Happy 109th anniversary of the Çanakkale Victory!
On March 18, 1915, the Turkish nation wrote its name in gold letters in history and won a great victory in Çanakkale. The “impassability” of Çanakkale was proven to the whole world. While the 109th anniversary of the March 18 Martyrs’ Remembrance Day and Çanakkale Naval Victory was celebrated with enthusiasm, the works in the area where the ceremonies will be held on the Historical Gallipoli Peninsula were also completed. The March 18 Martyrs’ Remembrance Day and Çanakkale Naval Victory events will be held this year with the theme ‘Glory, Honor, Our History, Our Çanakkale’. Within the scope of the activities carried out by the Çanakkale Wars Gallipoli Historical Site Presidency, a ceremony will be held at the Çanakkale Martyrs’ Monument.
On March 18, 1915, the Turkish nation wrote its name in golden letters in history. The Çanakkale Wars, one of the turning points of Turkish history, began on February 19, 1915 with a naval battle in the Dardanelles. It then continued on land on the Seddülbahir, Arıburnu and Anafartalar fronts.
VICTORY AFTER 325 DAYS
The 325-day Gallipoli Campaign ended on January 9, 1916 with the victory of the Turkish army.
The naval victory at Gallipoli on March 18, 1915 was a turning point for Turkey’s future. It proved that Çanakkale could not be crossed.
Çanakkale Naval Victory will be celebrated with ceremonies on its 109th anniversary. Within the scope of the events, the Naval Forces will parade in the Dardanelles with their floating elements. SOLOTÜRK will perform a demonstration flight. The last rehearsals for the ceremonies were held yesterday.
ÇANAKKALE WAR
Before the “Battle of Gallipoli”, one of the most important battles of the First World War, Britain was thinking of opening a new front in Gallipoli or in the Balkans and seizing Istanbul to separate the Ottoman Empire from Germany and to prevent the unstable Bulgaria from siding with the allied states.
When the attack of the Ottoman forces on the Suez Canal on February 3, 1915 failed to produce results, Britain directed its forces in Egypt to the straits.
On the morning of February 19, 1915, the Allied powers, with their navy consisting of 16 battleships (12 British and 4 French), 6 destroyers, 14 minesweepers and an aircraft carrier, started shelling the “Fortified Position Metal Group Batteries”.
The Metal Group included the Ertuğrul, Seddülbahir, Kumkale, Orhaniye batteries and some mobile howitzer batteries placed around Erenköy, while the Central Group included the Anadolu and Rumeli batteries.
Due to unfavorable weather conditions, the second bombardment took place on February 25. Between February 26 and March 17, the Allied navy conducted a mine sweep, but on the night of March 17-18, the Nusret Mineship laid mines in Erenköy Bay and the Bosphorus passage.
The Allied navy launched a major offensive with the first shots at 11.15 on March 18. At the end of the fierce clashes that lasted until 18.00, three battleships of the Allied navy, the battleships “Bouvet”, “Irresistible” and “Ocean” were sunk and two battleships and a battle cruiser were wounded.
ÇANAKKALE NAVAL VICTORY
The decisive victory achieved in the seven-hour battle was known as the “Çanakkale Naval Victory” and the “impassability” of Çanakkale was proven to the whole world.
