Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

Discussions on the final era of the Ottoman Empire, from the Young Turk Revolution of 1908 until the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
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Peter H
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Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#1

Post by Peter H » 29 Jul 2007, 06:16

First at Smyrna,March 1915:

http://www.naval-history.net/WW1AreaMed1915.htm
5th-15th - Attack on Smyrna, Turkey - Other parts of the Turkish Mediterranean coast are targets for Allied attacks, including the major port of Smyrna, which is to be blockaded because of its potential as a U-boat base. On the 5th, Vice-Adm Peirse, C-in-C Egypt and West Indies station, arrives off Smyrna with armoured cruiser "Euryalus", pre-dreadnoughts "Triumph" and "Swiftsure", a seaplane carrier, and minesweepers. His first tasks are to bombard and destroy the protecting forts and clear the approach minefields, neither of which are accomplished. On the 11th, seaplane carrier "Anne Rickmers", a captured German merchantman, is torpedoed and damaged by German-commanded, Turkish torpedo boat "Demir Hissar". Negotiations for surrender also take place with the Turkish Governor, but without success, and on the 15th, the force withdraws.

April 17th 1915:
17th April - Turkish torpedo boat "DEMIR HISSAR" (1906, 97t, 3tt). The German-commanded vessel, after her exploits off Smyrna, heads into the Aegean. On the 17th, after failing to sink a British transport, she is intercepted south of the Greek island of Chios by British destroyers "Jed", "Kennet" and "Wear" and runs herself aground. Some sources claim protected cruiser "Minerva" forced "Demir Hissar" ashore.

Who commanded the Demir Hissar?

mitaka
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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#2

Post by mitaka » 31 Mar 2009, 01:24

Hi everybody.
I live in Chios, Greece, and I can have a look in the local newspapers of the era about this event. If anybody is looking for some info , please let me know.


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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#3

Post by Tosun Saral » 01 Apr 2009, 23:40

Navy Captain Ahmet Şefik Bey was captain of Demirhisar.

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Peter H
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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#4

Post by Peter H » 02 Apr 2009, 02:22

Thanks Tosun

Peter

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philodraco
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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#5

Post by philodraco » 27 Jun 2010, 16:10

Peter H wrote:First at Smyrna,March 1915:
Who commanded the Demir Hissar?
It was also said German Kptl Freiherr von Fricks.

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#6

Post by Tosun Saral » 25 Jun 2011, 10:57

Turkish Naval historian late Abidin Daver gives following information in Resimli Tarih Mecmuası (Illustrated History Magazine Nr: 43, July 1953.
"Demirhisar, a 97,5 ton vessel exit Dardanelles in the night of Feb 28th. During her tests this litte boat had reched to a speed 27 miles. But now she could hardly speed over 20 miles. Because all her granaries and chambers were full of coal. Her Turkish crew was 6 officers and 20 men. There were also 2 German naval officers and 5 NCOs. The ship was commanded by germans. They sailed at nights and hiding days in Turkish mainland coast reached to Kösten island. They saw at Kösten 2 cruisers with 4 funnels. Demirhisar shot 2 torpedos from 300 meters but missed. She shot its last torpedo towards Ann Rickmers the main support ship of sea planes. This time they didnt missed but Ann Rickmers saved herself with little damege. Then demirhisar sailed to the Bay of İzmir. After arriving In İzmir the germans travelled to İstanbul to bring new torpedoes. With new 3 torpedoes Demirhisar sailed again. On april 16 demirhisar met transportship Manitou which was carriing 3000-4000 soldiers from Egypt to Gallipoli. captain of Dmirhisar warned the transport ship to abondon all the passengers within 10 minutes. The soldiers were trying to get into lifeboats or jumping into the sea in panic. Demirhisar fired 2 torpedoes from a short distance but missed again. Here I want to add that all The torpedo crew were Germans. After missing the torpedos the German captain of Demirhisar only tought to escape in full speed. Instead he could fire with MG or the gun to Monitou. While escaping in full speed they headed land at Sakız İsland. The German Captain blowed off Demirhisar and surrounded to local units. Afte a while The Germans were taken by a Greek boat to Athens and then to Germany. Because the queen of Helles was sister of Wilhelm II. The Turks stayed in POW camp until the Losanne Peace Conference in 1923."

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#7

Post by Jochen Kruesmann » 07 Jul 2011, 20:10

"After missing the torpedos the German captain of Demirhisar only tought to escape in full speed. Instead he could fire with MG or the gun to Monitou. "

I never heard of such a nonense: Attacking a large transport with 2-37mm QF Hotchkiss guns to sank it? Everyone who has a little bit of knowledge of naval war must quote that this is a redicolous statement. And second why the GERMAN officer should have done this when as you quoted "Navy Captain Ahmet Şefik Bey was captain of Demirhisar" was in charge of command. I feel that in case the MANITOU had been lost due to the attack than the TURKISH officer would have been in command, but in case it failed the GERMAN officer was in command. Also the statement "Afte a while The Germans were taken by a Greek boat to Athens and then to Germany. Because the queen of Helles was sister of Wilhelm II. " is completely not true. The German sailors were in Greece until 1919 !

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#8

Post by Tosun Saral » 08 Jul 2011, 19:50

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/s ... google.com

A telegram informing to HQ that Demirhisar blowed herslf off not to be captured by the British.

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#9

Post by Tosun Saral » 09 Jul 2011, 00:47

Gelibolu Yenilginin Destanı" adlı eserde ise; Atılan torpidoların hedefi bulmamasının sebebini; "Subay öyle bir hedef bulduğu için o kadar heyecanlanmıstı ki, bize fazla yaklasmıstı. Atılan bir torpil önce denizin dibine iner, sonra yukarı çıkar, oysa bunların hepsi geminin altından geçmisti. " seklinde açıklanmıstır. (Steel, 1932, s.33)

Steel, N and Steel H. tells why Demirhisar missed her torpedoes in their book published in Turkish "Gelibolu Yenilginin Destanı" in 1932 p.33
"The naval officer was very exited to find such a good target that he aproached to us very close. A torpedo that is shot runs first towards the bottom of the sea and then goes up. All the torpedoes passed under the ship."
:)
My sincere note: All the torpedo officers or NCOs of German controlled Ottoman Navy were germans.

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#10

Post by Jochen Kruesmann » 26 Jul 2011, 19:28

You didn`get the point of my sentences! I only think the following statement is pure nonsense: "Instead he could fire with MG or the gun to Monitou." In case that the Turkish author had any knowledge to maritime warfare he must have realised that this statement is nonsense.
Of course sometimes Germans missed with their torpedoes enemy ships ! Why not! I think this is again an example of your pure anti-German feelings! Do you think when all of her crew were Turks they had sunk MANITOU?

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TISO
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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#11

Post by TISO » 27 Jul 2011, 15:35

Does anyone have good plans and detail photografies for this boat

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#12

Post by Tosun Saral » 28 Jul 2011, 11:13

There were cabable and good trained German officers and sailors in Ottoman Turkish Army who never missed the target. Happy and succesful German torpedomanschaft of Muavenet.
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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#13

Post by Tosun Saral » 28 Jul 2011, 11:17

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#14

Post by Tosun Saral » 28 Jul 2011, 11:54

Mr kruesmann, I dont understand you how can a well edutaded and well knowledged man like you be so little saying
"I think this is again an example of your pure anti-German feelings!" I insist on my mind that most of Germans eg Sanders, falkenhayn at Turkish side during WW1 were mostly incabable. I wrote some exambles to force my feeling in my previous posts. I think you are still struct there . You blame me as an anti german. ı can be anti german. There are millions of anti germans.There are also millions of anti Turks and muslims. There is no law which prohibits people not to be anti german. isn't?
First of all Iam not anti german, or againts any race or religion.
On the other hand ı can say that I am pro-german. I lived in your country I studied in your country, ı had my praxis in yor country during the years 1971-81.(Frankfurt/Main 6 months, Hamburg 9 months, berlin 3 months, Düsseldorf 3 months, Munich 3 weeks. I admire your dicibline,hard working and organization You produce first class war machines . You are very good in theory but I can not say that you are very well in military practice. With all my good wishes from Sunny Alanya hoping to meet you and drink beer or raki together for better understanding. Tosun

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Re: Torpedo Boat Demir Hissar

#15

Post by Tosun Saral » 28 Jul 2011, 12:17

Torpedoboot Sultanhisar was sister of Demirhisar build by same French Schneider & Cie, Chalon-sur-Saône on 1907.
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