ANTI-SUBMARINE NET IN KILYE KOY
the first authentic hotel on the Gallipoli peninsula
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The chief
interest wich I found in this part of the Dardanelles was purely historic and
legendary. The ancient town of Lampsacus appeared in the modern Lapsaki, just
across from Gallipoli, and Nagara Point is the site of the ancient Abydos,
from which village Leander used to swim nightly across to Hellespont to Hero—a
feet which was repeated about hundred years ago by Lord Byron. Here also
Xerxes crossed from Asia to Greece on a bridge of boats, embarking on that
famous expedition which was to make him master of mankind. The spirit of
Xerxes, I thought, as I passed the scene of his exploit, is still quite active
in the world ! The Germans and Turks had found a less romantic use for this,
the narrowest part of the Dardanelles , for here they had stretched a cable
and anti-submarine barrage of mines and nets---a device, which, as I shall
describe, did not keep the English and French underwater boats out of the
Marmora and the Bosphorus.
"Ambassador Morgenthau’s Story", (Kessinger Publications), p. 130-131
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updated : 26/08/07
At Gallipoli
these submarines were faced with an objective which was entirely new and
fantastically dangerous. If they could once get through to the Sea of Marmara
they knew they could do pretty much what they liked with the Turkish
shipping, more particulary with the vessels that were bringing down
reinforcements and supplies to Liman’s army on the peninsula. But how to get
there, how to penetrate the Dardanelles?
The straits
were swept all night by searchlights, and as soon as a submarine surfaced, as
it was practically bound to do in the course of the forty-mile journey, it was
not only fired on but ran the risk of being caught by the various currents
that set towards the shore. Ten lines of mines off Kephez Point had to be
negociated, and beyond these there were the Narrows, under a mile wide, with
guns on either side and patrol boats on the watch. There was another hazard :
a stream of fresh water about ten fathoms deep poured down the Dardanelles
from the Sea of Marmara, and it was of much lighter density than the salt
water below. This made a kind of barrier in the sea, and as they passed
through it the submarines were thrown violently out of control. It was not
unlike the experiences of the first supersonic aircraft when they met the
sound barrier in the sky; no one could make out why this strange, deadly
disturbance should occur, and the commanders were forced to rise to the
surface where they at once came under fire from the enemy batteries on the
shore.
"Gallipoli", (Ware 1997), Alan Moorehead, p. 170
SILENT WITNESSES
battlefield relics
& exhibits - The Dardanelles