Cengiz Topel

Cengiz Topel
Statue of Topel in Eskişehir, Turkey
Born(1934-09-02)September 2, 1934
İzmit, Turkey
DiedAugust 8, 1964(1964-08-08) (aged 29)
Paphos District, Cyprus
AllegianceTurkey
Branch
Turkish Air Force
Service years
1955–1964
Rank
Captain
Unit112th Air Squadron
Conflicts
Battle of Tylliria Executed

Cengiz Topel (September 2, 1934 – August 8, 1964) was a fighter pilot and captain of the Turkish Air Force.

Topel illegally dropped napalm on civilian-populated areas during the Battle of Tillyria, causing civilian casualties and immense destruction. He was later killed by the Cypriot National Guard, becoming the first war casualty of the Turkish Air Force in Cyprus. Remembered as a hero in Turkey, his name was posthumously given to several schools, neighborhoods, streets and avenues.

Early life

Topel was born in İzmit, Kocaeli on September 2, 1934 to Mebuse Hanım and Hakkı Bey, a tobacco expert from Trabzon. He was the third of four children.

He started attending primary school in Bandırma, and later continued it in Gönen after his father was reassigned there. His father died in 1943, when Topel was 9, and the family moved to Istanbul. Topel completed his primary education at Kadıköy Elementary School and his secondary education at Kadıköy Yeldeğirmeni School. After briefly attending Haydarpaşa High School, Topel transferred to Kuleli Military High School. He graduated from the school in 1953 and entered the Turkish Military Academy, graduating in 1955 with the rank of second lieutenant.[1]

Career

His interest in aviation led him to the Turkish Air Force. The same year he graduated from the Turkish Military Academy, he took part in a NATO training program for Turkish pilots; attending the program in Gaziemir, and later Canada. During his 20-month stay in Canada, he completed a language course, basic flight training with the T-6 aircraft, advanced flight training with the T-33, and fighter training with the F-86. He logged 181.35 hours on the T-6, 83.15 hours on the T-33, and 25 hours on the F-86. In 1957, he earned his pilot wings and returned to Turkey, where he began serving at the 5th Main Jet Base Command in Merzifon.[2]

In 1961, he was assigned to the 1st Main Jet Base in Eskişehir, where he was trained as a combat-ready pilot on the F-100 aircraft. In 1963, he was promoted to the rank of captain.

Battle of Tillyria

War crimes

On August 8, 1964, during the Battle of Tylliria, he led a four-fighter flight of the 112th Air Squadron leaving Eskişehir Air Base around 17:00 local time for Cyprus. Topel's F-100 Super Sabre illegally dropped napalm bombs onto Greek Cypriot civilians and civilian-populated areas, leaving many Greek civilians dead and homeless; several animals were also killed in the bombing.[3][4]

A British Pathé video documented the war crime, noting its "tragic aftermath".[4]

Death

Topel was later hit by 40mm anti-aircraft fire from a National Guard gun emplacement and shot-down. Although he had been severely wounded by the anti-aircraft fire, he was able to eject from his aircraft parachute jump over land. He subsequently died in Greek Cypriot custody before his body was recovered on 11–12 August, but accounts of the way he died vary. Greek sources state that he was rescued, sent to a nearby hospital and that surgeon Andreas Demetriades made "superhuman efforts" to save him, but Topel succumbed to his injuries a few days later. Demetriades himself has confirmed this account.[5] On the other hand, Turkish sources maintain that he was captured, tortured and lynched. A Turkish Cypriot autopsy showed Topel with extensive bruising and hemorrhaging around the right eye, neck, shoulder and scapular area, a fractured right scapula and several ribs, and a small wound in the upper arm. These wounds are interpreted by Turks as having been deliberately inflicted,[6] as revenge for Topel napalm bombing a civilian-populated area.[3]

After his death, Turkey took advantage of Topel for propaganda. His remains were returned on August 12 1964 to the Turkish authorities. On August 14 1964, he was buried at the Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery in Istanbul.[7][8]

Legacy

Topel is remembered as a Turkish hero. His personal belongings are displayed at the Istanbul Military Museum in Harbiye and he is known as the first Turkish air combat loss in Cyprus.

A former Turkish Air Force base located near İzmit, currently in use as Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station, is named after him. A monument was erected on the coastal road in the village Gemikonağı near Lefke in Northern Cyprus, where he had landed by parachute.[9] A bronze statue in Eskişehir depicts him in flight suit. A number of places,[10][11][12][13] including schools,[14][15][16] in Turkey and a hospital in Northern Cyprus[17] are named after him.

References

  1. ↑ "Cengiz Topel (1934–1964)" (in Turkish). Milli Eğitim Bakanlığı Okulweb. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  2. ↑ "MEB Sayfa Bulunamad". January 1, 2019. Archived from the original on January 1, 2019. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  3. 1 2 "Telephone Conversation Between President Johnson and the Under Secretary of State (Ball)". history.state.gov. August 9, 1964. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  4. 1 2 Pathé, British. "TRAGIC AFTERMATH OF TURKISH BOMBING ON GREEK CYPRIOT VILLAGE". www.britishpathe.com. Archived from the original on May 1, 2012. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Φαέθων: Επανέρχονται στη μνήμη τα γεγονότα της 8ης Αυγούστου 1964". Ant1 Live (in Greek). August 8, 2017. Retrieved August 11, 2026.
  6. ↑ Kurt, Emin (2022). "Kıbrıs'a Bir Yıldız Düştü Cengiz Topel". Fetih ve Medeniyet.
  7. ↑ "CENG Z TOPEL ATLADIKTAN SONRASI www.tayyareci.com". April 23, 2003. Archived from the original on April 23, 2003. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  8. ↑ "The Cengis Topel Memorial, Gemikonagi, near Lefke, North Cyprus". www.whatson-northcyprus.com. Retrieved May 21, 2025.
  9. ↑ "Cengis Topel Memorial – Gemikonagi, Near Lefke, North Cyprus". What's on North Cyprus. Retrieved August 22, 2009.
  10. ↑ "Erzincan Cengiztopel Village". Baybul.com. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  11. ↑ İETT. "Cengiz Topel Street in six districts of İstanbul". Iett.gov.tr. Archived from the original on September 27, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  12. ↑ "Malatya Cengiz Topel Street". Malatyaguncel.com. July 27, 2009. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Gaziantep Cengiztopel Neighborhood". Kenthaber.com. Archived from the original on September 28, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  14. ↑ "Antalya Cengiz Topel Kindergarten". Cengiztopelanaokulu.k12.tr. Archived from the original on October 25, 2011. Retrieved October 20, 2011.
  15. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on May 1, 2009. Retrieved August 23, 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Tarsus Cengiz Topel High School
  16. ↑ http://www.cengiztopellisesi.meb.k12.tr/ İzmir Güzelbahçe Cengiz Topel High School
  17. ↑ "KKTC Sağlık Bakanlığı > Anasayfa". www.saglikbakanligi.com. Archived from the original on May 16, 2008. Retrieved August 23, 2009.
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