Background and Details on the sinking of the monitor “HMS M30” on May 14, 1916 in the Gulf of Smyrna

[Holger Kotthaus]

Photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/HMS_M30.jpg

 

                                                                              Turkish Waters

“13th/14th May - British monitor "M-30" (1915, 350t, 2-6in). British forces still blockaded the Turkish Gulf of

Smyrna, partly with a small naval force occupying Long Island at the entrance to the gulf. The Turks reacted

with shore-based gunfire, and on the night of the 13th or the 14th (sources vary), the small monitor "M-30"

was hit and set on fire before sinking. With the airfield also out of action, Long Island was shortly abandoned.

Source: https://www.naval-history.net/WW1AreaMed1914-18.htm

 

“When on blockade duty at the entrance to the Gulf of Smyrna in May 1916, HMS M30 was hit by a single shell  

from a newly established Ottoman artillery position, which went through a fuel tank and into the engine room.

Ablaze, M30 was beached on Uzanada (Long Island) where she burnt out, the guns later being salvaged.“

Source: https://www.keymilitary.com/article/weapons-war-m29-class-monitor

 

(Thanks to Maureen I downloaded: History of the Great War, Military Operations: Gallipoli, Volume II, but this ends with the withdrawal of Helles)

https://archive.org/details/gallipoli-v-2-pt-01-p-003-008/GallipoliV2Pt01p003-008/

 

Any idea where I can look for:

1.)   Background and details about this blockade?

2.)   Which Turkish (or Austrian) gun battery was involved?

3.)   What happened with the recovered 6” naval guns from HMS M30?

 

Regards Holger

[michaeldr]

3 hours ago, Holger Kotthaus said:

Any idea where I can look for:

1.)   Background and details about this blockade?

Smyrna had been of interest to the allied naval command since the beginning of the Dardanelles operations in early 1915

The following is from the report by the captain of HMS Canopus when he left the command of the Smyrna Patrol at the end of March 1916. This is earlier than the incident involving the M.30 but the background information will help with your point No.1, and the final quote is of particular interest.

 

[quote:-]

Gulf of Smyrna.

The only channel for water-borne supplies to Smyrna, one of the principal ports on the coast of Asia Minor. It is confidently believed that this has been effectively blockaded by means of the patrol and mine field for some nine months.

Since the first naval bombardment the enemy have devoted considerable time and energy to the elaborate defence both by gun emplacements and earthworks of the approaches to the town and the entrances from the Gulf of Koja Dere and Sanjak especially. The eastern side is defended from land attack by lines of trenches and light artillery from Menemen to the coast.

The bombarding operations which have been conducted against the gun positions in the Gulf have I believe to a large extent reduced the defensive power of these batteries and shaken the moral of the personnel of the forts, and have also been the means of holding a large number of Turkish troops in the vicinity, under the impressions that an attack by Allied forces was imminent.

Long Island.

The island is also a sanctuary for refugees from the mainland who may have been able to escape the hands of the Turk, there have been some 4,000 to 5,000 of these removed by the patrol.

The island is also a convenient point of departure for our spies in and out of Smyrna and the vicinity.

The enemy have realised the importance of this base and it would be unwise to leave it without a monitor and the necessary aircraft to destroy any of the enemy batteries which he may endeavour to erect in the vicinity.

Mytelene Channel.

Is the ordinary route of the Greek coasting steamers trading with the islands, which necessitates a large amount of boarding and search work and the establishing of a standing boarding service at the ports of Mytelene and Port Iero, carried out by the French and British naval forces respectively.

Smyrna Patrol Ground.

Is contained between a line-drawn from Cape Baba to Cape Sigri, and Cape Nicholo to Chios Island.

On the west, a line drawn through Cape Bianco to Chios Island. The Muselim Channel requires careful watching, on account of the ports of Molivo and Sigri.

The Gulf of Andramayti is skirted by a caravan road along which supplies to the Turkish guards and outposts on the shortas of the gulf are frequently brought.

It also contains the island of Mosko and the town of Aivali, now garrisoned by Turkish troops. Mosko has been raided by the Turks and some 2 to 3,000 refugees have been rescued by the patrol and removed to Mytelene and other islands.

Prefect of Mytelene.

Is a Government official attached to the party now in power, a weak personality, but will give trouble if he can.

Military Governor.

Is a straightforward soldier with a strong antipathy to the Turk and decidedly pro-Entente.

Military Situation.

The French troops have the country adjacent to their camp well in hand, but owing to the size of the island it would be advisable, if French military posts were extended especially to the ports of Molivo and Sigri.

The main port of Iero and its surrounding anchorage is entirely under the control of the Senior Naval Officer, British, and is treated in all respects as a defended naval base.

Naval Air Station .

Is established at Thermi about five miles north of the capital, Mytelene.

Long Island.

For operations in the Gulf of Smyrna v. the enemy batteries and forces in the vicinity. It was also found necessary to have an advanced base to guard the mine fields laid to block the entrance to Smyrna.

Long Island was chosen on account of its protected anchorages.

An aerodrome was laid out on this island, net defences laid round the anchorages and the island garrisoned with a Greek guard and marines from HMS Canopus; A wireless station was also erected.

Chios and vicinity.

By report the island is the happy hunting ground of Greek contrabandists. It offers great facilities on account of the chain of islands between it and the mainland.

The Turkish town of Chesme, connected by main road to the towns of Smyrna and Vourlah, is only seven miles from the Island of Chios, and is therefore an excellent base for contraband.

The main duties of the S.N.O. of Smyrna Patrol are therefore :-

1. Maintenance of the defences and communications of Port Iero and Long Island.

2. Defence and control of the air station at Thermi.

3. Maintain the Examination Service at Port Iero and Mytelene.

4. Active operations against the enemy's defences in the Smyrna Gulf and communications, where possible from the sea.

5. Blockade of the mainland in the area of the Patrol.

6. Surveillance of suspects on Mytelene Island.

7. Suppression of enemy submarine activity on the patrol area.

8. Assistance to refugees from mainland.

[End of quote. NB: There seems to be a misprint in the copy I have, as the above points are numbered 1 to 9 with no No.5]

…..............................................................................................................

The following comment will also be of interest:-

“The new aviators were not up to the last, who had reached a pretty high level at spotting on the forts and finding any new batteries that the enemy put up on the surrounding hills. These were the ones I was most anxious about, as the island was commanded by any long range gun they could manage to put up without our locating it. This they managed to do some little time after Canopus left, effectively sinking one of the monitors and driving us off the island eventually.”

…...............................................................................................................

 

quotes from H.M.S. CANOPUS, AUGUST, 1914, TO MARCH, 1916.-V11. by Vice Admiral Sir Heathcote S. Grant, KCMG, CB., (previously Captain of the Canopus) which appeared in The Naval Review, Vol. XII., No. 3., p.545>

Edited 21 February by michaeldr

[michaeldr]

See the Mitchell Report, CHAPTER 14. OPERATIONS AGAINST SMYRNA  AND THE OCCUPATION OF LONG ISLAND. Page 403>

on p.409
"March, 1916.—A. small force of 20 Marines, 20 Greek Irregulars, and 20 to 30 R.N.A.S. personnel was landed by the British on Long Island ; an aerodrome was constructed and a Bessoneau hangar erected. The aerodrome was first used on 17th March, 1916. 
7th April, 1916.—Long Island was first fired upon by guns on the southern shore of the gulf. M.30 was spotted during May on several occasions at the guns firing at Long Island. Several casualties amongst both Germans and Turks were caused by M.30’s fire. The Turkish shelling increased in intensity and accuracy until 16th May, when H.M. Monitor 30 was set on fire and destroyed, the Bessoneau hangar was wrecked, also one aeroplane. Orders were given to evacuate, which was done on the same day. The Turks landed at Long Island on 7th June and soon mounted guns on the island; altogether twenty-nine 15 cm. guns, four 24 cm. Krupp guns, four 7-5 cm. howitzers were placed in position. These guns and the guns at Cape Meimoga and Dere Bumu caused our patrols to keep outside the Gulf of Smyrna."

[michaeldr]

4 hours ago, Holger Kotthaus said:

Photo: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d1/HMS_M30.jpg

Small point but, as this photograph shows three funnel bands (not two) then the picture may well be M.31 [see Mitchell Report p.272] 

[michaeldr]

Holger,

This action is covered by LvS in his 'Five Years in Turkey' pages 117/9 of The Battery Press edition

[michaeldr]

5 hours ago, Holger Kotthaus said:

2.)   Which Turkish (or Austrian) gun battery was involved?

LvS has the following [p.119]

"The success of the operation is due to Major Lierau in the first place and to his faithful assistants  Lieutenant Missuweit, First Lieutenant Diesinger and the Austrian Captain Manouschek. Several brave Turkish officers also distinguished themselves by their intrepidity and presence of mind."

On the previous page, LvS mentions the artillery involved: "a platoon of field artillery, a platoon of Austrian 15-cm. howitzers and a platoon of 12-cm. guns."

[michaeldr]

You may get some further details from the article Die Smyrna-Batterie here https://anno.onb.ac.at/cgi-content/anno?aid=gmz&datum=19170119&seite=2&zoom=33 [Grazer Mittags-Zeitung, 19. Januar 1917]

[michaeldr]

Following the withdrawal of the allied forces [from Gallipoli], the battery was given a task of training of the Turkish artillery soldiers and officers in Istanbul.²⁸ This corresponds to the period when Enver Pasha, the Ottoman Minister of War, paid an official visit to inspect the battery on 7 February 1916.²⁹ Afterwards, they were sent to İzmir province and took part in the recapture of the island Uzunada (Kösten, Chustan) at the entry of the Gulf of Izmir. ³º This battery was given the duty of the defence of western coast of Turkey until the very end of the war. ³¹ 

Notes: 
28 Jung, Der k.u.k. Wüstenkrieg, 48. 
29 Paul Schweder, Çanakkale Cephesi’nde Türklerin Genel Karargâhında.İstanbul, 2012, 57–60. 
30 von Sanders, Türkiye’de Beş Sene, 146–147; ‘Die Smyrna Batterie’, Grazer Mittags-Zeitung, 19 January 1917, 2; Emin Çöl, Çanakkale–Sina Savaşları. Ankara, 1977, 73. 
31 Jung, Der k.u.k. Wüstenkrieg, 142. 

(from THE ROLE OF AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARTILLERY ON THE OTTOMAN FRONTS IN WWI, by Emre Saral, Hacettepe University, Ankara,Turkey)
.................................................................

https://web.archive.org/web/20210715082647/https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1271408 - This article implies that it was the A-H Howitzer which got the M.30 – see p.375 (p.9 of the pdf)

(online translated) - On the morning on May 6 (sic) firing commenced at 04.45. The British were greatly surprised. A shell from the Austrian Howitzer hit the front of the large monitor from which  intense flame and smoke rose. After further accurate shots, the British slowly began to return fire. 

Edited 21 February by michaeldr

[stevenbecker]

I record these men and at lest three are mentioned else where for this action;

Lierau Walter    Maj (LtCol)     Deutsche Militär-Mission in der Türkei Heavy (Agir) Artillary group comander 2nd Corps - Command of the artillery in the Anafartalar-Group 8-15 - Önce Çanakkale'de sonra Filistin'de Topçu Birlikleri Komutani (First in Canakkale then in Palestine Artillery Units Commander) - shown Commander Heavy Artillery in the Anafarts Group and the Army Group Yildrim in Palestine    1914-18    (1875 at Heinen Westpreußen died 13-6-45) artillery officer in the Fifth Ottoman Army mentioned for his command of Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 wrote book "Die neue Türkei" possibly Walter von Lierau German Consul at Reichenberg Czech 1938 Nazi Party member SS since 1932 to Obersturmführer RFSS 1936 later WWII Standartenführer shown in Klaus Wolf's Book 
 

Missuweit Heinz    LtzS to ObLtzS Marine    Adjt and Watch officer SMS Goeben (Yavuz) 1914 to Military Mediterranean Division MMD and Special Duties Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) in Asia Minor shown Flag officer Stab MMD (Mittelmeer-Division) under Rebeur-Paschwitz 1918 (siehe letzte seite) RTG     1914-16    mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 RTG to Stamm-Marine in Finland 1918 awarded Finland Medal of Liberty 3rd class 11-18 shown in Klaus Wolf's Book (not identified)?
 

Diesinger    Lt    Arty officer 16th Corps 1915 att Willmer as CO 614th How Bty - Fußartillerie-Batterie 614 (12cm) or 105cm L/50 part 1st Arty Bn at Gallipoli shown commanded the "Ethna Rickmers" during evacuation of Istanbul 1919    1915-19    (not identified) mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 shown in Klaus Wolf's Book
 

Manouschek Karl    Capt / Hptm    KUK Artillery OC No 36th Bty Motor-Mörser-Batterie (15cm) 1915 at Gallipoli     1915-18    KUK from Feldartillerieregiment No 134 mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16
 

Also mentioned is;

Hervay von Kirschberg (Kirchberg) Karl Heinrich Ludwig Maria Chevalier     Maj     KUK Artilleriestab 1914 to LtCol 11-15 A. Geb.K.36 (No 36th Bty Motor-Mörser-Batterie) (15cm) to CO Austro-Hungarian artillery in Turkey 3-16 to Col 11-18     1915-18     (1873 in Kleinstübing bei Graz ) KUK Ex Reitende Artilleriedivision Nr 2 1914 mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 to Gen-Maj 1922 

 

[Holger Kotthaus]

13 hours ago, michaeldr said:

Following the withdrawal of the allied forces [from Gallipoli], the battery was given a task of training of the Turkish artillery soldiers and officers in Istanbul.²⁸ This corresponds to the period when Enver Pasha, the Ottoman Minister of War, paid an official visit to inspect the battery on 7 February 1916.²⁹ Afterwards, they were sent to İzmir province and took part in the recapture of the island Uzunada (Kösten, Chustan) at the entry of the Gulf of Izmir. ³º This battery was given the duty of the defence of western coast of Turkey until the very end of the war. ³¹ 

Notes: 
28 Jung, Der k.u.k. Wüstenkrieg, 48. 
29 Paul Schweder, Çanakkale Cephesi’nde Türklerin Genel Karargâhında.İstanbul, 2012, 57–60. 
30 von Sanders, Türkiye’de Beş Sene, 146–147; ‘Die Smyrna Batterie’, Grazer Mittags-Zeitung, 19 January 1917, 2; Emin Çöl, Çanakkale–Sina Savaşları. Ankara, 1977, 73. 
31 Jung, Der k.u.k. Wüstenkrieg, 142. 

(from THE ROLE OF AUSTRO-HUNGARIAN ARTILLERY ON THE OTTOMAN FRONTS IN WWI, by Emre Saral, Hacettepe University, Ankara,Turkey)
.................................................................

https://web.archive.org/web/20210715082647/https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1271408 - This article implies that it was the A-H Howitzer which got the M.30 – see p.375 (p.9 of the pdf)

(online translated) - On the morning on May 6 (sic) firing commenced at 04.45. The British were greatly surprised. A shell from the Austrian Howitzer hit the front of the large monitor from which  intense flame and smoke rose. After further accurate shots, the British slowly began to return fire. 

 

1 hour ago, stevenbecker said:

I record these men and at lest three are mentioned else where for this action;

Lierau Walter    Maj (LtCol)     Deutsche Militär-Mission in der Türkei Heavy (Agir) Artillary group comander 2nd Corps - Command of the artillery in the Anafartalar-Group 8-15 - Önce Çanakkale'de sonra Filistin'de Topçu Birlikleri Komutani (First in Canakkale then in Palestine Artillery Units Commander) - shown Commander Heavy Artillery in the Anafarts Group and the Army Group Yildrim in Palestine    1914-18    (1875 at Heinen Westpreußen died 13-6-45) artillery officer in the Fifth Ottoman Army mentioned for his command of Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 wrote book "Die neue Türkei" possibly Walter von Lierau German Consul at Reichenberg Czech 1938 Nazi Party member SS since 1932 to Obersturmführer RFSS 1936 later WWII Standartenführer shown in Klaus Wolf's Book 
 

Missuweit Heinz    LtzS to ObLtzS Marine    Adjt and Watch officer SMS Goeben (Yavuz) 1914 to Military Mediterranean Division MMD and Special Duties Sdr-Kdo (Sonderkommando) in Asia Minor shown Flag officer Stab MMD (Mittelmeer-Division) under Rebeur-Paschwitz 1918 (siehe letzte seite) RTG     1914-16    mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 RTG to Stamm-Marine in Finland 1918 awarded Finland Medal of Liberty 3rd class 11-18 shown in Klaus Wolf's Book (not identified)?
 

Diesinger    Lt    Arty officer 16th Corps 1915 att Willmer as CO 614th How Bty - Fußartillerie-Batterie 614 (12cm) or 105cm L/50 part 1st Arty Bn at Gallipoli shown commanded the "Ethna Rickmers" during evacuation of Istanbul 1919    1915-19    (not identified) mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 shown in Klaus Wolf's Book
 

Manouschek Karl    Capt / Hptm    KUK Artillery OC No 36th Bty Motor-Mörser-Batterie (15cm) 1915 at Gallipoli     1915-18    KUK from Feldartillerieregiment No 134 mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16
 

Also mentioned is;

Hervay von Kirschberg (Kirchberg) Karl Heinrich Ludwig Maria Chevalier     Maj     KUK Artilleriestab 1914 to LtCol 11-15 A. Geb.K.36 (No 36th Bty Motor-Mörser-Batterie) (15cm) to CO Austro-Hungarian artillery in Turkey 3-16 to Col 11-18     1915-18     (1873 in Kleinstübing bei Graz ) KUK Ex Reitende Artilleriedivision Nr 2 1914 mentioned for his work with Artillery at Kosten Smyrna 5-16 to Gen-Maj 1922 

 

Hello Michael & Steven,

Wow; - I didn't expect to receive such a large amount of details and information after the first post; - Many thanks for this extensive work!

It was interesting for me to learn that the Central Powers were able to 'retake' an island, given the great superiority of the Entente's naval forces.

I'll read through all the information carefully and come back to it.

 

(Will be continued. . . . .)  - Regards Holger

Edited 22 February by Holger Kotthaus

[b3rn]

Great stuff, Michael.

Holger, I can assist further once you are ready, with some photographs. Unfortunately, today the island retains a military function and access is not possible. I have gazed at it longingly from Izmir! Believe it or not, but the British published a 'Long Island Gazette' to formalise nomenclature of parts of the island. 

Good point about 'retaking' the island. It was well within range of artillery on Anatolia. But so was Tenedos, but clearly Tenedos was not as strategically important as Long Island.

[michaeldr]

quote - "The new aviators were not up to the last, who had reached a pretty high level at spotting on the forts and finding any new batteries that the enemy put up on the surrounding hills. These were the ones I was most anxious about, as the island was commanded by any long range gun they could manage to put up without our locating it."

I was wondering Bern, if you had anything on the 'new aviators' spoken of by Grant?

regards, Michael

 

Edited 25 February by michaeldr

[Holger Kotthaus]

On 25/02/2024 at 06:12, b3rn said:

Great stuff, Michael.

Holger, I can assist further once you are ready, with some photographs. Unfortunately, today the island retains a military function and access is not possible. I have gazed at it longingly from Izmir! Believe it or not, but the British published a 'Long Island Gazette' to formalise nomenclature of parts of the island. 

Good point about 'retaking' the island. It was well within range of artillery on Anatolia. But so was Tenedos, but clearly Tenedos was not as strategically important as Long Island.

Bern; - Yes of course, photos are always interesting.

I'm still reading through all the background information from Michael and will definitely come back to all the details; - Everything is still 'new territory' for me.

Regards Holger

 

[michaeldr]

On 21/02/2024 at 16:45, michaeldr said:

ttps://web.archive.org/web/20210715082647/https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1271408 - This article implies that it was the A-H Howitzer which got the M.30 – see p.375 (p.9 of the pdf)

(online translated) - On the morning on May 6 (sic) firing commenced at 04.45. The British were greatly surprised. A shell from the Austrian Howitzer hit the front of the large monitor from which  intense flame and smoke rose.  

An interesting 'memorial' piece referring to this particular action - https://rauch-auctions.bidinside.com/en/lot/35276/artillerie-kuk-haubitzbatterie-no-36-/

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

This is interesting 

"ttps://web.archive.org/web/20210715082647/https://dergipark.org.tr/tr/download/article-file/1271408 -

I notice they show a Bulgarian unit?

Bulgar toplarından bir takım, Avusturya obüslerinden bir takım

A team of Bulgarian guns, a team of Austrian howitzers

I have not heard of any Bulgar units that side of the Dardenelles, let alone in Turkey?

Dispite the misspelled German names like 

Diesinger, and

Missuweit

we know their parts in this action, which were lacking in most accounts here

I am still not sure of the numbers of (Ottoman- German/KuK) guns given in the Britsh account ?

Also interesting were the mention of a unit (2Bn 151st Regt) of the 48th Ottoman Div helping here

 Symrna (coastal defence around Izmir) 1915 to Caucasus 1916

The Div is shown moving from around Izmir in June 1916

I have no names of any Regt or other Commanders of this Div, so who they are, are lost to time

Btys of this Div are still not 100%

reported (2 x FA Bty's 1 x Mountain Bty) (12 guns) order of battle Turkish Army dated 1917)

Was that the same in May 1916 is unknown but with a smaller number of KuK guns total numbers are hard to pin down.

Edited 4 March by stevenbecker

[michaeldr]

Well spotted Steve. I've not come across those guns either. "Bulgar toplarının hareket eden hedeflere karşı gerekli nişan tertibatı yoktu. = Bulgarian guns did not have the necessary aiming equipment against moving targets." Sounds like a small unit without its range finding kit. I hope that one of our Turkish pals catches this and that they can let us know some more about this unit.

[Holger Kotthaus]

True; - very unusual that a Bulgarian battery was used in Turkey!

After the 'recapture' of Long Island in June 1916, the Turks seem to have expected a renewed threat to the island.

The number of seven 15 cm batteries, in addition to the extensive work for the 24 cm Krupp guns, was exceptionally strong.

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

Yes to use of the words here 29 x 15cm  (150mm) and 4x 24cm (240mm) guns

These are big guns, and Heavy Artillery was not a lot of in Ottoman service at that time, most of this was in Garrisons along the Dardenelles, or in Fortress Cities

I have some details from Ottoman sources, that show some guns around there, but no date for there deployment?

Izmir
independent Heavy (Agir) Artillery Bn each of three Companies
Sancakkale (Sancakburnu) 3x 240mm 1x 87mm Mantelli 1x 57mm gun -

Isildak (12)  4x 150mm 4x 80mm -

Isildak (13) 6x 150mm 6x 120mm 4x 120mm 1x 75mm 4x 47mm 1x 80mm guns) 
 

Thats a lot of Agir (Heavy) guns if around Izmir in May 1916, and close to the number given in British accounts, and with added guns from the KUK and Bulgar's?

After the 48th Div left in June 1916, a number of Ottoman Divs were raised around that area, including 56th, 57th and 59th Divs, late 1916 and early 1917, but they had few guns with them

Sancakkale while some miles from Izmir, the real name should Sancakburnu, which is around Izmir and covers the Bay of Izmir

Isildik is in Izmir possibly Isik or outside at IIdir but I am unsure here

Edited 7 March by stevenbecker

[michaeldr]

A few more details on the occupation of Long Island are available from General Blumberg's history of the RM, 'Britain's Sea Soldiers'; see p.217

[Glenn J]

The episode of the shelling and retaking of Kösten merits about 3/4 of a page in the German naval history concerning the war in "Turkish waters". It reports:

"The chief of the army (5th), General Liman von Sanders requested naval support for transport of guns and the bombardment of Kösten. Oberleutnant zur See Missuweit was placed at disposal for this task. He succeeded over two nights, unnoticed by the enemy to move a 15cm howitzer and two 12 cm with crews over sea from Smyrna to the bay of Aspro-Kavo; the transport was not possible over land. By positioning these guns, it was possible to take the English under crossfire from three sides at 5 a.m. on May 6". (Note the German history says the 6th and not 16th of May was when the monitor was destroyed!).

It further goes on to state that Oberleutnant zur See Missuweit with three NCOs and twelve seamen conducted a reconnaissance to confirm that the island  was free of the enemy (no date given) and that the monitor was "a desolate ruin". At the request of the fleet commander (Souchon), the island was occupied.

Regards

Glenn

[Holger Kotthaus]

Many thanks for the many additions and details. Very interesting. I would understand it like this:

·         March 1916 occupied militarily by the British and used for military purposes from 17. March 1916 onwards.

·         7. April 1916 first shelling by Ottoman-German artillery from the mainland, which intensified until mid-May.

·         16. May 1916 retreat of Britisch-French units and possible removal of the monitor's 6" Naval Guns?

·         7. June 1916 Landing and recapture by Ottoman-German units.

·         Subsequently, installation of powerful artillery on the island. (This is more like the artillery equipment of a well-equipped division!) Given the great superiority of the Entende at sea, am I surprised that the crossing of 33 heavy guns (Mitchel Report) was not disrupted?

·         After the end of the First World War, the island was occupied by the Greeks.

·         After the end of the Greco-Turkish War, the Turks took over the island again.

Regards Holger

 

 

Edited 21 March by Holger Kotthaus

[michaeldr]

1 hour ago, Holger Kotthaus said:

Given the great superiority of the Entende at sea, am I surprised that the crossing of 33 heavy guns (Mitchel Report) was not disrupted?

The key words here are "at sea"
Given that the Ottomans and their allies controlled the (literally) surrounding land, then the chances of naval vessels being able to restrict access to the island were probably Nil. 
Aircraft would also have had an equally impossible task, since the skill of accurate bombing was still in its infancy and as yet undeveloped; witness the (Jan. 1918) tonnage of bombs dropped on the stranded Goeben without appreciable effect.

 

 

[stevenbecker]

I was rereading my notes here and see they mention

Capt Manouschek with 36th Bty (KUK) (4x15cm How) in Feb 1916 trained Ottoman soldiers then moved to Smyrna as a coastal defence 6-16 -

Motor-Mörser-Batterie No 9 (4x24cm) spilt in two and went to Gaza, while the new Kononenbatterie No 20 (2x10.4cm Skoda M15 guns) under Capt Kodar von Thurnwerth went to Izmir 6-16

The dates worried me as they show being there in May 1916, at lest 36th Bty does.

So that shows at lest Four 15cm guns from the KuK, while the Bulgar part is still unknown?

Along with the Agir Bn at Izmir there also appears one shown here and three locations are given

Izmir        Izmir            independent Heavy (Agir) Artillery Bn                independent Heavy (Agir) Artillery Bn    each of three Companies    Sancakkale (Sancakburnu) 3x 240mm 1x 87mm Mantelli 1x 57mm gun - Isildak (12)  4x 150mm 4x 80mm - Isildak (13) 6x 150mm 6x 120mm 4x 120mm 1x 75mm 4x 47mm 1x 80mm guns) 

Smyrna -  Kirk Kilisse - Yemen    Smyrna - Kirk Kilisse - Yeman                independent Heavy (Agir) Artillery Bn's                independent Heavy (Agir) Artillery Bn's    each of three Companies    
So I am unsure if they refer to the same Agir Bn, but shown as Izmir and Smyrna Bn's or there were two Bn's?

From what I can see the Ottomans made up these Agir Bn's to defend there important Towns with mixed units of older guns, when they did this is another question as no dates are given

Each Independant Agir Bn is shown with three Companies, but only the Bn at Izmir is shown in any detail

[Holger Kotthaus]

14 hours ago, stevenbecker said:

So that shows at lest Four 15cm guns from the KuK, while the Bulgar part is still unknown?

Michael, Steven thanks again to for the further details.

I have never heard of Bulgarian units fighting in Turkey either. Well, I'm still only superficially involved in the topic.

But perhaps “Bulgarian artillery” only means the guns and not battery crews?

"12 cm so-called Bulgarian cannon, Kum Burnu Köji"

Original Source: https://onb.digital/result/10FB6821

Edited 23 March by Holger Kotthaus

[michaeldr]

The guns on the right (this picture has been flipped) are to be seen in the Navy Museum & Fortress at Çanakkale. I too wonder if instead of a Bulgarian artillery unit, in this case the reference is simply to the guns themselves which may have been captured during the Balkan wars just a couple of years earlier?

Edited 23 March by michaeldr