Bombing of Constantinople in World War I

Constantinople (Istanbul), the capital and largest city of the Ottoman Empire, was subjected to several air raids during World War I by British aircraft between 1916 and 1918. On 9 March 1916, three British planes on a reconnaissance mission flew above Istanbul and dropped a small amount of bombs.[1] This was followed by an air raid on 12 April 1916,[1][2] when two British planes, departing from the island of Imbros in the Aegean Sea, released a total of 11 incendiary devices on the aircraft hangars in Yeşilköy and on a munitions plant in Zeytinburnu.[1][2] Propaganda leaflets were also disseminated over the city.[2]

History

In some of the strategic bombing raids in Istanbul, civilians were also killed or wounded, with damage to their properties. The British aircraft were deployed to positions in the aerial hinterland of Istanbul and the Turkish Straits, namely to the North Aegean Islands belonging to Greece, in particular Lemnos, Thasos and Imbros (the latter was a part of the Kingdom of Greece from 1913 to 1923, when it was ceded to Turkey), from where they would perform combat and bombing missions. Thus, the Minister of War, Enver Pasha, sent a threatening note to the United Kingdom for protesting the air strikes and civilian casualties.[3]

The bombings led to the extension of an electric power line to the headquarters of the Ottoman Aviation Squadrons in Yeşilköy to speed up communication; to the transfer of more experienced pilots to the aviation squadrons;[3] to the establishment of the İstanbul Muharebat-ı Havaiyye Komutanlığı (Istanbul Command of Air Defense); and to the acknowledgment by the Ottoman government that the danger was much greater than previously thought.[2]

The government took measures to protect the civilian population from the bombing raids, but in many cases it failed; this led to increased government censorship of news reports about the casualties and public resentment. An effective reconnaissance network was created, which applied the following principle: whenever enemy aircraft approached, a blackout would darken the city, while the light of the projectors would track them for assisting anti-aircraft fire. The Ottoman 9th Aviation Squadron took responsibility for chasing and engaging enemy aircraft. This contributed to minimal damage to the city during July–August 1918.[2] On 13 August 1918 the Ottoman government announced new directives aimed at the active protection of the population. Citizens were obliged to be more careful and to beware of espionage activities. The commission Tetkik-i Hasarat Komisyonu was created to help the civilians and restore their damaged property. According to British reports, while Istanbul was vulnerable to air strikes, the British were not able to create the "atmosphere of fear and panic" that they expected among the public.[3]

During the war, the Ottoman cities of Trabzon,[4][5] İzmir[6] and Giresun[7] were also bombarded.

Chronology

Date Air Force Area Victims Notes
9 July 1917 two British planes Istanbul from the west, İstinye 30 sailors killed,

10 injuries

 The British wanted to destroy the aircraft hangars in Yeşilköy, to cause damage to the Ministry of War building in Beyazıt, and to sink the battlecruiser Yavuz Sultan Selim which was anchored at the naval facility in İstinye on the European shore of the Bosporus strait. Although the first two targets were bombed, the last one was missed.[2]
9 March 1918 unknown unknown unknown unknown[8]
7[2] or 9 July[8] 1918 five bombing raids Zeytinburnu, the train station in Haydarpaşa, the Golden Horn, Selimiye, Davutpaşa Barracks, Gülhane Gardens unknown Instead of running away, civilians came out to the streets to see the falling bombs.[2]
23 July 1918 seven British planes Hasköy, Yeşilköy injured people in Yeşilköy Houses in Hasköy were damaged.[8] The airstrike took place two months after Sultan Mehmed VI ascended the throne.[9]
27 July 1918 two British planes Istanbul Electric Factory, Tersane, Kağıthane, Galata Bridge 5 or 6 killed,

many injured

 Not reported in newspapers due to censorship.[8]
20 August 1918 four bombs Ayvansaray, Esirkapı, Fener, Beyazıt, Eyüp, Karagümrük, Yeşilköy 5 injuries 1 shop, 4 houses, and a wall were damaged, the attack lasted 15 minutes.[10]
22 August 1918 nine bombs Samatya, Beyazıt, Eyüp, Karagümrük, Pangaltı, Hasköy, Ayasofya 2 killed,

6 injured

 One shop, two hamams, two walls, and 9 houses were damaged.[11]
25 or 27 August 1918 unknown unknown 1 child killed,

11 civilians injured

 Propaganda brochures were also dropped.[9]
26 August 1918 two planes Bakırköy, Hasköy, Eyüp, Beyazıt, Eminönü, Unkapanı, Aksaray, Karagümrük 2 injuries 8 houses, one wall, one hotel, one coffeeshop and one inn were damaged.[12]
27-28 August 1918 17 bombs Hasköy, Kalenderhane, Üsküdar, Kasımpaşa, Bahriye Garden 3 killed

17 injured

 12 houses, one hamam, one bakery shop and one wall were destroyed, a wounded British aviator was captured; in response the Ottomans launched an air attack on Thasos and Lemnos and destroyed three British aircraft.[13]
13 September 1918 unknown unknown unknown unknown[8]
20-21[2] or 22–23 September 13 bombs unsuccessful none The two planes were destroyed, a British pilot was captured.[14]
18 October 1918 first wave - seven planes

second wave - five planes

 Beyazıt, Üsküdar, Eminönü, Galata, Unkapanı, Fatih, Samatya, Karaköy, Aksaray, Şehremini, Karagümrük, Fener, Kumkapı, Kasımpaşa, Eyüp, Hasköy, Pangaltı, Arnavutköy, Beyoğlu 50-70 civilians killed,

100-200 civilians injured

 The most serious air strike.[9] The Sultan sought refuge in a mosque, since he was exposed to the bombings while going to the Friday prayer.[2]
25 October 1918 six British planes unsuccessful none Captain Fazıl Bey from the 9th Squadron incapacitated a British reconnaissance aircraft.[2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Osman Gazi Baykal (11 October 2015). "1. DÜNYA SAVAŞINDA İSTANBUL VE İZMİR'İN HAVADAN BOMBALANMASI". airkule.com. Airkule.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 "Air Defense". Turkey in the First World War. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  3. 1 2 3 Kurt, Emin; Güvenbaş, Mesut (2018). Birinci Dünya Savaşı'nda İstanbul'a Yapılan Hava Saldırıları [Air Raids on Istanbul in World War I]. Istanbul: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları. ISBN 978-605-295-369-3.
  4. ↑ Tetik, Ahmet; Kiper, Sema; Seven, Ayşe; Demirtaş, Serdar (2005). Birinci Dünya Savaşın'da Doğu Cephesi Harekatı [The Eastern Front During the WWI] (PDF). Ankara: Genelkurmay Basın Evi. p. 38.
  5. ↑ Bal, Mehmet Akif (2011). "Trabzon'un Rus Donanmasınca Bombardımanı ve Bombardımanın Trabzon'a Etkileri (1914-1916)" [The Bombardment of Trabzon by the Russian Navy and the Effects of the Bombardment on Trabzon (1914-1916)]. Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi Dergisi. 27 (81): 545–576. eISSN 2667-5420. ISSN 1011-727X.
  6. ↑ Bakacak, Alper. "I. Dünya Savaşında İzmir Bombardımanı (5-9 Mart 1915)" [Bombardment of Izmir in World War I (March 5–9, 1915)] (PDF). Çağdaş Türkiye Tarihi Araştırmaları Dergisi: 5–27.
  7. ↑ Yüksel, Ayhan (2014). "Birinci Dünya Savaşı Yıllarında Giresun" [Giresun during the years of World War I]. Karadeniz İncelemeleri Dergisi. 17 (17): 55–70.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 Selçuk, Mustafa (2014). "Birinci Dünya Savaşın'da İtilaf Devletleri'nin İstanbul'a Yönelik Hava Taaruzları" [The Allied Powers' Air Attacks on Istanbul in World War I]. Marmara Türkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi: 101.
  9. 1 2 3 "ISTANBUL DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR YEARS | History of Istanbul". istanbultarihi.ist. Retrieved 2025-04-15.
  10. ↑ Selçuk 2014, p. 102.
  11. ↑ Selçuk 2014, pp. 102–103.
  12. ↑ Selçuk 2014, p. 103.
  13. ↑ Selçuk 2014, p. 103-104.
  14. ↑ Selçuk 2014, p. 104.
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