War Of Independence 1919-1921
This period constitutes one of the saddest and most painful times of Turkish Maritime history, which is otherwise filled with glorious victories. Yet, despite all the adverse conditions that prevailed in the country, Turkish sailors never lost their patriotism. They had unshakable determination to support, serve, and defend their country against the occupiers. They loved their homeland passionately and cared very deeply for the Turkish people.
Some sailors secretly traveled to Anatolia, surmounting all barriers to participate in land battles. Their comrades contributed to the strategic maritime struggle, particularly in the Black Sea and other regions. These were the key elements in raising the spirit of the Nation's fighting forces and all were ready to sacrifice their possessions, shed their blood and give their lives for their country. Those sailors who remained in Istanbul during this time, founded the Undercover Navy Resistance Organization and provided personnel and equipment to the maritime elements of the National Government. They also gave invaluable intelligence support to the Armed Forces.
Following the decisions outlined in the Mondoros Treaty, the combat capabilities of the Turgutreis, Hamidiye and Mecidiye Cruisers were substantially limited and they were kept inactive in the Golden Horn by the occupying forces. The ammunition and guns of the Yavuz Battle Cruiser were removed and she was transferred to the Izmit region on the grounds that she could adversely affect sea traffic through the Golden Horn. During this period, only a small number of units were on active duty; the Akhisar and Draç Torpedo Boats performed coast guard duties in the Sea of Marmara, the Hizirreis Gunboat, in Izmir Bay was also on coast guard duty and the Nusret and Tir-i Müjkan conducted mine counter measures operations in the Saros Bay.
Before the Turkish War of Independence began, the Naval Ministry sent the Preveze gunboat to Sinop and the Aydinreis Gunboat to Trabzon in February 1919 for surveillance, reconnaissance and patrol duties. However, a lack of coal to fuel the propulsion system ensured that the Preveze and Aydinreis remained in harbor until the end of 1919. During the early stages of the Turkish War of Independence, these 2 gunboats did not return to Istanbul, despite heavy pressure from the Istanbul Government. Instead, they were placed under the command of the National Government and formed the core of the Turkish War of Independence Shipping Fleet.
The Turkish War of Independence began to take shape in 1920. As the successes grew, the importance, as well as the priority of the Western Front in winning an absolute victory, became even greater. As a result, maintaining the logistic shipping of arms, ammunition and all kinds of equipment in the Black Sea gained vital importance. The formation of a maritime shipping organization in the Black Sea emerged as a crucial operational requirement. Therefore, on 10 July 1920, the Directorate of Naval Affairs was founded under the Ministry of National Defense and was charged with organizing and maintaining strategic logistic shipping through Black Sea and the other areas. All existing naval institutions in the country, directed by the National Government, were assigned to this Directorate. The Directorate of Naval Affairs was extremely successful in organizing local surface units and volunteers and in forming an intelligence network to discover the movements of the enemy ships. As a result, logistic transportation was carried out very smoothly and was expertly coordinated.
Founded in Ankara, The Turkish Grand National Assembly Government made an agreement with Russia to procure supplies. The Trabzon Shipping Detachment, which was founded on 21 September 1920, was renamed the "Trabzon Naval Shipping Command" with the directive issued by the Ministry of National Defense on 26 October 1920. In the subsequent stages of the Turkish War of Independence, due to the growing need for maritime shipping and the increase in the quantity and quality of the units and small ships, the Directorate of Naval Affairs was extended. On 1 March 1921, this organization was renamed the "Naval Department Directorate" and Trabzon Naval Shipping Command; Samsun Naval Detachment; Karadeniz Eregli Naval Command; Amasra Naval Detachment; Izmit Naval Command; Egirdir Lake Naval Detachment and Fethiye Naval Reserve Group were all assigned to this Directorate.
In response to the growing importance of maritime shipping activities in the Sea of Marmara and to defend the gulf of Izmit, the Izmit Naval Command was founded on 28 June 1921. Izmit Naval Command maintained maritime shipping in the area as well as contributing greatly to land transportation by repairing the railroad bridges damaged during World War I.
The Samsun Naval Command, which was founded by naval officers on 1 January 1921, was particularly active in meeting the conscript needs of the other units and was very effective in transferring trained sailors to these units. This Command also fought against the Greco-Pontus Gangs.
The Amasra Naval Command concentrated on reconnaissance and surveillance activities at the western parts of the Black Sea and, when the opportunity arose, engaged hostile units from time to time.
On 17 April 1921 in Eregli, the Karadeniz Eregli Naval Shipping Command was founded. Its mission was to conduct maritime shipping between Istanbul-Akçakoca and Trabzon-Akçakoca as well as to provide logistic and base support to the transportation ships and vehicles in its area of responsibility. This command also kept records of military goods transported at the western Black Sea and reported daily to the Naval Department Directorate.
The Fethiye Naval Reserve Group and Port Masters, which was established on 16 March 1921, carried out coastguard and transportation duties as well as gathering intelligence in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean regions. The responsibility for shipping military supplies to the Western Front, fell to the Egirdir Lake Naval Detachment. This Detachment was highly successful in moving supplies from Antalya over the Egirdir lake. These countrywide logistic support activities were conducted with great success as a result of the exceptional approach and meticulous planning of the Naval Department Directorate.
The ships and the other small vessels serving in the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara faced many obstacles; they were old and slow, they were not provided with necessary base support and, perhaps of greater concern, they continuously sailed unescorted. Yet, despite all of these negative conditions, these ships created miracles and maintained the flow of maritime shipping with an innate sense of responsibility, courage and self-sacrifice.
In the Turkish War of Independence Turkish Naval Forces was charged with organizing and maintaining strategic logistic shipping through Black Sea and the other areas. Throughout the Turkish War of Independence, 300,000 tons of supplies of every kind were transported to the Turkish Harbors, particularly from the Russian Black Sea Ports by ships and boats of various sizes, to support the military fronts in Anatolia. Also, despite the counter-action by the enemy, a group of heroic sailors made it possible to secretly transport munitions and supplies from Istanbul to Inebolu, Samsun, Yalova, Karamürsel and Izmit through maritime lines.
Today's Turkish Navy remembers those heroes with the utmost respect. Besides the major efforts and sacrifices of the Turkish warships, the heroism of the Alemdar Tugboat also constitutes one of the most illustrious sources of pride for Turkish seamanship. The Alemdar, despite the forbidding presence of hostile warships, sailed to Eregli under the pretext of salvaging a needy ship. Subsequently seized by the French, the Alemdar's crew heroically managed to re-seize control on 9 February 1921, while the French were making plans to take the ship back to Istanbul. The crew deliberately ran her aground. Later, the Alemdar sailed to Trabzon and gave extraordinary and vital service to the Anatolian Fleet.
The Bandirma steamer, which carried Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to Samsun from Istanbul at the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence, also wrote its name to the pages of the glorious Turkish History. Atatürk proclaimed his views about the actions of the Naval Forces of the time as follows:
"Despite the enemy blockade and inadequate maritime vehicles, Turkish sailors have created miracles in the Black Sea with a small number of ships and maintained maritime shipping without any losses, which certainly deserves commendation"
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