New 'bomb' discovery at Kilitbahir

[trajan]

See: http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/water-workers-unveil-century-old-bomb-from-the-battle-of-gallipoli-.aspx?pageID=238&nID=71564&NewsCatID=375 - from which this photograph is taken

[centurion]

Don't worry lads as long as you're out side the magic tapes when it goes off you'll be ok

[trajan]

It does seem, though, that such discoveries are not that common thereabouts.

[auchonvillerssomme]

It does appear to be in very good condition.

[centurion]

I'm surprised though that they took the risk of defusing it, it's in open countryside, just move everyone out of the area and blow it with a controlled explosive charge.

[trajan]

I'm surprised though that they took the risk of defusing it, it's in open countryside, just move everyone out of the area and blow it with a controlled explosive charge.

I agree, it does sound a bit daft. But, I understand that there has been a 'recent' change in the Turkish Ministry of Culture's collecting policy re: battlefield sites and so they might want to save this one for display. E.G., on the excavations at Midas' Gordion, site of the battle of Sarkaya, 1921, we used to dispose of exploded stuff and spent bullets after recording them but were then told to save for the nearby Museum of the Independence War.

On the other hand, poor misunderstood reporting...???

[michaeldr]

Thanks for that, Trajan

Does anyone recognize what size this shell is?

Looking at Piotr Nykiel's photographs, I think that the Queen Elizabeth's 15-inch guns can be ruled out: see http://www.navyingallipoli.com/b_dreadnought.html

Another Nykiel photograph (see http://www.navyingallipoli.com/b_predread.html) includes some 7½'' shells (Swiftsure's in this example) – do they match?

[michaeldr]

quote: Workers at the state waterworks authority in the village of Kilitbahir in the northwestern province of Çanakkale uncovered the century-old bomb while digging a water supply canal.

The above is fairly vague regarding the actual site of the find, however,

until further info arrives, may we assume that the target could well have been the Inner Defences, as listed below

these Turkish positions are shown on the map below

[both details with acknowledgement to http://www.naval-history.net/index.htm]

Amongst others having a go at these targets on 18^th March 1915 were:

Bouvet at Namazieh,

Irresistible at Namazieh

Ocean at Hamidieh II

Vengeance at Rumili Medjidieh

Agamemnon at Rumili Medjidieh

Lord Nelson at Namazieh

Inflexible at Hamidieh II

[michaeldr]

Workers at the state waterworks authority in the village of Kilitbahir in the northwestern province of Çanakkale uncovered the century-old bomb while digging a water supply canal.

The above is fairly vague regarding the actual site of the find, however,

until further info arrives,

Well, further news has arrived, this time from our man on the spot (thanks Bill [Eceabat])

It turns out that the shell was found away from the coast, and nearer to the Sarafin Farm area, (on the Kilid Bahr Plateau, which was used as a rest and reserve area for Turkish troops) not close to Kilidbahir village itself. The shell was not defused, but was removed from the site, taken to the Besyol area, past Anafarta, and destroyed in a controlled explosion.

Thanks again Bill

regards

Michael