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Tuesday, 17 February 2009

Aircrew Serving In Ottoman Army Aircraft Units in Palestine
Topic: Tk - Bks - Air Force

Pasha and Yildirim, the Palestine Front, 1915 to 1918

Lt Orhan, 3ncü Tayyare Bölük, standing in front of a Pfalz AII.

[From: Ole Nikolajsen, Ottoman Aviation 1911 - 1919, p. 212.]

Part 11 - Aircrew Serving In Ottoman Army Aircraft Units in Palestine

3ncü Tayyare Bölük

Commanding Officers:

Captain Cemil (Observer), service from June 1916 to October 1916
Captain Fazil (Pilot), service from October 1916 to June 1917
Captain Izzettin (Observer), service from June 1917 to August 1918
Lieutenant Salih (Adjutant), service from August 1918 to September 1918

Pilots:

Lieutenant Rifat, service from June 1916 to December 1916.
Lieutenant Orhan, service from June 1916 to August 1918.
Lieutenant Fakir Hasim, service from June 1916.
Captain Saim, service from October 1916 until killed 2 October 1916.
Lieutenant Cevdet, service from March 1917
Sergeant Hasan Fehmi, service from November 1917 until taken prisoner, October 1918.
Lieutenant Emin Nihat, service from November 1917 until transferred to the Caucasus Front.
Sergeant Ismail Zeki, service from November 1917 until taken prisoner, 4 February 1918.
Civ. Hüseyin Hüsnü, service from November 1917.
Sergeant Ihya, service from November 1917.

Observers:

Lieutenant Ahmet Kamil, service from June 1916.
Lieutenant Osman, service from June 1916.
Lieutenant Mehmet Cemal, service from June 1916.
Lieutenant M. Kemal, service from November 1916
Lieutenant Lütfi Fikri, service from March 1917.
Lieutenant Lutfullah, service from March 1917.
Lieutenant Ziya, service from November 1917.
Lieutenant Hasan Hulki, service from November 1917.
Lieutenant Ahmet Zeki, service from November 1917.
Lieutenant Osman Nuri, service from November 1917.
Lieutenant H. Murat, service from November 1917.
Lieutenant Salih, service from November 1917.

4ncü Tayyare Bölük

Commanding Officers:

Captain Hüseyin Mazlum (Observer), service from December 1917 to January 1918
Captain Ihsan (Observer), service from January 1918 to August 1918
Lieutenant Muhsin, service from August 1918 to September 1918

Pilots:

Lieutenant Fuat Halim, service from December 1917.
Civ. Behcet, service from December 1917.
Corp. Max Suchin, service from December 1917 to July 1918.
Sergeant Mustafa Remzi.

Observers:

Lieutenant Ferit, service from December 1917.
Lieutenant Ihsan, service from December 1917.
Lieutenant Ahmet Cemal, service from December 1917.
Lieutenant Cemal Sami, service from December 1917.
Lieutenant Sitki, service from December 1917.

4ncü Tayyare Bölük

Commanding Officers:

Captain Zelich (Observer), service from February 1918 to May 1918.
Captain Levin (Observer), service from May 1918 to October 1918.

Pilots:

Lieutenant Dickmann
Lieutenant Volf
Lieutenant Dox
Sergeant Rolker
Sergeant Vereyn
Sergeant Otto
Sergeant Posbach
Sergeant Pawalka
Sergeant Sabri
Sergeant Hasan Fehmi (Bursa)
Sergeant Bezmi
Sergeant Nickel

Observers:

Captain Prince de Sax.
Captain Beltz
Lieutenant Gandenberg
Lieutenant Vagner
Lieutenant Lüdeke
Lieutenant Wiese
Lieutenant Straup
Lieutenant Salim
Lieutenant von Mois
Lieutenant Benecke
Lieutenant Klamberg
Lieutenant Siya (Shardag)
Lieutenant Hüseyin Haki
Captain Schefer
Captain Mustafa Han (Iranian)
Captain Haseyin Han (Iranian)

Source: The above extract is obtained from a self published work by Ole Nikolajsen called Ottoman Aviation 1911 - 1919. Aircrew Serving In Ottoman Army Aircraft Units in Palestine comes from Chapter 8, Pasha and Yildirim, the Palestine Front, 1915 to 1918, pp. 201-2. The text has been edited to remove errors and make it readable for an English speaking audience.

Further Reading:

The German Ottoman Air Force

Air War on the Palestine Front, December 1915 to January 1917

Turkish Units - The Ottoman Air Force

Lieutenant Colonel Hüseyin Hüsnü Emir, Yildirim

Go To:

Previous Chapter: Aircraft with Ottoman Army Units in Palestine

Citation: Aircrew Serving In Ottoman Army Aircraft Units in Palestine

Posted by Project Leader at 11:01 PM EAST

Updated: Sunday, 1 March 2009 9:29 AM EAST

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Hangard Wood, France, April 7, 1918
Topic: BatzWF - Westn Front

Hangard Wood

France, 7 April 1918

Hangard Wood, scene of an ill-conceived attack on 7 April 1918 against German positions south of Villers-Bretonneux (q.v.) Following the successful defence of that Village on 4 April, the Australian 5th Brigade (under Brig.-General Robert Smith) was detached from its parent division-the 2nd, fresh from Flanders-to take over the front-line south of that place to where the British Fourth Army joined with French forces on the River Luce. As a preliminary to a larger operation aimed at returning the front some distance to the east of its present alignment, the Australians were ordered to 'clean up the woods and ravine north and north-east of Hangard'. This entailed making an attack against the eastern half of the woods which the Germans had captured three days earlier.

Although wearied by the process of relieving the British troops already in the vicinity, the Australian 19th and 20th battalions were eager to take on the task when orders reached them about midnight on the 6th for an assault at dawn. The forces involved were small-in several places no more than platoon posts of about 25 men, while the main attack was entrusted to just two companies. The northern assault party, despite showing great dash in the delivery of their attack, could find no tenable position upon which to base a defence once they had gained their objective. The southern force found itself subjected to searching fire from enemy machine-guns across the ravine, and with dead-ground on both flanks which left them vulnerable to counter-attack. From this quarter the Germans launched just such an attack at 6 a.m. and overran the Australians' southern posts. Although continuations of this attack were beaten off, there was no viable alternative for the attack parties but to withdraw to their lines.

The attempt had cost 151 casualties in the two companies required to carry forward the attack. It was nonetheless remarkable that the enemy forces they engaged-two battalions of a regiment of the 24th (Saxon) Reserve Division - suffered vastly more loss, apparently more than 600. The Australians continued to be involved in minor operations here until withdrawn and returned to the Australian Corps on 19 April. In fighting on 15 April another 84 casualties were sustained by one of the 5th Brigade's battalions, though German losses were again worse - nearly 500 in another of the Saxon division's regiments.

Extracted from the book produced by Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians Fought - The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1998, pp. 141-142.

Additional References cited by Chris Coulthard-Clark:

C.E.W. Bean (1937) The Australian Imperial Force in France during the Main German Offensive, 1918, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

Further Reading:

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: Hangard Wood, France, April 7, 1918

Posted by Project Leader at 11:01 PM EAST

Updated: Sunday, 5 April 2009 12:16 PM EADT

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Kut el Amara, Mesopotamia, December 3, 1915, to April 29, 1916
Topic: BatzM - Kut el Amara

Kut el Amara

Mesopotamia, 3 December 1915 to 29 April 1916

A view of Kut el Amara prior to the battles.

Kut el Amara, scene in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq) of the capitulation of 13,000 British and Indian soldiers under Major-General Charles townshend to Turkish forces on 29 April 1916, after a five-month siege. Townshend's successful campaign up the Tigris turned sour in late November 1915, when his troops were less than 30 kilometres from Baghdad (see Ctesiphon), and by 3 December he was back in Kut which he had captured in September. Withdrawal further down the river was out of the question, both because of the exhausted state of his 6th Indian Division and the pursuit of his men by a greatly superior enemy force. The latter made a few attempts to carry the town by assault, before settling down to starve out the defenders.

The fate of Townshend's command was sealed when attempts to break the siege from the south in January and February 1916 both failed. The number of Turks investing the place only became progressively stronger, as forces released after the ending of the Dardanelles campaign began arriving. The garrison had already experienced deaths from starvation when Townshend was forced to open the negotiations which resulted in unconditional surrender. Among the troops who passed into Turkish captivity were more than 40 members of No.30 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps-mostly ground staff and mechanics left behind after all flyable aircraft were sent out on 7 December 1915. Included in this group were nine Australian Flying Corps personnel who were serving with the unit; only two of these men were among the 2,000 members of the Kut garrison who survived their captivity.

Official History Map of the first Battle of Kut

Part of No. 30 Squadron was not locked up in Kut, including eight other mechanics and one pilot of the AFC. These played a notable part in attempts to meet part of the beleaguered garrison's food requirements by aerial delivery. The pilot, Captain Henry Petre, flew several missions to air-drop grain and other essentials within the perimeter, while a corporal manufactured parachutes for the safe delivery of breakables - including a millstone for grinding corn. The appearance of German Fokker fighters, however, put a stop to this effort, after some five tonnes of supplies had been thus delivered. With the outcome at Kut now inevitable, Petre and the AFC men were returned to Basra (350 kilometres away to the south-east) and all were transferred to Egypt in early 1916. Their departure ended the involvement of Australian airmen in this theatre.

From left: Capt H A Petre, Capt T W White, Lt H Christian (Indian 119th) and Lt GP Merz of No. 30 Squadron.

Extracted from the book produced by Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians Fought - The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1998, p. 112.

Additional References cited by Chris Coulthard-Clark:

F.M. Cutlack, (1923), The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War 1914 - 1918, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

George Odgers, ( 1984), The Royal Australian Air Force: An Illustrated History, Brookvale, NSW Child & Henry.

Further Reading:

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: Kut el Amara, Mesopotamia, December 3, 1915, to April 29, 1916

Posted by Project Leader at 9:45 PM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 14 April 2009 1:25 PM EADT

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Ctesiphon, Mesopotamia, November 22 to 25, 1915
Topic: BatzM - Ctesiphon

Ctesiphon

Mesopotamia, 22 to 25 November 1915

Ctesiphon ruins of King Chosroes's palace

Ctesiphon, fought on 22-25 November 1915 between British and Turkish forces on the Tigris River in Mesopotamia (modern Iraq), only 25 kilometres south-east of Baghdad. After a long but cleverly conducted advance up the Tigris from the Persian Gulf (see Kurna), Major-General Charles Townshend prepared to send his 6th Indian Division against the last major enemy obstacle to Baghdad. This was an extensive and well-defended position lying east of the Tigris, dominated by the huge facade of the ruined palace of the Persian King Chosroes which sat like 'a giant airship hangar' in the centre of the Turkish lines.

Unknown to Townshend, however, the defenders had been strengthened by a fresh Anatolian division before he could begin his attack. While the severe fighting of the first day succeeded in turning the Turks out of both their first and second lines of trenches, with losses of eight guns and 9,000 men (including 1,300 prisoners), this result cost Townshend some 4,500 casualties of his own - about one-third of his force. Not only was Townshend's force too weak to renew the attack the next day, but by that evening he found himself beset by counter-attacks mounted by the Turks. These battles continued on 24 November, and by the following day had gathered impetus from the arrival of still further fresh troops from the Caucasus. Facing markedly superior enemy numbers, the British had no alternative but to begin a retreat which culminated in defeat at Kut el Amara (see Kut el Amara).

The Australian role in this action involved several airmen who were active both in the preparatory phase and during the battle itself. These were members of the Australian Flying Corps serving with No. 30 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps - the new name given to Mesopotamian Flight, RFC, from August. To cut off Baghdad's communication links with outlying bases, a decision was made to attempt to blow up the telegraph line running north and west of the capital. This required an aircraft to fly nearly 100 kilometres from Azizieh to beyond Baghdad, carrying explosives and fuel for the return flight.

Official History Map of the Ctesiphon battle.

The mission was attempted on 13 November (the day the 6th Division began its forward march) by an aircraft piloted by Captain Thomas White, AFC. The task was successfully accomplished but resulted in the aircraft and its two-man crew being captured on the ground by Turks and Arabs who were unexpectedly encountered in the vicinity. This was particularly unfortunate as White and his observer had noted the presence of large bodies of troops indicating 'apparent reinforcement', which might have given Townshend sufficient forewarning of the difficulties he could expect at Ctesiphon.

As a result of White's capture only one AFC pilot remained available to take part in the battle itself. This officer did useful service flying reconnaissance patrols which kept Townshend's headquarters informed of the attack's progress.

Lieutenant Harold William Treloar, No. 30 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps

Extracted from the book produced by Chris Coulthard-Clark, Where Australians Fought - The Encyclopaedia of Australia's Battles, Allen and Unwin, Sydney, 1998, p. 111.

Additional References cited by Chris Coulthard-Clark:

F.M. Cutlack, (1923), The Australian Flying Corps in the Western and Eastern Theatres of War 1914 - 1918, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

T.W White, (1928), Guests of the Unspeakable, Sydney: Angus & Robertson.

Further Reading:

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: Ctesiphon, Mesopotamia, November 22 to 25, 1915

Posted by Project Leader at 8:55 PM EAST

Updated: Tuesday, 14 April 2009 1:26 PM EADT

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The Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900, Roll of Honour
Topic: BatzB - Paardeberg

The Battle of Paardeberg

South Africa, 17-27 February 1900

Allied Forces

Roll of Honour

Poppies on the Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial, Canberra

The Roll of Honour contains the names of all the Allied forces known to have served and lost their lives during the Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900.

Roll of Honour

The Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900, Roll of Honour

Lest we forget

Further Reading:

The Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900

The Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900, Roll of Honour

Boer War, 1899 - 1902

Battles where Australians fought, 1899-1920

Citation: The Battle of Paardeberg, South Africa, 17-27 February 1900, Roll of Honour

Posted by Project Leader at 12:01 AM EAST

Updated: Thursday, 7 April 2011 9:52 AM EADT

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