Ottoman Artillery Terminology

Hoplophile · Post by **Hoplophile** » 09 Sep 2006 18:54

I notice that a number of members of this forum have a great deal of knowledge of the army of the Ottoman Empire. With this in mind, I ask if anyone can tell me what the contemporary Turkish words (circa 1914, not present-day) for the following types of artillery pieces might be.

artillery piece (generic term for all artillery pieces, corresponding to the German 'Geschütz')

gun (long-barrelled artillery piece, corresponding to the German 'Kanone')

howitzer (corresponding to the German 'Haubitze')

mortar (corresponding to the German 'Mörser')

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 10 Sep 2006 16:21

artillery piece (generic term for all artillery pieces, corresponding to the German 'Geschütz')
1-Topcu
gun (long-barrelled artillery piece, corresponding to the German 'Kanone')
2- Top
howitzer (corresponding to the German 'Haubitze')
3- Hovitzer
mortar (corresponding to the German 'Mörser')
4- Havan

others:
battary: Batarya
horse driven artillary: Koşulu topcu
fixed artillary : çakılı topcu
artilleri officer: Topcu zabiti (nowadays: topcu subayi)
artillalry soldier: topcu neferi : (nowadays : topcu eri)
artillary regiment: topcu alayı
battalion: topcu taburu
Company: topcu bolugu
color of artillary still today: dark powder
Humbara: is the word used for artillary sice 1850's
Humbaracı is the word used for artillarist.

Hoplophile · Post by **Hoplophile** » 11 Sep 2006 00:10

Many thanks. This is of enormous help to me.

Am I correct in assuming that 'topcu' is the plural of 'top'?

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 11 Sep 2006 09:28

Topcu (in correct Turkish letters topçu)
top:gun (During ottoman days guns fired stone balls. Those balls was called "gülle" or "top" Top also means "ball" foodball

çu: ...çu means "..er" eg. walker, sleeper

topçu: gunner

plural of topçu: topçular

...lar, ler : ....s eg books

okçular: yeomans
yayalar: walkers
askerler: soldiers
subaylar: officers

Tophane : Artillary Caserne
sign of navy artillary NCO
A image of topçu neferi of the New Ottoman Turkish Army established by Sultan Mahmut II after the demolishing of the old Army in 1827. The guy is a horse driven arrtillary soldier (dark suit with short riding trousers)

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 11 Sep 2006 10:07

Images of Tophane the famous Artillary Caserne and gun fabric established by Sultan Mehmet the II after the conquer of Costantinapolis. Guns of this tophane was victorious over persians, egyptians, hungarians.

Hoplophile · Post by **Hoplophile** » 11 Sep 2006 16:07

Many thanks for such an extensive answer, as well as the pictures.

I wonder if I might ask you to translate the following sentence into Turkish.

English

The field artillery possessed two types of field pieces - field guns and field howitzers.

German

Die Feldartillerie besaß zwei Arten von Feldgeschützen - Feldkanonen und Feldhaubitzen.

Many thanks,

Bruce I. Gudmundsson

Tosun Saral · Post by **Tosun Saral** » 11 Sep 2006 16:37

Die Feldartillerie besaß zwei Arten von Feldgeschützen - Feldkanonen und Feldhaubitzen.

Sahra topçusu iki tür sahra topuna sahipti : Sahra topları ve Sahra hovitzerleri

Hoplophile · Post by **Hoplophile** » 11 Sep 2006 17:32

Once again, many thanks.

The mystery is solved!