It
began as a naval operation, escalated into a ground offensive
and even involved an air component. WGCDR Geoff Willans looks
at the role of aircraft at Gallipoli
AIR support in World War I served as the crucible for the development
of military aviation.
At Gallipoli, the provision of air support progressively increased
from a few seaplanes to two wings of land-based aircraft. Missions
included offensive and defensive counter-air operations, strategic
strike, interdiction, shipping strike, anti-submarine patrols,
reconnaissance, close air support and naval gunfire support.
HMS Ark Royal – the first seaplane tender – joined the
fleet at Tenedos, to the south of Cape Helles, on February 17,
1915, launching an armed reconnaissance on the day of arrival.
The outer Dardanelles forts were shelled on February 19 and 25-26
using the seaplanes to direct the navy guns. The Turks abandoned
these forts and landing parties destroyed their heavy guns on
February 26-27 and March 1.
The inner forts were bombarded by warships on March 5-6 and 8
to little effect. Ark Royal launched many reconnaissances for
gun positions and mines from March 13-17. On March 18, the fleet
attempted decisive engagement of the inner forts. The objective
was to silence the forts so that minesweepers could clear the
minefields to allow the fleet to force the Dardanelles and lay
siege to Constantinople (now Istanbul). During the bombardment,
three battleships were sunk by newly laid mines with significant
loss of life, and three more were badly damaged. The engagement
was broken off and the fleet withdrew, leading to the decision
to make a land attack.
No. 3 Squadron Royal Naval Air Service arrived and was based on
Tenedos, flying many reconnaissances from March 28. A Turkish
airfield at Chanak Kale was attacked on April 18 and the hangar
and an aircraft destroyed. The arrival of 3RNAS released Ark Royal
to reconnoitre the northern Gallipoli Peninsula for the Anzac
landings and to provide feints.
A large Turkish troop encampment was bombed on April 23, but unfortunately
the Turks redeployed to a location nearer to Anzac Cove where
they were used in a counter-attack on the afternoon of April 25.
A kite-balloon ship, HMS Manica, also provided fire-control at
Anzac Cove. The Turkish battleship Turgud Reis manoeuvred in the
Dardanelles to disrupt the Anzac landings, firing across the peninsula.
She was driven off with air-controlled, battleship counter-fire.
As the Turkish batteries firing on the Anzac positions were well
concealed and would cease firing on approach of Ark Royal’s
seaplanes, efforts were made to keep the seaplanes over the Turkish
positions to restrict their fire.
On May 17, a 3RNAS aircraft observed unusual shipping activity
and a large, new encampment. The camp was bombed successfully
in the afternoon. Later reconnaissance confirmed a Turkish build-up.
The Turks launched an attack with four divisions against the Anzac
troops at dawn on May 19 but suffered heavy loss of life. Turkish
troop concentrations were also observed on June 28 and a second
Turkish effort to drive out the Australians and New Zealanders
failed on June 29-30.
A forward airfield was constructed on Cape Helles to allow urgent
reports to be made, but as the airfield was under observation
and artillery fire, aircraft were not based there. The value that
the Turks attached to the air effort can be gauged by the fact
that a decoy aircraft drew 650 rounds of artillery fire in three
days.
In total, aircraft conducted more than 70 shipping strikes.
The combined air and British submarine threat in the Sea of Marmara
severely limited shipping logistic support of the Turkish forces.
The Turks were forced to rely on road resupply which was also
heavily attacked. If sufficient aircraft and submarines had been
available early in the land engagement, the outcome might have
differed.
A seaplane torpedoed a Turkish transport on August 12 and on August
17 the exploit was repeated. Another torpedo seaplane on the same
day partially lost power, landed, taxied across to the Asiatic
side to a target, torpedoed the ship under fire, and, as a result
of the weight loss of the torpedo, took off and returned to the
Aegean Sea. These were the first aerial torpedo attacks.
After a German submarine torpedoed two British battleships off
Anzac Cove on May 25 and 27, Ark Royal was forced to Kephalo Bay
on Imbros and seaplane support of the ground forces was provided
from there. Much air effort then had to be directed to anti-submarine
patrol and enemy submarine attack.
In mid-September, a moving staff car was observed and bombed,
the occupants taking cover. When the occupants resumed their trip,
thinking the aircraft had moved off, they were re-attacked, the
second bomb just missing. One of the Turks was later found to
have been Mustapha Kemal – the legendary commander who later
became president of Turkey.
The Bulgarians entered the war on the German side in October 1915,
opening up the Berlin-Constantinople rail line for the delivery
of munitions to Turkey. Aeroplane and seaplane strikes were mounted
on the rail bridge over the River Maritza but, although damaged,
it could not be destroyed. The nearby rail station at Ferejik
was destroyed but the rail line could not be kept out of commission
for long. The Turks’ developing ability to bring heavy weaponry
against the Gallipoli beachheads was a critical factor forcing
the withdrawal.
The RNAS’s aggressive air tactics prevented hostile aircraft
overflying the beaches and observing the withdrawal activities
in December 1915 (Anzac Cove) and January 1916 (Cape Helles).
After the evacuation, the navy maintained a blockade of the Dardanelles.
Some of the air elements stayed at Imbros to support the blockade,
although three RNAS aircraft were shot down in January 1916 after
the withdrawal.
