a crate of Thompson submachine guns, which he distributed to his men. Dyer jokingly asked Corey if he intended to start a war, but Corey said that he instead intended to join one. Dyer joked that Corey didn't seem like the volunteering type, and Corey revealed that he would volunteer as long as he was paid, also revealing that he and his men had been hired by the Sultan of Turkey to fight against Mustafa Kemal's nationalist uprising. Dyer protested that the Ottoman system was wrong, but Corey cynically asked who cared, as long as the Sultan was paying. Dyer asked what would happen if Corey backed a loser, and Corey responded that it was unlikely, as the Sultan had the whole Greek Army backing him, and the mercenaries could always pack up and go over to the other side. Dyer said that doing so would be easy if Corey didn't have a conscience.

Shortly after, the group reached land in Anatolia, and Corey and his men mounted up; Corey also gave Dyer a machine-gun so as to not feel left out, and they rode twelve kilometers inland, where they expected to make contact with one of the Sultan's agents. While riding through a burned-out village, Dyer asked how many times the village had been burned, and Corey said that it had been burned as many times as it had been rebuilt. Dyer expressed his admiration for how the love of a nation could lead to a village being repeatedly burned and rebuilt, and Corey responded, "Some learn, some don't." They finally arrived at the meet-up point, a village said to be inhabited by elderly people and children, but the village appeared to be deserted, with Dyer joking that it seemed that other vultures had made it there first. They soon found that many of the inhabitants had been hanged, so Corey had his men cut down the bodies.

Corey and his men arriving at the Turkish village

As Corey and his men watered their horses at the fountain, they found dozens of Turkish soldiers emerge from the cliffsides with guns, and Dyer told Corey, "You called it. We've been contacted." The Ottoman officer Ahmed Elci rode out and introduced himself as a Colonel (late of the Imperial Guard, and then in service to Osman Bey and Governor to the Sultan), and correctly guessed that the mercenaries were not in Turkey for scenic purposes; he also remarked that, while their faces were familiar, their weapons weren't. Corey jokingly responded, "Josh Corey, late P.S. 42, Brooklyn," to the former Imperial Guard colonel. Colonel Elci said that, in her hour of need, Turkey had use for Western technology, and he invited Corey and his men for refreshment.

Corey apologized to Elci for taking down his "decorations" (the hanging bodies of the villagers), and Elci responded that they had refused his suggestion, and that he was going to make another suggestion. He bade Corey and his men ride with him to Balikesir and see what eight years of war had done to Turkey. He also said that there could be rewards for those who helped Turkey, and, when Corey said that the rewards didn't sound definite, Elci said that Corey should have confidence in his good intentions. Just then, a servant woman attempted to assassinate one of the Ottoman officers at the table with a grenade after the officer angrily berated her for serving him wine in a chipped glass, but the officers dispersed in time. Before Elci could execute the woman with his pistol, Dyer stepped in with his machine-gun and prevented Elci from executing the girl. Corey talked both down, saying that there was nothing more dangerous than a soft-hearted man with a gun, and Elci said that there would be other opportunities, and that they had a long ride ahead of them. Dyer then insisted on hearing how much the mercenaries would be paid, and Elci said that a higher authority would determine the price. Corey then asked Dyer if Dyer had declared himself "in", and Dyer amused Corey by saying that, since he had lost everything in a "big war", he might as well win some of it back in a "small war".

During the ride, Elci warned Corey to keep his men on alert, as the countryside was crawling with rebels and bandits. During the ride, Dyer and the other mercenaries whistled "Custer's March", as their ride felt like a US cavalry ride through Indian country. The party then rode to Balikesir, where they arrived in time for a party full of belly-dancers, musical revelries, and wine. Elci brought Corey and Dyer into Osman Bey's room, where Osman Bey had Elci bring him Corey's machine-gun. Osman Bey proceeded to shower the room with bullets, leading to applause from the previously frightened guests. Osman Bey then introduced himself to the Americans and said that the mercenaries arrived just after Mustafa Kemal had broken through the forces of his Greek allies at the Battel of Afyon, and that it would be a matter of days before Kemal's rebels reached the city's gates. Corey joked that Osman must be holding a "going-away party", but Osman said that, if the Sultan's reinforcements reached the city gates, Balikesir would be saved. Dyer then joked that, "Funny thing about reinforcements, though: they're never there when you need them." Osman Bey then laughed and said that, sometimes, help arrived from the most unexpected source. Osman then offered the mercenaries £10,000 for their help, including £5,000 up front and the rest when the mission was completed.

Party at Balikesir — The party at Balikesir

Corey then asked about the mission before he would agree to any payment, and Osman said that a pilgrimage to Mecca would be full of danger in Turkey, Syria, and Palestine. Corey asked if he and his men were to serve as bodyguards to "holy rollers" as they headed to Mecca, but Osman said that they would only be headed towards Mecca; instead, they would change course for Cairo, 1,300 miles overland. Dyer said that a ship would be easier, but Osman explained that the British feared that a war might spread, leading to the Royal Navy blockading the coast and preventing any Turkish vessel from leaving territorial waters. Dyer proposed that an American ship could, and Dyer revealed that his family owned three small cargo vessels, and that two of them were sunk, killing his father, brother, and all other hands. Corey was the senior officer on the third when the ship was taken by a German cruiser, and he revealed that the Germans had turned over the ship to the Turks, and the ship was interned at Smyrna, and its name had been changed to the "Star of Islam". Osman told Dyer that claims for stolen war property could be a long and drawn-out affair, so he offered his help, saying that a "grateful governor" could help. Corey said that he would now demand £20,000 and the ship, and, while Dyer said that £20,000 sounded expensive for an escort, Elci said that a man's uniform no longer signified his loyalty, and Osman said that they lived in perilous times. Elci said that a group of Corey's obvious ability would get through to Smyrna, and Dyer expressed his certainty that the plan would work out. Corey then said that all that was left were Elci's good intentions, and Osman Bey said that Elci and a few chosen men would accompany the mercenaries as they escorted Osman Bey's convoy to Cairo. Corey and Dyer then left to check out the party, and Osman arranged for an Egyptian destroyer to intercept the "Star of Islam" before giving Elci a document requiring the release of the vessel, and instructing Elci to make sure that their American friends were "suitably compensated".

The next day, the Americans headed to a steam train, where Elci had Corey send half of his men to the front of the train and the other half to the caboose; Corey promptly sent Leo Bolek with half of his men to the caboose. During the train rride, Corey noticed that there were not a lot of Turks aboard, and theorized that either the Turks trusted the mercenaries, or there was nothing worth stealing aboard the train. At night, while Corey slept, Dyer crept out of the train car and onto the roof, inspecting the first-class carriage. When he climbed inside, he found a woman, Aila, pointing a gun at him, and he noticed three young girls inside as well. Aila signalled for the train to stop, and she forced Corey out of the car at gunpoint. Corey was confronted by Elci and the mercenaries, and Elci revealed that they were transporting Osman Bey's daughters and their guardian, Aila, before having the mercenaries return to their posts. Elci then offered to show Corey and Dyer the other cars while they were stopped.

The next day, the train was ambushed by Kemal's soldiers as it was about to enter a railway tunnel, and the Americans used their submachine guns to repel the nationalist soldiers. The Americans were surprised to see the other cars' doors open and for Ottoman cavalry to charge out and pursue the rebels, and Corey commented to Elci that Elci must not trust them, and that Elci thought of everything. They were also surprised to see more women emerge from the cars, along with pack animals. Elci had the party ride the pack animals now that the train was immobilized, and, as the party rode, Corey flirted with Aila, saying that it was hard enough to guess what a woman was thinking without a veil, and commenting on her beauty. Aila said that Corey must have received the wrong impression from postcards, as most women in Turkey had given up the veil, and she resented being treated like chattel. Corey then said that the rebels must be miles away, leading to Aila saying that he thus had no need to ride so close to her. He said that one could never tell about the people, as many of them were willing to die for Kemal, the man who gave them hope. Aila, who resented common people, called them sheep to a shepherd, and "weeds in a garden". When Corey showed sympathy towards the peasants, Alia asked Corey why he was traveling with the Ottomans if he was so fond of the commoners, and Corey joked that he might not want to travel alone. Elci then rode up to the two and told Dyer that he was not there to socialize, and Dyer agreed. Elci then asked Dyer to join him at the head of the column, leaving Aila alone.

Mercenaries camping at the ruins — The mercenaries camping at the ruins

The party then made its way to ancient ruins, where Elci commented to Corey that the Bible said that Mesopotamia was the birthplace of civilization, but that Anatolia was the true hearth of civilization centuries earlier. Corey insultingly asked what the Anatolians had been up to since, causing a bitter Elci to say that they would camp there, and Corey proceeded to mockingly sing, "Someone's got his feelings hurt, doo-da, doo-da." Corey was later reprimanded by Elci for helping Aila off her horse, saying that Captain Enver Bayraktar would bring what she required. That night, Dyer came across the unpacked crates, and Elci let him see that they contained 1,000 kilograms of gold. Elci then offered to split the gold with Dyer, cryptically saying that Cairo had poor weather that time of year, and that Rome was better; he also said that the Ottoman Empire was dying, and he did not wish to share in its demise or live under Kemal. When Dyer asked if Elci was forgetting someone (Corey), Elci responded, "Only if you are," and joked that, during their long journey, they might become friends. Dyer and Elci then laughed, and Dyer said that he would think about it; Elci told him that he hoped his selfishness would prevail by morning.

The next day, the party arrived at a small village during a wedding, and the village elder Levent Dagtekin welcomed them. While there, Corey flirted with Aila, who then went to her room and was visited by Dyer, who also sought to flirt with her. Dyer seduced Aila and kissed her, and he then said that Corey would be upset when he found out that the real treasure was gold-plated lead. Aila then propositioned Corey by showing him a chest of her own treasure, jewelry dating back to the time of Suleiman the Magnificent, which was brought inland during the war. Aila then told Dyer that a woman needed a man she could share with and trust, but Dyer said that there was a problem, as he didn't want Corey to feel rejected. Corey then entered the room with a machine-gun, and he told Dyer that he was glad he had said that, as it would have upset him to kill Dyer. Corey then said that he wondered how long it would take for Dyer to get to the crates, and, when Dyer asked if Corey knew about the gold, Corey said that he could smell a setup from five miles away. Corey revealed that the fake gold was a distraction from the real thing, and he said that, thanks to "Florence Nightingale" (Aila), they could make sure that the baubles reached their rightful owners: him and Dyer. The two men happily agreed to split the treasure.

Corey and Dyer talking during the Greek attack

Shortly after, the town came under fire from Greek artillery, and, when Corey said that the Greeks were on their side, Dyer said that, if the Greeks were that far west, they were routing, not retreating. Corey had Bolek run up a white flag, and, meanwhile, Elci had Captain Enver fetch three horses, and he went to Aila's room, where he and Aila kissed as they bragged that they would be a continent away with the treasure before the Sultan found out. Corey had Dyer stay behind to welcome the Greeks as he searched for the Turks, and Aila stabbed Elci in the side as he prepared to shoot Corey before the door opened. Corey then entered and found Elci dead and Aila dressed up, and, when he asked if she was going somewhere, she said that she was going with Corey if he wanted. Corey proceeded to slap her, and she said that she should have let Elci kill him. Corey responded that she would have if she didn't need his help.

At the same time, the Greeks quit their alliance with the Turks by executing the Ottoman soldiers, and the Greek artillery captain Apollon Elitzis told Dyer that the Americans should learn that they couldn't change the world. Dyer told Elitzis that the mercenaries just wanted to get out of Turkey, as it wasn't their fight, and they were willing to pay a million in gold if the Greeks would let them leave. He said that the mercenaries were also on their way to Smyrna, and that 200 men could travel better than just 20. At the same time, Corey decided to join Aila and abandon his friend Dyer, and Dyer negotiated with Captain Elitzis that the Bey's three daughters would remain in Turkey unharmed. He and the Greek captain agreed on a deal, and a curious Bolek and the others inquired as to how Dyer knew about the gold. Dyer said that Corey knew about the gold, but didn't want to add onto his men's responsibilities. They then noticed Greek soldiers emptying drawers of the princess' luxury clothing out of a window, so Dyer and the mercenaries investigated, only to find that Captain Enver was dead, and that Corey and the girl had gone. Dyer naively said that they had gone ahead to make sure that the boat was waiting for them, and sarcastically said that "that kind of loyalty and devotion is a beautiful thing." When Bolek asked what they should do next, Dyer responded, "Find that son of a b****."

Dyer and the others riding into the Greek camp

Corey and the mercenaries rode several donkeys to the Greek encampment, where they rendezvoused with the major and his soldiers. Just after the mercenaries arrived, two Turkish planes attacked the Greek camp, killing Bolek and several other mercenaries and their Greek allies. Corey managed to drive a truck full of mercenaries into Smyrna, where he found the large Greek community and many of the pro-Sultan Turks scurrying around the streets, desperate to flee the city before Kemal's troops arrived. Dyer and his men persuaded a US Navy officer to let them take the Star of Islam out of port, as it was an American ship (and the officer said that his objective was to save American lives and property), and it could save lives. Dyer found Corey already waiting on the ship, and Corey appeared emotionless upon learning that many of his men had been killed. He then told his men to man the ship, while an angry Dyer told Corey to speak to him inside, even as Corey said that what Dyer was thinking was right, as Corey was an underprivileged kid.

Inside, Dyer confronted Corey, and Aila walked in to defuse the situation, giving Dyer a letter which officially made him a ship captain. Corey then told Dyer that he shouldn't always see him as a bad man, and that he should be more faithful. Dyer sarcastically apologized for being "narrow-minded", and he then told Corey that he would do him a "favor": he said that the jewels, worth millions, would take the fun out of life for Dyer, and that he intended to give them to the people of Turkey, where they belonged. Corey then embraced Dyer and said that the only way anyone could take the jewels from him was over his dead body. Dyer said that he should have thought of that, and, just then, the boat came under attack as the Turks attacked Smyrna. Dyer said that it looked like someone's army wanted a free ride home, and he and the mercenaries were forced to fire on the Greek and Ottoman troops who clambered aboard the ship and attempted to take it over. The mercenaries fought off the Greeks and Ottomans until a Turkish Navy vessel arrived, and its captain announced that the crew of the Star of Islam was under arrest by the new Republic of Turkey.

The mercenaries surrendered, and they were promptly taken to the palace, where they watched several Ottoman prisoners be executed, and they feared that they would be next. Corey laughed and told Dyer that he had to admit that Aila had talent, and Dyer joked, "So does a barracuda." Corey said that Aila was the kind of woman who would make a man want to be more than he was, and Dyer wise-cracked, "Well, with you that could be a handicap; I don't think the world is ready for it." The two men were then summoned to meet with General Kemal, who sternly asked what they had done with the jewels of Suleiman the Magnificent, and said that he had tracked them ever since they left Balikesir. Corey said that he had a feeling that they had been "had", and Kemal said that, in every game, there were pawns, and cautioned the mercenaries not to let avarice stand in the way of good judgment. Aila then entered the room and said that she didn't have the jewels, meaning that one of them must be mistaken.

The mercenaries talking with Kemal and Aila

Kemal said that, had the jewels been in his hands, Corey and his men would be safe in the legation compound, and said that there was still time. Dyer told Kemal that they were smart enough to know that they couldn't buy their way out of a coffin, and that, if they knew where the jewels were, they would tell Kemal. Aila said that the jewels could have fallen out when the case was cut, and Corey said that the jewels could still be aboard the ship. Kemal said that the jewels would be in a burnt-out hulk at the bottom of the bay, but Aila said that they had served their purpose, as the Caliph Uthman's Quran was in proper hands. Kemal revealed that even traitors within his own ranks tried to take the book, and that they had attacked the Ottomans' train for it. Corey asked if all of the trouble was for a book, and he asked why Aila hadn't told them. Dyer also approached the General, and he realized that the book was one of the rarest books in existence. Kemal said that the Uthman Quran was a symbol of his people's political and religious authority for 1,300 years, and that, in the Sultan's possession, the book could unite the Muslim peoples against Kemal for years to come. Corey said that he was satisfied with having done his duty, but said that his friend Dyer had lost everything. Kemal said that the mercenaries had come to Turkey to gain by their misfortunes, and that they went through any lengths to get what they wanted; Kemal said that, were he to base his decision on that alone, the mercenaries would be shot. However, he decided that, since Aila believed in their worth, and the two mercenaries provided a valuable service to Turkey, his judgment was tempered. Kemal then told the men that they were free to leave Turkey, and that they would be wise not to return.

Corey and Dyer peeling potatoes while leaving Turkey

After Kemal left, Corey angrily said that, with all they had done for Kemal, he could have given them something, so Dyer wise-cracked, "Well don't take it so hard. With a little luck, you might get us killed yet!" Aila then told Corey that she wished she could have gotten to know the man and not the mercenary, and, when Corey asked if the jewels had really fallen out of the case, Aila feigned ignorance, and Dyer smiled and said, "You'll never convince him." The two men then left Izmir aboard a US Navy ship empty-handed, peeling potatoes as Corey eagerly said that men with their experience were valuable, that they were a team, and that they could go anywhere they wished.