Dardanelles Campaign

[jwsleser]

Bob

I am not surprised that your wife didn’t find copies of the officials. They are hard to find. ATASE (the compound) is little help. Once the print run is gone, it is gone. ATASE has been reprinting the series, but very slowly. Some of the volumes are in the third print run, others have never been printed. I have been collecting them for five years. I finally have all the volumes covering the Balkan War and the Turkish War of Independence, but am still missing a few of the WWI books.

RE: Dünya Harbı'nde Türk Alman ittifaki ve askeri yardımlar / Veli Yılmaz. I haven’t seen this book, but it could be interesting. I translate the title as The Turkish World War the German Alliance and Military Assistance/Undaunted Protector (I am a little unsure of the last bit). I am wondering if it details of the actual support Germany provided during the war. This assistance is detailed in volume X of the officials.

Dominic

I haven’t found any books in English covering the Hejaz from the Ottoman perspective. There is a book written by a French colonel on the campaign (in French). I wish now I had purchased it. I would need to dig to see if I can find the title.

I saw the Erickson listing. We had the journal in CARL, so I copied it there.

Martin

I have a copy of “Battle at Khaybar” and have read it. An interesting little story that adds some color to the war if true. I haven’t tried to reconcile the story with the Turkish histories. Not much to offer a person studying the war.

Eric

Not much more I can do about the Çanakkale history. ATASE is out of copies. I offered the two additional copies I had obtained to the first two individuals that started this thread and expressed interest. One has been mailed and received; the second hasn’t been claimed. I need that indivdual to contact me. I can't PM him because his mail box is full. If no contact, I will offer it to the third person. If you have other options, sounds good.

V/r

Jeff

[Geoff S]

Not much more I can do about the Çanakkale history. ATASE is out of copies. I offered the two additional copies I had obtained to the first two individuals that started this thread and expressed interest. One has been mailed and received; the second hasn’t been claimed. I need that indivdual to contact me. I can't PM him because his mail box is full. If no contact, I will offer it to the third person. If you have other options, sounds good.

Jeff,

Can you confirm where I am on the list? Was I third person to request a copy?

I am still interested in a copy if the others in front of me have not contacted you!

Cheers

Geoff S

[Guest Tosun Saral]

I was up at the National Archives this weekend and had a look at document

AIR 1/2317/223/21/108 (A Short history of Turkish Operations in the Great War, including the Dardanelles Campaign. 1914-1918).

My main reason for looking was the hope that being an AIR file it might contain a summary of Ottoman Air Operations in WW1. Needless to say it didn't!

It does however contain 2 files of a translation of the Turkish Official History of the Dardanelles campaign (ground war) done by a Lt. Col. H.M. Cornwall. No maps that I could see but I thought Pals who study the campaign might be interested to know that such a translation exists in this country.

Cheers

Dominic.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

A late answer but I will serach for you. Here is the first information:

Galatasaray is familiar to you with the football club rather than the Lycee/Highschool. Galatasaray Football Team won the European Championship 3 years ago.

During the WW1 many students or graduants of the Lyceum joined the army as reserve officers. Many of them killed in various fronts.

İbrahim Orhan Bey was one of them. He graduated in 1912. He was the grandchild of Sadullah Pasha and son of Dr. Sadik Bey. He voluntered to Turkish Air Force and became a war pilot. During the flights over Gelibolu/Gallipoli he was wounded 2 times. In 1916 his plane crusted to sea near the island Semadirek. He is the first Turkish airman who killed in action.

May he rest in peace.

* Bey= A Turkish title given to Majors to Colonel. Sons automaticaly got the tittle Bey.

With my best wishes.

Tosun Saral

[Guest Tosun Saral]

During the WWI, SPAD XIII was not the regular fighter plane of the Turkish Air Force. The three examples were captured from the enemy. The first one was an emergency landed plane in Serme-Iraq whose pilot was murdered by the Arabs before the plane was found by the Turks. The remaining two were captured in Arabia together with the crew.

The USA firm Glenn Curtiss Airplane & Motor Company was the leader in seaplanes in 1910s. Model “F” is the first of these series and it made its first flight in 1911. This was followed by MF-2 which made World demostration tour in 1914. The plane piloted by John Dale Cooper also came to Istanbul and made demostration flight. The military authorities who were greatly impressed with the air show bought the plane for 2000 liras in gold. It is the first seaplane that joined the Turkish AF. In 1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign while going to Chanak it had an accident. Eventhough it was repaired, it was left out of service since the previous performance was not obtained.

There only a single example of this plane in the TuAF and it was presented by a Turkish admirer. A French journalist named Alfred Durand was very much affected with the death of Fethi Bey bought a Ponnier and presented it to the TuAF. The plane was brought to Istanbul on May-1914 and it remained in service until 1915.

For more information:

http://www.tayyareci.com/digerucaklar/turkiye/ww1.asp

http://www.tayyareci.com/hvtarihi/canakkale/index.asp