Turkish Air Operations During The Dardanelles Campaign 1915 - 1916

[oderman]

TURKISH AIR OPERATIONS DURING THE DARDANELLES CAMPAIGN 1915 - 1916

original document

Index:
1. General situation
2. Gallipolli Area of Operations
3. Plans and Establishments of the Parties
4. Phases of The Campaign
* Allied Attack on Dardanelles Strait
* Aviation Activities During The Gallipoli
* The Invation of Suvla (Anafarta) Gulf, the Battle of Anafarta
* Allied Abondonment / Turkish Victory of the Dardanelles Campaign
5. Conclusion

NOTE: Starting from Chapter 2 Gallipolli Area of Operations I will post the events as replies to the main title. Otherwise the text will be extremely long.
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1. General Situation; Entry of the Ottoman State into the First World War.

After having signed a secret alliance treaty on 2 August 1914 with Germany, Ottoman State become one of the parties of Central States within the First world war. Because the public opinion would oppose to such a secret alliance with Germany, the negotiations being made in secret and only Sait Halim Paşa, the Grand Vizier and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Enver Pasha were being informed of the situation. Accordingly, should the assistance of Germany to Austria that had declared war against Serbia on 28 July, led a war with Russia, the Ottomans would intervene to support the Axis Powers. While the Ottomans were accepting the efficiency of Von Sanders mission on the general command of the army, Germany promised to assist for the protection of the Ottoman territorial integrity against Russia. The treaty was secret, thus it would only be declared upon the request of the parties. Cemal Pasha and other cabinet members were informed of the situation after the signing of the agreement. Since this was an accomplished fact providing a defense that Britain and France rejected against Russia, they accepted.

Soon after, Germany and Enver Pasha found an opportunity to send the Ottoman to war by means of two German battleship. Two cruisers, Goeben and Breslau, from German Mediterranean fleet bombed the French Bases in North Africa (3 August) and escaped to East mediterranean being followed by British fleet and Enver Pasha allowed the ship to enter the Ottoman waters (11 August). The Ottoman Navy declared that they purchased these ship and changed their names into Yavuz Sultan Selim and Midilli upon the claim of Britain that the Ottoman had to intern impartially both the ship and crew or to dischange them from her waters. Admiral Souchan, the fleet commander, became the commander of the Ottoman Black Sea fleet. Enver Pasha ordered the Straits and Dardanelles to be closed to foreign ship. Enver and Cemal Pashas ordered Souchan, without asking other cabinet members, to attack Russians in Black Sea. (1)

Russians accepted as a war reason of the bombardment of Turkish Navy to Odesa, Sivastopal and Navorosiski harbors. On 29 October, Russian troops passed Turkish border and started war operatively. Actually, events happened so rapidly in a flow of history that Ottoman State had to declare war against Russia and Britain on 11 November 1914 upon Britain's bombardment of Akabe, sinking of two Turkish ships in İzmir Gulf, bombardment of Strait entry fortification and military operations at Fav, Şattülarap.(2)

At the time Turkey entered the First World War, its military aviation was in feeble condition. There were no tactical air units. With few exceptions existing aircraft and personnel were located at Yeşilköy (San Stefano) airfield. This was a pre-war installation for flight training, which lately had been under the directon of a French military mission. With the declaration of mobilization, Major De Goys who was aware of the Turkish inclination to Germany returned his home with French inspiring. Ottoman land and naval aircraft ordered from France were seized. Intelligence and Communications Branch was attached to the General Headquarters together with aviation branch(3). German advisors arrived and found among the dilapidated aircraft a Deperdussin, an R.E.P, and three Bleriot X1-2. At least two of the latter were put into operational condition as was Deperdussin. But they were considered dangerous to fly by the German advisors and new training aircraft were ordered from Germany. No formal naval aviation branch existed, although two Nieuport 'Hydro' seaplanes were at the flight school. Real expansion and development of the Turkish aviation services was to take place while active fighting at the Dardanelles and Gallipoli was underway.

Lt.Erich Serno (1886-1963) from German 2. Aircraft Company was assigned to German Military Mission in Turkey an October 1914. He was charged with the preparation of a programme to train Turkish Aviation personnel as well as with the task of consultancy for Turkish Higher Command on aviation. He started his mission in Yeşilköy Flight School on 3 February 1915.(4)

(1) Stanford J.SHAW, Ezel Kural SHAW; Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ve Modern Türkiye, E Yayın., II.Cilt İstanbul, 1982, s.373-374.

(2) Birinci Dünya Harbi'nde Türk Harbi, V.Cilt, Çanakkale Cephesi Harekatı, Gnkur.Bas., Ankara, 1993, s.69.

(3) Yavuz KANSU, Sermet ŞENSÖZ, Yılmaz ÖZTUNA; Havacılık Tarihinde Türkler 1, Hv.K.Bas.ve Neş.Md., Etimesgut-ANKARA, 1971, s.171.

(4) Richard T.WHISTLER, "Over The Wine-Dark Sea, Aerial Aspects of the Dardanelles, Gallipoli Campaign, Part:III : Turco-German Aviation", Over the Front, 1994, U:S.A., Vol 9 (3) s.231-233)


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Next part will be a reply to this post. Coming soon...

[oderman]

4. Phases of the Campaign

Phase one: Allied Attack on Dardanelles Strait

If one takes the date of March 18, 1915, as the point to examine the Allied and Turkish aviation forces available in the Dardanelles campaign, it can be easily seen that Turkey was severely out numbered.

3 Albatros B.I and 1 Rumpler B.I type of aircraft came to Yeşilköy from Germany in March 1915. Three of these aircraft would begin to service in Dardanelles. According to the reconnaissance report because of a special need one aircraft was sent to Fortress Command in Dardanelles. This Rumpler B.I type German aircraft with serial number 993/14, (Turkish Military Serial Number 1) arrived at the airfield Constructed 3 km far away from Dardanelles, at the night of 17th March. The commander of Fortress sent this aircraft to Allied Navy Forces at Bozcaada in the morning of 18th March for reconnaissance. There were 1Lt Servo Rumpler and Navy Capt. Schneider on the aircraft. Mission was an important success.

According to official flight report; at the entrance of Bozcaada harbour there were 14 battle ship including Queen Elizabeth and Inflexible battle ship, 2-4 Cruisers, 2 repair ship two hospital ship and ten fishing boats to sweep mines, and a number of destroyers and submarines.(21)

What Serno and Schneider saw was that British - French fleet was about to attack and to pass through Dardanelles strait. German officers recognized the importance of their observation and flew back to Dardanelles. Upon landing, went to admiral Usedom's headquarter, the commander of straits, and gave him the intelligence report. At once, the drums and bagels of the Turkish Army sounded the call. The defense fortifications of the Dardanelles had been given the alarm.(22)

Mean while Plt.Lt.Cemal, on the Ertuğrul Ship (Bleroit), confirmed that the allied fleet was approaching to the mouth of the strait.

Before the assault began, enemies' aircraft which couldn't recognize the mines reported that the area was mine free. At that time, it was believed that the mines located at a depth of 8 m. in the sea could be seen from an altitude of 1000 meter. However, aircraft could recognize those which were close to the sea surface. Mines could not be seen due to rough sea.(23)

The armada which consisted of British and French ships bombing the external side of Dardanelles since February 1915 started the main attack on March 18, 1915. In this well-known phase of Dardanelles campaign, the mines which were laid by Nusret mine ship and the allied mine ship couldn't being recognized by the enemy. This played very important role. Allied ship; Bouvet, Irresistible and Ocean sank and Gaulois, Suffren, Inflexible were heavely damaged.(24)

The Allied Navy Artillery capable of horizontal bombing had an insufficient ability over the Turkish artillery and forces. Additionally, it was difficult to observe the effect of the shells on the target. But the bombshells of Turkish artillery which had an ability of bombing with high projectile created heavy damage the thin armour at the deck of warships on the sea. Allied artillery fires from war ship out of range of Turkish artilery on the land became more effective after they had an ability of observing the bombing distance and direction.(25)

At 16.00 hours, Cemal and Raşit Osman Tayyar, by getting on Bleroit (Ertuğrul), made a reconnaissance out of strait. In the evening Seidler and Navy Capt Hüseyin Sedat together with Rumpler made a second reconnaissance. They flew to 80 km west for reconnaissance of Limni and during this reconnaissance they recognized that the enemy withdrew definitely. In the following days, rain and storm prevented the reconnaissance. On March 22, one of British navy aircraft was hit by Turkish artillery and crashed down at Saroz Bay. Because of the failure of allied air forces, a fixed balloon ship, weighed 3500 tons and named Manica, came to Dardanelles from England on March 22. On March 26, Serno and Schneider flew for reconnaissance and in the evening Schneider and Hüseyin Sedat repeated the reconnaissance and flew up to Limni. According to their report, it was understood that there would be no new naval attack. At the end of the same day, they returned to İstanbul. Meanwhile two Albatros B1 arrived in Dardanelles.(26)

The unit which provided the presence of British air force in Gallipoli was the third squadron of Royal Navy Air Service (R.N.A.S) which came to Bozcaada under the command of squadron Chief Charles Samson in March. At the early days of Gallipoli Campaign, they conducted the reconnaissance mission, they dropped the bombs at the right time. During Navy campaign and landing, they were charged with the target acquisition and organizing long range artillery firings.(27)


(21) Richard T.WHISTLER, A.g.e.y, s.233-234.

(22) Karl Stirling SCHNEIDE, A.g.e., s 94.

(23) Yavuz KANSU, , A.g.e., s 196.

(24) Atlas, Asır Mat., Sayı 77, İstanbul, Ağustos 1999, s.22.

(25) R.Dick LYMAN,Naval Aviation In The First World War,Naval Instıtute Press, Annapolis, Maryland,1999,s.139.

(26) Yavuz KANSU, , A.g.e., s-196-198.

(27) Nigel STEEL, Peter HART, Gelibolu, Yenilginin Destanı, Sabah Bas., 2.Bas., Çev.Mehmet HARMANCI, İstanbul, 1977, s 249.

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Next part coming soon:

[oderman]

4. Phases of the Campaign

Phase Two: Aviation Activities During The Gallipoli Landings

On April 25, 1915, when the French and British forces landed on the Gallpoli peninsula, sea war turned into ground war. A squadron consisting of 8 Escadrille M.F 98T aircraft to support French forces was allocated on Bozcaada.

At the beginning of Gallipoli war, allies used a new war weapon during the reconnaissance activities. As long as air condition permits, all the aircraft available at Bozcaada flew twice or three times a day. This included a dangerous flight more than 17 ½ miles at open sea. Their missions were to determine Turkish defense positions, correct the map coordinate and take photos. Notice that the duty of taking photos was conducted by Pilot Lt.C.H.Butler who used a modified German Goertz compact photo camera. While ground aircraft continued to operate from Bozcaada, HMK Ark Royal used navy aircraft in İzmir and Enez regions to conduct of long range reconnaissance missions.(28)

British carrier, Ark Royal moved to Agean Sea by carrying the 6 seaplanes on February 1 st. In addition, it was carrying 4 army aircraft (Sop with Tabloid). On February 17th the ship had arrived at Tenedos (Bozcaada) near Limnos, the main air base for English-French squadron. Limnos, Bozcaada and other islands were under Turkish sovereignity, however these were occupied by Greeks at the end of the First Balkan war. The dispute between Greece and Ottoman Empire pertaining to the sovereignity of these Islands was continuing. Greek Prime Minister Venizelos started to have control over these islands by assigning them to the Allied Navy, which is a fait accomplishment.(29)

However, the arrival of German U-boats (submarines) forced the ship to move slowly and it was vulnerable.to attacks. HMS Arc Royal to leave for open sea. On June 12th, HMS, was sent to Mudros Harbour and later to Selonika to perform as an aircraft base ship. HMS Bon-my-Chree, which was newer and equipped with five faster seaplanes two of them were capable of launching special torpedoes, took the place of HMS Arc royal. During this period, the Royal Navy carried out bombing on Turkish positions. It must be noted that at this time aircraft artillery spotting was newly being tested. For a successful spotting of ground targets, airmen were using a rudimentary wireless code to record the fall of each round. However, due to severe shortage of trained observers, Royal Navy was obliged to send up the volunteers to serve as telegraphers. Since these naval aircraft were overwhelmed with missions such as map plotting, observation, photograph taking and mine spotting for the fleet, the main responsibility of artllery spotting was carried out HMS Manica balloon ship, the first British kite balloon to observe actions on every front. The duties carried out by the balloon were primarily spotting enemy guns to HMS Baccante. The balloons Monica and later HMS Hector were to perform invaluable work, being able to remain aloft throught the day, regardless of the surface weather. They were much appreciated by the battle fleet and remained to the end of the campaign.

In Gallipoli, there was another test in addition to the first realization of air photographing and naval artillery spotting. After HMS Arc Royal left the area and was assigned as aircraft repair ship, two of Sopwith Schneider seaplanes were assigned to HMS Dories and Minerva cruisers. The seaplanes were lashed on open decks and lowered into water by steam crane to carry out spotting and observation. Unfortunately, the system failed, since while the aircraft were still abroad, shocks and vibrations of the ship's guns caused structural crack in the airframes. On one occasion, the muzzle flash from one of the guns on HMS Dories set its aircraft on fire. The experiment was suspended and remaining aircrafts were sent to Mudros. Because of the different type of aircraft being employed, maintenance was the biggest problem. The cumbersome Brequet, which produced creaky sounds due to its steel-fuselage, was below even the standards of 1913. This disadvantage resulted in longer flight hours for other aircraft and therefore standard ten hours maintenance and repairment duration became inadequate for effective flights. Limited numbers of spare parts and lack of interchangeable parts; though being the same types hampered the air arm. Furthermore, it was found out that certain aircraft, such as the renowned pre-war racing Sopwith Tabloid, was impractical for reconnaissance due to poor forward and downward visibility. At the beginning, Tabloids were in the battlefield with Lewis machine guns assembled on their wings.

Because there were no Turkish and German aircraft at the beginning of the war the tabloits became useless. Because there were no use to keep them, they were returned to Mudros Shortly afterwards, Ottoman Air Force was established and continued in the region without getting serious threats. In addition, the engines of Maurice-Farman aircraft, constituting the brain body of Allied Air Strength were excessively fatique and many aircraft were not able to produce enough power even to carry two crewmen and equipment abroad. Therefore, they operated with only one pilot who was forced to fly at low speed over hostile fire and make mental notes to convey upon his return to the fleet and later the ground forces. That situation created physical pressure as well as psychological one on the aviator. Also 75.h.p Farmans were found to be suffering engine metal fatigue.(30)

As for the Turkish side, the first aircraft squadron, also which was reinforced with Turkish and German observers and a few aircraft, continued reconnaissance and bombarding duties toward British and French forces on the offshore islands. Bombs were dropped by hand. Aircraft armament was negligible. The first aircraft to be equipped with machine guns, at the rear cockpit were received circa on the August 1915. The average strength of this squadron based in Çanakkale was around four aircraft.(31 )

On April 25, 1915 the landing of Allied Forces at Cape Helles on the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula and at Suula Bay necessitated new air reconnaissance attempts. Turkish Army was positioned in an area from Saros Gulf to Besike Harbour and was ready to face British - French forces commanded by General Ian Hamilton. Also it was composed of 5th, 7th, 19th, 9th, 13th and 11th Divisions and Gallipoli and Çanakkale battalions. The army was waiting for the landing but which part would be landed on was unknown(32).

Knowing the region very well, Mustafa Kemal believed that the allied landing would occur from two possible places. The first one was Cape Helles (Seddülbahir), on the southern tip of the peninsula. The enemy would be able to control the two coasts of the peninsula through its naval artillery troops. The second one was Kaba Hill, at the western shore. This place was the easiest part to land on the eastern shore of the strait. However, Liman Von Sanders' estimated differently. According to him, the landing would be made from two places. The first one was the Asian coast of Çanakkale Strait. Therefore he assigned two of the divisions around Truva. The other one was narrow Bolayır passage at the southern part. Two divisions were assigned to this region. One of the remaining two divisions was sent to Cape Helles. The remaining division, 19th division which was controlled by Liman Von Sanders and commanded by Mustafa Kemal was being left near Maydos as a reserve This division would be ready to be sent to south, north or west according to the directions of the attacks. Mustafa Kemal was satisfied with his mission and decided on Boğalı, a village at the southern part of the strait and near both coasts, as the headquarters. He settled there and waited for the possible landing as well as making preparations for the defense.

On the morning of April the 25th, enemy forces started to land on the dunes, as Mustafa Kemal had estimated before British troops approached from Cape Helles and Australian and New Zealander troops from the northern skirts of Kaba Hill.At the same time, two deceiving maneuvers were done; French troops attacked on Asian Coast and Royal Naval Division made a performance assault in Bolayir Von Sanders was deceived by these assaults. He thought that Central Power Forces wanted to surround his troops by using the narrowest part of the peninsula. With this assumption in his mind, he sent one of the divisions to Bolayır. He himself went there along with his suite. As a result, the forces were driven off the main battle field. Although, later on, he sent General Esat, the commander of an army corps, to block a possible assault from south, but this troop wasn't reinforced.(33)

When the landing was initiated by heavy naval bombings, Pilot Garber and Captain Hüseyin Sedat flew for reconnaissance. This reconnaissance Covering an area from saroz Gulf to Anatolia coast lasted 3 hours and 45 carriage ship were spotted. A few of them were teing bombarded. It was observed that battleships were leaving and a so-called landing was being performed towards Saroz. Unfortunately since aircraft squadron was ander the command of Fortress Commander, the results of this reconnaissance was not be able to be conveyed to 5th Army in time. Because the aircraft have some mal functions, they could not have flown again. The reconnaissance performed on April 27th, 28th and 29th indicated that the enemy's main military forces had already landed on Seddülbahir and Arıburnu. It was also observed that there were fake landings on Beşike Harbor, Kumkale and Bolayır.(34)

The bombs thrown out of the aircraft by hand under ground fire were not effective, and limited numbers of aircraft and ammunition did not cause much damage and loss on the enemy's side. For example an observer on the English armored cruiser Euryalus undertaking fire support and reconnaissance off a Cape Helles landing beach noted that an aircraft flew over the battleship on april 30th and dropped bombs exploding in the water, on undesirable result.. However the information gained by the aircraft regarding Allied troop locations, strength, movement, artillery positions and supply points must have been more beneficial and more valuable the results of their bombardments for the Turkish army.

Having woken up on the morning of April 25th, Mustafa Kemal found himself in the center of the war. He sent a cavalry company to Kocaçimen Hill for reconnaissance since he had realized that they would face a great and intense enemy attack towards Conkbayırı and that the ridges of Sarıbayır and especially Conkbayırı would be the key places for Turkish defense. Considering the fact that only one battalion was not enough and there would be a requirement for a division, Mustafa Kemal assumed the responsibility and gave an order exceeding his authority. He sent 57th regiment to Kocaçimen Hill along with a mountain battery. Having sensed that they would face the main assault, Mustafa Kemal engaged most of Von Sanders's reserve troops into the battle and he was not mistaken.

Australians and New Zealanders were able to land on Arıburnu following a more steep and 1,5 km farther northern route, as opposed to their plans and the estimate of Turkish, which was the landing on Kaba Hill. This place would be called as Anzak Cove from that time on. While going towards Conkbayır, together with his suite in order to observe the advancing forces of Anzaks, Mustafa Kemal came across a company of soldiers retreating. This group was the outpost company sent there to observe enemy's landing, and the only force to resist the enemy's attacks. He was closer to the enemy than the group he assigned to resist the enemy should be. He uttered: "Don't run away from the enemy". The soldiers reacted, "We have no ammunition left". Hearing these words, he shouted. "You have got your bayonets" and ordered them to lay down after attaching their bayonets on to their guns. As he himself mentioned "when they laid down, so did the enemies, thus we saved a minutes" time. May be, this hesitation by Anzaks changed the destiny of the war; They had to fight against the approaching 57th regiment. At the beginning of this battle, he transmitted the order: "I am not ordering you solely to attack.I am ordering you to die.New commanders and soldiers may take over our mission until the time we die." Almost all the personnel and staff of the 57th regiment became honorable martyrs.

Through continuos assaults under the enemy's curtain of fire, they rose to the rank of immortality in the history of Turkish army. In the afternoon, Anzaks began to get fired and around midnight British commander-in-chief Sir Ian Hamilton received the message sent by Anzak commander General Birdwood. The commander had accepted the defeat and had suggested an immediate retreat. On the contrary, Hamilton ordered them to resist the enemy regardless of the possible results. Thus on this day of life and death, the presence of Mustafa Kemal as the commander of Turkish Forces was the greatest factor in the victory gained. Hamilton, who observed the maneuvers from the ship called Queen Elizabeth had written the following sentences in his "Gallipoli Diary":

"Despite the numerous brutal strokes we hit the mountains were pregnant with Turks who were born one and another. In various places one can see the approaching lines; moving points on the green land; on the ridges of Sarıbayır, the point following each other on a wide red land resembling a scar --- here is an other line of points --- another over there --- They are approaching and they disappear and they are emerging again. They are attacking to the highest and the most central parts of our positions by approaching like waves following each other. As well as the roaring sounds of heavy guns, one can hear rattling sounds of gun machines and rifles; the sounds resembling a hailstone falling on the roof of a conservatory on a stormy night, when thunders echoed everywhere then the fire abated. The attack had been repulsed. We were able to stand where we were. Quite a few points went back on the grassy land. The others had taken their places in the realms of darliness"(35)

After intense clashes, in the late June, Turkish Army Stopped the Allied advance up the peninsula. Again in the late June and early July, 1st Aircraft Squadron was transferred from the control of the control of the Çanakkale Fortress Command to 5th Army. This squadron carried on reconnaissance mission on the offshore islands held by the enemy by using the airfield newly located at the Galata.(36)

On July 5, a small naval aviation unit consisting of two GOTHA naval aircraft and German Naval aircraft received from Germany was given to the command of Fortress command. This group, called German Navy Special Detachment Naval Aircraft Group, started reconnaissance on July 5th . On July 13th four new aircraft reinforced the 1st squadron. The first commander of the 1st squadron was German Lieutenant Ludwig Preussner. The successive commander was Captain Tahsin. (37)


(27) Nigel STEEL, Peter HART, Gelibolu, Yenilginin Destanı, Sabah Bas., 2.Bas., Çev.Mehmet HARMANCI, İstanbul, 1977, s 249.
(28) Karl Stirling SCHNEIDE, A.g.e., s.95.
(29) R.Dick LYMAN, A.g.e., s.141.
(30) Karl Stirling SCHNEIDE, A.g.e.,s.85-87.
(31) Richard T.WHISTLER, A.g.e., s.234.
(32) Yavuz KANSU, A.g.e.,s.198.
(33) Lord KINROSS, Atatürk, Bir Milletin Yeniden Doğuşu, Altın Kitapevi Yay, 12.Bas., Çev.:Necdet SANDER, Aralık 1994, İstanbul, s.100
(34) Yavuz KANSU, . , A.g.e., s.198.
(35) Lord KINROSS , A.g.e., s.100-104.
(36) Richard T.WHISTLER, A.g.e., s.234
(37) Yavuz KANSU, A.g.e., s 201.
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Next part coming soon

[oderman]

4. Phases of the Campaign

Phase four: Allied Abandonment / Turkish Victory of the Dardanelles Campaign:

On the August 10 Conkbayırı Battle showed that the landing troops had no chance in the Gallipoli peninsula by the land battles. Thus, no group from Great Britians and Australia, New Zealand and İndia which participated under Great Britons command could go back to the hills they abandoned on the 10th August. Never again could an enemy watch the Çanakkale strait from the Conkbayırı line, Besimtepe, Kocaçimen. The enemies tried unsuccessful attempts. The Allied Force attacked Anafartalar for the second time on 13th August after receiving reinforcements, but all the attacks were driven back.

On 15-17 August they lost the 3rd Anafartalar Battle on the Anafartalar front, Kanlıtepe, Aslanlıtepe and Kireçtepe. At the last Anafatalar Battle on 21-22 August, 6 enemy divisions participated. All the ship launched heavy fire against the Turkish territory. But this attack was unsuccessful too. Thus the conclusion began showing itself. The enemies stopped all their attacks.(45)

The battle at Çanakkale was stuck at the trenches. Because Mustafa Kemal had no doubt that the enemy would withdraw. He proposed to attack but the higher commander rejected stating that "they had no force or men to spare". Mustafa Kemal, thinking that they had lost a great chance, resigned on the 10th December 1915. Liman Von Sanders who respected Mustafa Kemal rejected his resignment. After arriving to Istanbul Mustafa Kemal learned that the enemies abandoned Çanakkale with no harm. (19 December 1915) (46)

The first step of the retreat for the Allied Forces was the departure of the HMS Ark Royal and several of its seaplanes to Salonika. The R.N.A.S. was then forced to leave the area of Suvla Bay and begin operations to aid the Greeks in securing Bulgarian Thrace and be in a position to attack Bulgarian lines of communications from the air.

By the 26th October, the Austria-German forces met the Bulgarians and effectively split Serbia in two, hence putting Serbia out of the war and opening the "Orient Line2" from Berlin to Baghdad. In the meantime, the Allied failure at Suvla Bay put political pressure on those in charge to abandon the Dardanelles adventure. Lord Kitchner visited Gallipoli on the 14th November to survey the situation for himself.

Less than a month later, a joint French-British agreement was made to abandon the campaign. On December 12th, evacuation began in Suvla Bay and lasted until the 20th. Nine days later No.3 Squadron R.N.A.S. was ordered back to Great Britain. The next stage of the Allied evacuation was to remove troops from the Cape Helles area and the tip of the Gallipoli peninsula. Despite the Allied evacuation overlooked by No.2 squadron R.N.A.S. in conjunction with and kite balloons from the balloon ships, Hector and Canning remained active in keeping the Ottoman Air Force at bay. On the evening of the 10th January 1916 this squadron and the French Escadrille M.F.98 T left with of the Allied forces from Gallipoli.

During the allied retreat, the Ottoman Air Force conducted excellent reconnaissance missions. Observation reports and aerial photographs revealed beyond doubt the Allied preparations for withdrawal. Although Turkish seaplanes made only a brief appearance in Suvla Bay, they assisted the Imperial German Navy by watching the Sea of Marmara for enemy submarines and providing a protective aerial observation of Bosphorus entrance to the Black Sea. The seaplanes sent out over the Gallipoli peninsula were ordered to bomb the Anzac camps and artillery positions. During the evacuation period, seventeen observation flights, carried out mostly at night. A large number of fires were observed revealing to the Turks that the invasion force was destroying supplies prior to evacuation. During this time the Turkish air units dropped 32 bombs and recorded 17 direct hits on camps at Sedd ul Bahr. In addition hits were scored with two supply sheds at Mudros Bay, one aircraft hanger at Tenedos was damaged, and four hits were round on enemy shipping. On January 4. 1916, shortly after the final evacuation Vıze-flugmeister Schubert shot down one of the Maurice-forman aircraft from Escadrille MF 98 T.(47)

Meanwhile Major Siegert, commissioner of German Air Force, together with Major Serno inspected the Çanakkale front (Albatros C1 and serial no: 577). Siegert participated in the flight together with Pilot Faller with an A-12 reconnaissance flight. At the afterflight Meeting Siegert agreed in the thought that the English troops would withdraw in 2-3 days. Siegert stated in the memoir he wrote that Turkey could have captured a few thousand prisoners of war, and that there couldnt have been a better situation, and he returned to Istanbul on 6 January and explained the situation to Enver Pasha, but neither Enver Pasha nor Major feldman, the chief of operation branch, agreed with him.(48)

With the completion of the Allied retreat from the Dardanelles, the aerial defense of the entire coast from the Gulf of Enos to Smyrna and to the gulf of Auxandretta was assigned to the Dardanelles Squadron. Fliegerabteilung 1 based at Galata, by ordering to keep a watchful eye on the coast in case the Allies ever decided to once again attempt to invade Turkish soil.(49)

Although used for a short time at the battles at the Çanakkale front, the importance of the Fokker Staffel aircrafts in the future of the Ottoman air battles was great. The fokkers served successfully at the Gallipoli front.

In September 1915 1, and in December 1915 3 German Fokker aircraft arrived at the Çanakkale front. The Staffels allocated at the Galata base on the Gallipoli peninsula under Pilot Lieutenant Hans Joachim Buddecke's command. The pilots of these aircraft were German. On 6 January 1916 Lieutenant Theodor Jakob Croneiss was hit by a formen aircraft at Seddülbahir. These aircraft were extremely successful. Lieutenant Hand Buddecke hit 4 enemy aircraft, including the 5 aircraft that the other pilots (Schuz, Meinecke and Muhra) hit, 9 planes were hit against 1 loss.

In January 1916 the Fokkers were put under the command of the 6th Aircraft unit operation Command under the command of the 5th Army. Even after the Allied forces left Gallipoli the Fokkers greatly damaged the English seaplanes. 6 enemy aircraft were hit on the last days of the war.(50)

This was the aeronautical situation in the Dardanelles peninsula, as the last Allied troops slipped into the night of January 10, 1916.


(45) Şevket Süreyya AYDEMİR, A.g.e., s.265-271.
(46) Falih Rıfkı ATAY, A.g.e., s.94.
(47) Karl Stirling SCHNEIDE, A.g.e., s.98-100
(48) Yavuz KANSU,, A.g.e., s.240-241
(49) Karl Stirling SCHNEIDE; A.g.e., s-100
(50) Richard T.WHISTLER, "The Defense Of The Bosphorus And The Fokker Staffel", Over The Front, Vol 11 (3), U.S.A, 1999 s.258-259.
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final part coming soon..

[oderman]

5. Conclusion

Ottomans chance changed frequently during the campaign; such that even the most impossible hopes of Enver Pasha and his friends became true, and some time the Balkan Campaign disasters repeated. Generally speaking, the army proved the realization of the modernization program that the jeune Turks and German consultants prepared well and gained great success. The most spectacular victory took place at Çanakkale.(51)

Aviation played an important although numerically minor role in the Dardanelles/Gallipoli campaign. The number of aircraft involved in daily operation at the maximum never exceeded about 60 on the Allied side, and perhaps 20 for the Central Powers at any given time. Some aircraft were usually under repair, or otherwise non-operational, so the actual number available for missions daily was relatively small. Operational conditions were difficult because of general weather conditions for low-powered aircraft, limited spares and lengthily supply lines-especially for the Germans and Turks. Qualified mechanics were much in demand.(52)

During the Dardanelles War, the hierarchy within the Turkish Air Force, without taking ranks into consideration, caused aviation advocates to become more effective for the optimum use of the few aircraft available in the first phase of the war; Servo convinced Turkish and German high level command authorities that more aircraft were necessary for the defense of Gallipoli Peninsula and this yielded to the success of the aircraft. On the contrary, at the last phases of the war air power was exerted against the enemies. When the war was going on, the number of allied aircraft and their efficiency declined while the Turkish Air Force gained strength and contributed to the Unique Turkish victory in Dardanelles.


(51) Stanford SHAW, , A.g.e., s.380.
(52) Richard T.WHıSTLER, "Over The Wine-Dark Sea, Aerial Aspects of the Dardanelles, Gallipoli Campaign, Part:III : Turco-German Aviation", Over the Front, 1994, U:S.A., Vol 9 (3) s.230.

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