Interesting item some may wish to research

[Felix C]

I was searching in the UK National Archives online and come across a caption regarding HMS Doris operating off the Turkish Coast in 1915. An incident is recounted by a Cmdr or Capt. Twiggs RN of 40 Turkish POWs being "deliberately murdered" as retaliation for Turkish mutilation of British dead.

https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov. ... 8bc06719da
Reference: AGDT/2
Title: Volume 2.
Description:
At the start of the diary Doris was still engaged in shelling Gaba Tepe. Twigg gives a second-hand report of the deliberate killing of 40 Turkish prisoners in retalliation for Turkish mutilation of Allied dead. On 8 May Doris joined the Smyrna Patrol, the main activities there being to lay mines and destroy shore-based search lights. of the time spent in the Smyrna bay was occupied with routine duties and swimming, which left Twigg "intensely bored". The transport and landing of over 2000 men at Suvla Bay on 17/18 August was something of a climax for Twigg amidst the continued inactivity. In October Doris moved to Salonika and until mid-November was engaged in bombarding the area around Dedeagatch, the prime targets being railway installations and military barracks.

[stevebecker]

Mate,

Second hand accounts have to be taken with a grain of salt?

I notice this ;

"Ms. report written by Lieutenant H Pirie-Gordon RNVR, Naval Intelligence Officer on the staff of GOC, Anzac, concerning an attack on the Anzac positions by the Turkish 26th and 42nd Regiments on 27 April 1915. 2pp April/May 1915"

Clearly the 26th Regt and the 42nd Regt never attacked at Anzac that day?

The 26th Regt was on the Helles Front fighting the British, while the 42nd Regt didn't arrive at Helles untill July 1915 with the 14th Div?

The only Regts fighting at Anzac were the 27th Regt and the 57th Regt with help from the Arab 77th Regt and 72nd Regt?

S.B

[Felix C]

Grounds for further research if one is interested in the topic. Not my area.

[Tosun Saral]

Feldblatt - 1915.01.13 - Seite 2
Konstantinopel, 12. I., K. B. — Der
englische Kreuzer „Doris", der seit einiger Zeit in
den syrischen Gewässern kreuzte und die Telegraphen-
leitungen zerstörte, landete am 0. Jänner bei Sari-
Seki Truppen, die jedoch infolge des kräftigen
Widerstandes der Küstenwache wieder an Bord gehen
mußten, wobei sie 11 Miuiitionskistcn und eine Menge
verschiedener Geräte zurückließen. Tags darauf nahm
der Feind eine zweite Landung an der Küste bei
Alcxandretta vor und beschoß gegen das Völkerrecht
die oifenen Ortschaften mit Kanonen und Maschinen ­
gewehren, wobei mehrere Personen den Tod fanden."


English
Constantinople, 12th I., K. B. - Der
English cruiser "Doris", who for some time in
the Syrian waters and the telegraph
destroyed on January 1, landed at Sari-Seki troops, however, as a result of vigorous
Resistance of the Coast Guard go back on board
They had to pay 11, and a lot
various devices left behind. The next day took
the enemy at a second landing on the coast
Alcxandretta before and fired against international law
the oifenen villages with cannons and machines"

As far as I know about this incident. Ahmet Cemal Pasha C of 4th Army got very angry and ordered to bring a british POW to his court and told him to say the captain of the battleship that if he again fires on hospitals or civil buildings and damages human and animal life he will hang twofold british. after that ultimatum. the ship left the area. Ali Fuat Erden his CoS wrote this incident in his book.

[Felix C]

offen for oifen, Munitionskisten for Muiitionskisten and If I am may Tosun:
Field Sheet - 1915.01.13 - Page 2
Constantinople, 12th I, KB - The English cruiser "Doris", which has been cruising Syrian waters for some time and destroying the telegraph lines, landed troops at Sari-Seki on January 0(probably 10), but due to the strong resistance of the The Coast Guard was forced back on board, leaving behind 11 ammunition boxes and a large number of different equipment. The next day, the enemy made a second landing on the coast near Alexandretta and against international law bombarded the open villages with cannons and machine guns, in which several people were killed."

[Tosun Saral]

You are very kind. Thank you for the correction.

[Felix C]

Küstenwache has different permutations. I went with the easy option. I suppose different term in Turkish. Not knowledgeable of Turkish terminology.

If you could assist me in clarifying a geographic location in Turkey. In the Gulf of Alexandretta, the lagoon opposite the city is/was known as the Agün Lagoon? The name may have been changed since 1914/1915. I see different names now on modern maps. The city itself is named differently.

[Tosun Saral]

Küstenwache is google translation is coast guard. As far as I know coast gurad is the navy patrol on boat. But in german and in turkish it means a group of soldiers go along the coast or stay at a point in different distances to control the area. In turkish "kıyı gözetleme"
Alexandretta is today İskenderun the city grunded by Alexander the great. Gulf of Iskenderun see the map
Sari Seki is "Sarıseki" a town near İskenderun https://www.google.com/search?q=Sar%C4% ... .25#imgrc=_

[stevebecker]

Mate,

What units of the Coast gaurd were around that area is hard to find out.

The Ottomans appear to have at lest two types of, so called Coast Guard on the books.

They were called Sahil Muhafaza (coast guards) or Gümrük Muhafaza./Duane/Zoll/ Customs guards).

I had a look at what units were around that area but these are still not confirmed;

Palestine Allied reports show 527Bn 538Bn 539Bn 540Bn 541Bn 544Bn (coast guard) - Hejaz - 7th model Bn (39th Div) and Panderma Muhafaza Bn (Coast/Customs guard)

The Alexandretta area is shown as the 41st Div

I show this Division as;

41st Div raised Syria 1915 Alexandretta garrision 1916/18 shown 14th Corps 1913 - Ebha 8th Corps- Mar 1915 12th Corps (2nd Army) - Feb 1918 41st Division (Ebha) or (Iskenderum)

Col Cemil Bey (Conk) 1917 - shown as LtCol Mehmet Emin (Koral) 6-17? LtCol Hüseyin Hüsnü Bey (Alptogan) shown LtCol Mehmet Hayri Bey 1919

CofS
Capt Hasan 1917 to Maj Mumtaz

1-4/131st Regt 1-4/132nd Regt 1-4/133rd Regt 4/134th Regt

131st Regt - Maj Emin Lutfi 1917 to LtCol Nusret 132nd Regt - Maj Galip (Deniz) 1917 133rd Regt - Maj Rifat 1917 to Maj Serif 134th Regt - LtCol Vetsel or Veysel (Özgür)

Garrision Ebha 1914 - shown 131st Regt formed from Adana Jandarma Regt * 134th Regt to 7th Div - shown Feb 1917 Allied reports - 131st Regt 132nd Regt 133rd Regt - shown Dec 1917 * 4Bn/134th Regt to 58th Div 1918 - shown Feb 1918 Allied reports (131st Regt 132nd Regt and 133rd Regt + 538Bn Coastal defences) - shown Aug 1918 - 131st Regt 132nd Regt 139th Regt 147th Regt 10th Regt

41st Artillery Regt - LtCol Asim Bey & LtCol Mehmet Sabri (Ercetin) shown Feb 1918 Allied reports 1Bn/41st FAR (8x 75mm guns) 2Bn/41st FAR (8x 105mm How guns) 4Bn/41st FAR (4x 75mm guns) 5Bn/41st FAR (6x 75mm guns)

Cavalry Company of volunteers from Humus shown Feb 1918 Allied reports 41st Field Hosp - 41st Bakery/Cooking plat 4Co/12th Telegraph Bn 9Co/12th Eng Bn 41st Medical Co (bearer) 27.03.15

Iskenderun 08.11.18 Beylan 13.11.18 Bozanti Stn 05.12.18 Karaman 12.09.19


Units as as shown. but others may have been in the area as fixed Artillery does not appear on the Divisions rolls?

Also the Ottomans had a habit of moving sub units around and these could change at any time?

I should add these other units

Around Beirut

43rd Div

shown Feb 1918 Allied reports 2xBns Mevlevi Regt + 539Bn 540Bn 541Bn Coastal defences Regt

And

44th Div Osmaniye Gap coastal defence

shown Feb 1918 Allied reports (139th Regt 140th Regt and 159th Regt + 527Bn Coastal defences)

Cheers

S.B

[Felix C]

I meant I did not know what Ottoman terminology is for the Ger. Küstenwache which might be like Sea Fencibles in the UK of old. I just went with the literal Coast Guard and left it as that.

thanks. I am focused on the other piece regarding IDing small turkish ships sunk by Russian forces.

[stevebecker]

This may help?