German machine-guns

[1st AIF]

While we are at it, I am at Gallipoli this week and am looking for the machine gun positions that mowed down the AIF 4th Bde on 8th August between Hill 60 and Hill 100 in the Suvla area. I have seen Bean's maps but does anyone have them super imposed on google? Much appreciated.

Len

[bob lembke]

Dear Gentlemen,

"Dardanelles-Arıburnu, German Machine Gunners from the crew of SMS Breslau."

http://forum.axishis...122465&start=30

Best regards.

Tuncay

Very interesting link. As I think I said, the Breslau was undergoing a heavy overhaul or even dry-docking at the time, so the sense that I got from Doenitz was that most of the landing party was from that light cruiser, and not the Goeben, since they were more available, so to speak.

I think that the Germans also dismounted two 15 cm secondary battery guns from the Goeben and sent them and ammunition to Gallipoli, but that an Allied attack when they were being transported led to the loss of at least one of them.

Interesting that the Allies, when they briefly occupied part of Turkey, seemed to be busily destroying Turkish monuments on their own soil. I can recall, a couple of years ago, some rather arrogant posts, IMHO, about the soverign rights that the posters felt that the Allied powers still have today on Turkish territory, based on some agreements that the Allies imposed on Turkey 90 years ago. Sorry for that note, but I was quite offended (for the Turks), by the tone of those posts. I think that it is valuable that we have Turkish Pals cooperating with us in our studies here, I think we get more from them than just pieces of information. The tone of our posts is much more colleguial (sp?). Everyone was a victim at Gallipoli, except for a few "red tabs", perhaps.

Bob (the Hun)

[stevenbecker]

Mates,

It now appears that the report is correct and that German Naval MG crews arrived to help the Turks around Suvla, when we all mostly beleived that they only went to Helles.

Of cause we don't know how long these MG crews stayed at Suvla but they where there during a criticale time and help stop the British expandtion.

S.B

[bob lembke]

Would be interesting to know how many MGs the Goeben and Breslau actually carried to Turkey. Seems like more than a few, or perhaps normal. I already mentioned that their sailors had an especially intense infantry training; all German sailors had some. I think that German capital ships also had a few very light cannon (50 mm ?) for use by landing parties. I have never had these weapons mentioned in relation to Turkey in the German sources.

Bob

[michaeldr]

the Breslau was undergoing a heavy overhaul or even dry-docking at the time, so the sense that I got from Doenitz was that most of the landing party was from that light cruiser, and not the Goeben, since they were more available, so to speak.

Bob,

Dick van der Vat writing in his 'The Ship That Changed The World' [iSBN 1 84154 062 7] has it that the Breslau was "badly holed by a mine while returning from a patrol and just managed to reach a floating dock in sinking condition" This was in July 1915, but he gives no indication of the exact dates for the repairs.

regards

Michael

[bob lembke]

Bob,

Dick van der Vat writing in his 'The Ship That Changed The World' [iSBN 1 84154 062 7] has it that the Breslau was "badly holed by a mine while returning from a patrol and just managed to reach a floating dock in sinking condition" This was in July 1915, but he gives no indication of the exact dates for the repairs.

regards

Michael

Michael;

Thanks for that. I knew that once, but my studies are not focused on the Turkish/German/Russian naval warfare in 1915. I was wondering why the Breslau needed heavy repairs; it would not have been sent out from Germany to show the flag in the Med in a bad physical shape. Doenitz's book of course must have mentioned it.

Bob