Kilia-Tepe

[michaeldr]

My thanks to Bill Sellers (Eceabat) for taking time off last week to lead our party to this spot.

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From Klaus Wolf's web-site - http://www.gallipoli1915.de/marine-landungsabteilung

translated by Google (with my sincere apologies to any genuine German linguists present)

 

...a "history of the landing detachment" From October 25 to the departure of the enemy from Gallipoli [author probably Oblt Boltz]

"… … … On Kilia-Tepe was housed the staff and the reserve train, on the whole about 70 strong. Here was also a signal station, an FT station, a weapons, ammunition and provisions depot created. … … …

… …  Originally Kilia-Tepe consisted of 2 stone houses, remains of an ancient fortification, which were used as a galley and stable. A subterranean cellar, probably the old powder chamber, served as a supply room, an old cistern as a wine store. Officers and teams lived in tents at first. In the first half of December they were gone. For this purpose, an officer's house was built consisting of 4 officer's quarters, 2 guest rooms, a fair (?), officer's kitchen, pantry and office. A little further up in shouting distance lay the boys (possibly refers to attached Turkish soldiers) and interpreters' house for 8-10 men, next to it the telephone house. Still further up in 200m distance was a NCO and a crew room for about 40 men. The hospital, 100 meters below the officer's house, was equipped for 20 patients. Next to it was a second crew room, which had been built first, but proved too small. As reserve space especially during the move to the southern group it has done good service. Special care had been devoted to the construction of a stable; It was located some 100m away from the staff building beyond the FT station. Flanking trees, a paved stable lane, saddle and feed chamber, room for the stable guard awakened the impression of a domestic Schwadronsstalls. Gradually, the expansion of the camp had progressed so far that one could already think of artistic decoration with the help of gardens, and in fact a beginning was made at the officers' quarters.

 

From the above - A subterranean cellar, probably the old powder chamber, served as a supply room,...

Apart from the earth ramparts which are believed to date from the time of the old Ottoman battery, the “subterranean cellar” is one of the very few features of the German base which can still be seen today.

Note: the inner entrance is very, very low indeed

 

Note: Looking back out - Bill Sellers standing on the right and Tom Iredale hiding behind his camera

 

Note: Once inside there is a small chamber

with the entrance to another room off to the right 

 

Note: This is the main room of the store and the floor to ceiling height must be two metres at least

There are post holes in the walls, suggesting that perhaps beams and either flooring or shelving subdivided this room 

Note: It is by no means clear what was the purpose of the excavated extension, and indeed, this particular work may be of a very much more recent date

 

Only a few metres away from the old Ottoman powder chamber, one can also see “an old cistern” which the Germans used “as a wine store”.

Probably not only their wine was stored there, but also their supply of Bomonti Beer. Bill Sellers (Eceabat) has a photograph in his collection showing the German sailors drinking bottles of this Istanbul brew outside their quarters at Kilia. [Bomonti is still available today; the Malt is very pleasant and highly recommended (preferably at the Fors Bar, with the Dardanelles lapping at your feet as the sun goes down)]

Note the plastered walls of the cistern

 

 

Edited 17 May , 2018 by michaeldr

[gilly100]

Thanks for posting that Michael. Always good to read about the otherwise much neglected German contribution at Gallipoli.

Hope you had a good trip. Bill looking very healthy and well fed too!

cheers

ian

[michaeldr]

Hi Ian,

 

Yes, a great trip, in great company

and yet again, something new learnt along the way.

Bill was very generous with his time and local knowledge.

The latter particularly useful when our car got stuck in Suvla mud requiring a tractor to tow us out

All part of the Gallipoli experience 

 

regards

Michael