Seyit Çabuk
Encyclopedia
Seyit Ali Çabuk usually called Corporal Seyit was a First World War gunner in the Ottoman
Army. He is famous for having carried three 275 kg shells to an artillery piece during the Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles
on 18 March 1915.
Born in the village of Havran, he enlisted into the army in April 1909. After serving in the Balkan Wars
of 1912-1913 he was transferred to the forts defending the Mediterranean entrance to the Dardanelles. Following the heavy naval bombardment of the forts guarding the Narrows on 18 March 1915, the gun he was serving in the Mecidiye fort remained operational but its shell crane had been damaged. Seyit carried three 275 kg artillery shells up to the gun enabling it to continue firing on the attacking Allied fleet. One of the shells reputedly hit the British pre-dreadnought HMS Ocean
, although the ship was sunk by a mine
laid by the minelayer Nusret.
Following the repulse of the naval assault, Seyid was promoted to corporal and publicised as an iconic Turkish hero.
He was discharged in 1918 and became a forester and later coal-miner. He took the surname Çabuk in 1934 with the passing of the Surname Law
. He died of a lung disease in 1939.
A statue of him carrying a shell was erected in 1992, just south of Kilitbahir Castle
on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
Army. He is famous for having carried three 275 kg shells to an artillery piece during the Allied attempt to force the Dardanelles
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...
on 18 March 1915.
Born in the village of Havran, he enlisted into the army in April 1909. After serving in the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
of 1912-1913 he was transferred to the forts defending the Mediterranean entrance to the Dardanelles. Following the heavy naval bombardment of the forts guarding the Narrows on 18 March 1915, the gun he was serving in the Mecidiye fort remained operational but its shell crane had been damaged. Seyit carried three 275 kg artillery shells up to the gun enabling it to continue firing on the attacking Allied fleet. One of the shells reputedly hit the British pre-dreadnought HMS Ocean
HMS Ocean (1898)
The fourth HMS Ocean was a Canopus-class battleship of the British Royal Navy.-Technical Description:HMS Ocean was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 15 December 1897, launched on 5 July 1898, and completed in February 1900...
, although the ship was sunk by a mine
Naval mine
A naval mine is a self-contained explosive device placed in water to destroy surface ships or submarines. Unlike depth charges, mines are deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, an enemy vessel...
laid by the minelayer Nusret.
Following the repulse of the naval assault, Seyid was promoted to corporal and publicised as an iconic Turkish hero.
He was discharged in 1918 and became a forester and later coal-miner. He took the surname Çabuk in 1934 with the passing of the Surname Law
Surname Law (Turkey)
The Surname Law of the Republic of Turkey was adopted on June 21, 1934. The law required all citizens of Turkey to adopt the use of surnames. Turkey's Christian and Jewish citizens were already using surnames, but Muslims generally did not use Western-style surnames...
. He died of a lung disease in 1939.
A statue of him carrying a shell was erected in 1992, just south of Kilitbahir Castle
Kilitbahir Castle
Kilitbahir Castle is a fortress on the west side of the Dardanelles, opposite the city of Çanakkale, where there is a corresponding fortress , from which Çanakkale takes its name. The two castles were constructed by Fatih Sultan Mehmet in 1463 to control the straits at their narrowest point...
on the Gallipoli Peninsula.
