“Nusret”, One Of The Architects Of Çanakkale Naval Victory, On The Same Course 109 Years Later
The role of the `Nusret Mineship`, which played a major role in the victory of the Çanakkale Naval Wars, in changing the course of history with the mines it laid in Erenköy Bay on March 8, 1915, was revived 109 years later with a navigation activity in the same place.
“TCG Nusret (N-16)”, which is anchored at the Floating Pier of Çanakkale Naval Museum Command, proceeded on the route where it laid its mines.
On the ship, Nusret`s heroism 109 years ago was explained to the protocol members with a video presentation.
Then a wreath was laid at the sea by Çanakkale Governor İlhami Aktaş and Commander of the Bosphorus and Garrison Commander Rear Admiral Mustafa Biçen in memory of the martyrs.
The commander of the ship, First Lieutenant Ersin Taşkın, said at the ceremony that the March 18 Naval Victory, which constituted the first stage of the Gallipoli Wars, was an epic of heroism that made the history of world warfare.
Reminding that the biggest share of this victory belongs to the heroic Nusret Mine Ship, Taşkın said, “From August 4, 1914, when the first mine line was established in the Dardanelles, until the morning of March 8, 1915, 10 mine lines consisting of 377 mines were established by the Selanik, İntibah, Samsun and Nusret mine ships of the Çanakkale Mine Group Command in order to close the Bosphorus to the passage of foreign warships.”
First Lieutenant Taşkın explained that the reconnaissance, bombardment and minesweeping activities of the Entente Navy in the Strait since November 3, 1914, when the bastions at the entrance of the Dardanelles were bombarded, were observed from the Baykuş Battery, whose personnel were sailors, and as a result of these observations, it was determined that the enemy navy left the Strait by heading towards Erenköy Bay, the widest part of the Strait, to maneuver.
Stating that it was thought that a mine line to be established in Erenköy Bay would create a surprise effect on the enemy, Taşkın said: “Unlike the other 10 mine lines, it was decided to establish the 11th mine line parallel to the shore, perpendicular to the maneuver line of the ships, and it was evaluated that 26 mines were sufficient for this line. Nusret, which sailed from Nara under the command of Captain Hakkı Bey at 05.00 on the slightly foggy and rainy morning of March 8, started sailing by following the Anatolian coast and safely passed between the mine lines blocking the Bosphorus and reached the point where we are now.”
Taşkın reported that 109 years ago today, the Nusret Mine Ship poured the 26 mines on its deck on the same route, 4.5 meters below sea level, with one hundred meters between them.
Stating that thanks to the measures taken, Nusret anchored in front of Çanakkale at 08.00 without being detected by any allied patrol ships, Taşkın continued as follows: “The fog and rain that lasted until 10:00 prevented the ship from being seen by the enemy patrol ships at the entrance of the Dardanelles. Seyit Onbaşı, who was in the Rumeli Mecidiye Bastion, hit the rudder of the British Battleship Ocean with a 215-octane bullet, which he put into the barrel by himself, and this disrupted the order of the enemy ships. Thus, on March 18, 1915, with the support of the heroic Turkish artillery, the Bouvet, Irresistible and Ocean Battleships, which hit 26 mines forming the 11th mine line laid by Nusret, sank, while the Inflexible, Safran and Galoa were seriously wounded and out of the war. While March 18, 1915 was a defeat for the Entente Navy, it went down in history as an important naval victory for the heroic defenders of the Bosphorus.”
