Armored Cars and Tanks Against Turks

ademolu · Post by **ademolu** » 12 Aug 2006 19:39

Which tanks and armored cars fought against Turks especially in Arabia?
What are their exact numbers and looses?
Were they effective against Turkish army?
Did Allies support Greek Army with tanks in Turkish Independence war?

I have found information about armored cars but not trustable sources and low information and could not find any source about tanks against Turks.

If you can post those questions' answers, I will be so glad.

Thank you all who helps.
Best regards.

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 16 Aug 2006 13:34

Welcome ademolu,

British tanks fought at Gaza in 1917,

A discussion here on the GreatWar Forum:

http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... 16062&st=0

Regards
Peter

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 24 Feb 2007 19:06

"Which tanks and armored cars fought against Turks especially in Arabia?

Ademolu there was no place in Turkish Ottoman Empire called "Arabia"
British used tanks and armoured cars againts Turks during the battle of Gazze. Gazze is a place in Palastina not in Arabia.

Did Allies support Greek Army with tanks in Turkish Independence war?
No they didnt.

Only French used tanks and armoured cars againts Turks during the fights in Cilicia (Adana andTourus maountains)For more information I advice you to read my book "Vatan Nasıl Kurtarıldı"

I beg my non-Turkish Friends to write a passage from my book for Ademolu's inmformation:
"Adana’da ayrıca 5-6 hafif piyade tankından ibaret bir tankçı birliği de bulunuyordu. Bunlar iki mürettabatlı, döner taretli, 22 mm kalınlığında zırhı olan, 6,5 ton ağırlığında, düz yolda saatte 7 km hız yapan, 39 HP güçünde, 37 mm top veya 7.92 mm makineli tüfekle donatılmış 1917 model Renault FT-17 (Renault FT M1917) tankları idi. Hatta bir tane de telsizli tank bulunuyordu. Char TSF, Char Renault TSF (télégraphie sans fil – telegraph without a wire). Bu tanklar Türkler karşısında pek başarılı olamadılar. Bir çoğu imha edildi. "

Mad Zeppelin · Post by **Mad Zeppelin** » 24 Feb 2007 22:43

From the offical German war news cables:
26.12.15 Muslim warriors captured 10 automobiles, of which 3 were armoured, from the English near Sollum and Matruh.
05.03.17 The English attacked on the Tigris-Front wih 6 armoured cars.
27./28.03.17 Battle of English against Turks in vicinity of Gaza with several armoured motor vehicles. One armoured car captured.
19.04.17 Second battle at Gaza. Turks victorious. 1 enemy armoured car destroyed. From the heavy armoured vehicles (Tanks) 3 were destroyed.

DXTR · Post by **DXTR** » 24 Feb 2007 23:13

Its just a small anecdote in World War I, but the british attempt to secure the oilfields in post revolutionary Baku was attempted by the so-called Dunsterforce. Dunsterforce tried to pass from Persia into Azerbaijan in early 1918 using a few armoured cars, but they failed, and had to wait until the weather improved, arriving in summer 1918, only to find the Ottoman army heading towards the caspian sea. Dunsterforce used a number of Armoured cars but I don't know whether they were employed during the hazy engagement with approaching ottoman forces and the subsequent british withdrawal.

Online resources is available at http://www.firstaif.info/stalky/0-stalky-index.htm Its the personal experience by Capt S G Savige DSO MC member of dunsterforce. It makes extraordinary good reading.

Otherwise look for Dunsterforce CO L.C. Dunstervilles memoirs "The adventures of Dunsterforce"

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 02 Mar 2007 20:33

British tank assault according to Offical Turkish History Book of Turkish General Staff's Military History Department in Ankara
source: Birinci Dünya Harbinde Türk Harbi, IV ncü Cilt 1 nci Kısım, Sina-Filistin Cephesi, Harbin Başından İkinci Gazze Muharebeleri Sonuna Kadar. Ankara 1979
(Turkish War in WW1 vol.4, 1st chapter, Sinai-Falastia Front, From the beginning of WW to the end of 2md Gazze battle.)

p.613
on April 19th 1917 the English began a heavy assault at 05:00 supported by a heavy preparatory artillary fire....at 12:00 the company defending the Great Sand Hill withdrawed to the back naccording to the order given by 3rd Div. At 12:20 an English Tank moved over Great Sand Hill and aproached to our barbet wires. Againts this tank and enemy infantries our soldiers didnt left their positions.This English tank and infanty was stopped by Turkish artillay fire. The tank reteated back leaving his infantry men behind.
p.614
As the battle on Great Sand Hill and Seyhaclin was going on English directed their most heavy assaoult to the trenches of 32nd Regiment on Hill 265. English fired heavly at Hill 265. At 10:30 the English reached to the Hill some 300 meters. A Tank which was with the infantry over ride the barbed wires and reached to the back of our trenches. The English infantry following this tank at its back also entered into the left wing of our Trenches.The Turkish infanry men defending this trenches withdraved back. But the Turks at the right of this trench defended their positions. Thus some part of the trenches was at the hand of English some Turkish. The tank which ride at the back of turkish defence line reteated a time later. The Turkish artillary collected all their fires on this tank and English infantry. The tank got some shells and stayed still. The English burned the tank.

p.617
The AC gave the following information to 3rd and 16th div.s " At the front of 53th Div. an English tank is destroyed by our artillary fire. This tank had 5 MG.

p.621
According to information given by POWs the English had 8 tanks.(2 of the were damaged by our fire) 3 of the tanks got 5 MG and the others had 3 MG and 2 guns.

p.633-624
At 11:00 the division commander received this information from the right wing commander the 48th Reg."The English assaoulted our front with a tank and 4 armoured aoutomobiles. Theye were beaten back. We are watching English officers from our trenches hitting their soldiers ho are running back with their swords. That made our morale exellent.A Tank wich was moving towards Vadiibeha was destroyed by our obüs battaries. 3armoured mobiles run back.

p.630-631
Situation on the night of April 19th
For the first time ever the English used tanks againts us. We counted 8 tanks infront our front. The tanks surprized our soldiers at first. Later all began to fight againts tanks and armoured cars with their MG and artillary. 3 of Those very new targets were destroyed by our fire. the remaining 5 returned back. But soon they were defected and stayed on the battle field still."

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 14 Mar 2007 11:13

Reserve Lt.Falih Rifki (Atay)(writer, novalist, publisher, Journalist, look at Axis) was privat secratery of Cemal Pasha. he wrote his memories in his famous book:
Zeytindağı (Ölberg, Olivehill) Zeytindağı is a place in Jerusalem where there was a German Hospital which became HQ of Cemal Pasha during War. p.158

"Have you ever seen a dead tank? How sad is the cadaver of things that are produced to kill.. One of them is fallen infront of our trenches. It made a barrier with its huge, empty and broken body. During the night our soldiers guarded infront of this tank to prevent a sudden umbush. One night a guard noticed an English soldier aproaching slowly. He waited inside the tank. If he would fire and kill him all the fire of the enemy would fire on him. If he would kill him with his bayonet he would lost the 5 gold Turkish Liras awarded for every alive English. So he decided a third possibility to catch him alive. he slowly wore off his socks which he didnt washed since many months and hit strongly on the head of English from behind. Immediately he put the sock in his mouth to stop him shouting. The poor English fainted. After a while as he come to himself he claimed that the Turk used poison which was againts all human behaviour."