Ottoman torpedo boat Sultanhisar
Encyclopedia
Sultanhisar was a torpedo boat
of the Ottoman Navy
. She was built in 1907 by Schneider & Cie in Chalon-sur-Saône
, France
, and transferred the same year to Turkey. She is best known for her action during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I
as she sank a Royal Australian Navy
submarine in the Sea of Marmara
and captured her crew.
During the naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
of World War I, the torpedo boat Sultanhisar was tasked with patrolling in the Dardanelles Strait. In addition, she daily transported German
general Otto Liman von Sanders
, who was the adviser and military commander of the Ottoman Army, between Eceabat
and Gallipoli
. On April 29, 1915, she received orders to return to Constantinople by sailing along the west coast of the Sea of Marmara. On the way, Commander Ali Rıza Bey changed his route and sailed eastwards in response to reports of the presence of a possible enemy submarine in that area.
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The Australian submarine HMAS AE2
was able to pass through the blocked Dardanelles Strait and entered the Sea of Marmara on the early hours of April 25, 1915. She was the first Allied
ship so to do.
Sultanhisar sighted the submarine in the morning of April 30 in the Erdek
Bay near Bandırma
. The AE2 tried to escape by diving and surfacing several times. Torpedoes were exchanged between the two warships unsuccessfully. In the meantime, Sultanhisar called the Ottoman gunboat
s Zuhaf and Aydın Reis, which were patrolling in the area, for help. Finally, the submarine surfaced about 100 m (109.4 yd) from the torpedo boat. Sultanhisar opened fire and hit the submarine's engine room.
Lieutenant Commander
Henry Stoker scuttled the AE2 by opening all tanks and flooding his submarine, which was unable to maneuver. The crew abandoned the vessel, and she went down at 10:45. At this moment, the two Ottoman gunboats arrived at the scene and offered to rescue the submarine's crew, who had all survived the attack. Rejecting that offer, Commander Ali Rıza Bey took the 32 sailors on board and sailed back to Gallipoli. After picking up two more POWs, one French and one British soldier, in Gallipoli, Sultanhisar headed for Istanbul.
. Following the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 in place of the dissolved Ottoman Empire, she returned in 1924 to service in the Turkish Navy
. She was decommissioned in 1928 and was broken up in 1935.
of Aegean Region
in Turkey, was given later to two other warships of the Turkish Navy:
Torpedo boat
A torpedo boat is a relatively small and fast naval vessel designed to carry torpedoes into battle. The first designs rammed enemy ships with explosive spar torpedoes, and later designs launched self-propelled Whitehead torpedoes. They were created to counter battleships and other large, slow and...
of the Ottoman Navy
Ottoman Navy
The Ottoman Navy was established in the early 14th century. During its long existence it was involved in many conflicts; refer to list of Ottoman sieges and landings and list of Admirals in the Ottoman Empire for a brief chronology.- Pre-Ottoman:...
. She was built in 1907 by Schneider & Cie in Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône
Chalon-sur-Saône is a commune in the Saône-et-Loire department in the region of Bourgogne in eastern France.It is a sub-prefecture of the department. It is the largest city in the department; however, the department capital is the smaller city of Mâcon....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, and transferred the same year to Turkey. She is best known for her action during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as she sank a Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
submarine in the Sea of Marmara
Sea of Marmara
The Sea of Marmara , also known as the Sea of Marmora or the Marmara Sea, and in the context of classical antiquity as the Propontis , is the inland sea that connects the Black Sea to the Aegean Sea, thus separating Turkey's Asian and European parts. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Black...
and captured her crew.
Task
As of October 16, 1912, she was assigned to the Bosporus Fleet Command. From December 19, 1912 on, she served at the Armoured Warship Division.During the naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
of World War I, the torpedo boat Sultanhisar was tasked with patrolling in the Dardanelles Strait. In addition, she daily transported German
German Empire
The German Empire refers to Germany during the "Second Reich" period from the unification of Germany and proclamation of Wilhelm I as German Emperor on 18 January 1871, to 1918, when it became a federal republic after defeat in World War I and the abdication of the Emperor, Wilhelm II.The German...
general Otto Liman von Sanders
Otto Liman von Sanders
Generalleutnant Otto Liman von Sanders was a German general who served as adviser and military commander for the Ottoman Empire during World War I.-Biography:...
, who was the adviser and military commander of the Ottoman Army, between Eceabat
Eceabat
Eceabat, formerly Maydos , is a town and district of Çanakkale Province in the Marmara region of Turkey, located on the eastern shore of the Gelibolu Peninsula, on the Dardanelles Strait. According to the 2010 census, population of the district is 9,154 of which 5,380 live in the town of Eceabat...
and Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
. On April 29, 1915, she received orders to return to Constantinople by sailing along the west coast of the Sea of Marmara. On the way, Commander Ali Rıza Bey changed his route and sailed eastwards in response to reports of the presence of a possible enemy submarine in that area.
Attack on Australian submarine
HMAS AE2
HMAS AE2 was an E class submarine of the Royal Australian Navy . She was commissioned into the RAN at Portsmouth on 28 February 1914 and was scuttled little more than a year later in the Sea of Marmara after being hit by enemy shellfire during the Battle of Gallipoli.-Construction and...
was able to pass through the blocked Dardanelles Strait and entered the Sea of Marmara on the early hours of April 25, 1915. She was the first Allied
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
ship so to do.
Sultanhisar sighted the submarine in the morning of April 30 in the Erdek
Erdek
Erdek is a town and district of Balıkesir Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. The population is 20,693 .Located on the north coast of Gulf of Erdek at the south of the Sea of Marmara, Erdek is known as a friendly holiday destination that is popular among domestic tourists...
Bay near Bandırma
Bandirma
Bandırma is a city in northwestern Turkey with 113,385 inhabitants on the Sea of Marmara. Also, Bandırma is a district of Balıkesir....
. The AE2 tried to escape by diving and surfacing several times. Torpedoes were exchanged between the two warships unsuccessfully. In the meantime, Sultanhisar called the Ottoman gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s Zuhaf and Aydın Reis, which were patrolling in the area, for help. Finally, the submarine surfaced about 100 m (109.4 yd) from the torpedo boat. Sultanhisar opened fire and hit the submarine's engine room.
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
Henry Stoker scuttled the AE2 by opening all tanks and flooding his submarine, which was unable to maneuver. The crew abandoned the vessel, and she went down at 10:45. At this moment, the two Ottoman gunboats arrived at the scene and offered to rescue the submarine's crew, who had all survived the attack. Rejecting that offer, Commander Ali Rıza Bey took the 32 sailors on board and sailed back to Gallipoli. After picking up two more POWs, one French and one British soldier, in Gallipoli, Sultanhisar headed for Istanbul.
Aftermath
The Sultanhisar served until the end of the World War I and was decommissioned by the end of October 1918, after the Armistice of MudrosArmistice of Mudros
The Armistice of Moudros , concluded on 30 October 1918, ended the hostilities in the Middle Eastern theatre between the Ottoman Empire and the Allies of World War I...
. Following the foundation of the Turkish Republic in 1923 in place of the dissolved Ottoman Empire, she returned in 1924 to service in the Turkish Navy
Turkish Navy
The Turkish Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the Turkish Armed Forces.- Ottoman fleet after Mudros :Following the demise of the Ottoman Empire in the aftermath of World War I, on November 3, 1918, the fleet commander of the Ottoman Navy, Liva Amiral Arif Pasha, ordered all flags to be...
. She was decommissioned in 1928 and was broken up in 1935.
Namesakes
The name "Sultanhisar", a town in the Aydın ProvinceAydin Province
Aydın Province is a province of southwestern Turkey, located in the Aegean Region. The provincial capital is the city of Aydın which has a population of approx. 150,000 . Other towns in the province include the summer seaside resorts of Didim and Kuşadası.-History:Aydın was founded by the ancient...
of Aegean Region
Aegean Region
Aegean Region , is one of the 7 census-defined regions of Turkey, and in Western Asia.It is located in the west part of the country: bounded by Aegean Sea on the west; Marmara Region on the north;...
in Turkey, was given later to two other warships of the Turkish Navy:
- TCG Sultanhisar, a
- TCG Sultanhisar (P-111)TCG Sultanhisar (P-111)TCG Sultanhisar , ex-USS PC-1638, was a of the Turkish Navy. She was built in 1963 by Gunderson Brothers Engineering Corp. in Portland, Oregon as a submarine chaser....
a
See also
- List of major surface ships of the Ottoman Steam Navy
- World War I naval ships of the Ottoman Empire