Ottoman (Turkish) Mediterranean Coast

[Guest KTLN]

Hi. My name is John. I'm retired and moved from the UK to Kalkan, (south west Turkey) several years ago. I heard about this forum through a local Turkish friend.

I run a local news web site called Kalkan Turkish Local News (KTLN) as a hobby - i.e. not for profit - hence my forum name.

There is probably a place to post this introduction, but sadly I could not find it. Sorry.

I have always been interested in history, and Turkey has lots to offer, including of course, Gallipoli in the north west.

I'm working on a project looking in to the history of Kalkan, or Kalamaki as it used to be known. I am keen to learn about what happened here in WW1 & WW2. You will appreciate that there are very few people alive now, who were alive back in WW1, (I have found a few), but I am hoping that I can find information online.

I am joining this forum in the hope that I will come across a helpful community - perhaps fellow sleuths who like discovering facts from the past, who know something about WW1 activities in my area. Specifically, that includes the Greek island of Meis (Kastellorizo/Meğisti), Kaş, Kalamaki (now called Kalkan), and Patara.

Technically, we are on the Mediterranean. The Aegean ends at the Datça peninsular, further north.

I understand this area was under Italian control for quite some time in WW1, but control changed hands a few times.

I will continue to search online, and locally for information, but if anyone here on this forum has any pointers, or nuggets of information, I would be very happy to hear from you.

Thank you very much.

John

[Old Tom]

Welcome to the forum. Your's is not my area of interest, but many members will I'm sure be attracted, but my eye caught the Ottoman name. Is this name still used to describe part of your coast?

Old Tom

[Guest KTLN]

Hello Tom.

No the Ottoman name ended 90 years ago when the Republic of Turkey was founded, but of course back in WW1 the place where I now live was part of the Ottoman Empire.

Other descriptions for this part of the world are the Turquoise Coast, the Teke Peninsular, Anatolia, or Lycia (a historical name). Meis is a Greek island now, just a 30 minute boat ride from the Turkish coastal town of Kaş - just down the road. We are about 67 miles from Rhodes.