National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

322 ai r p o w e r in 20 t H Ce n t u ry do C t r i n e s a n d em p l o y m e n t - nat i o n a l ex p e r i e n C e s
First Lieutenant Savmi Uçan. First Lieutenant Mehmet Cemal
(Durusoy).
Cavalry First Lieutenant Şakir Fevzi (General Fevzioğlu) who received pilot training
in Germany supported also First Lieutenant Serno. 1
The Strait of Çanakkale Fortress Command was being reinforced by German naval
artillery since September 1914. The Fortress Command was responsible for defense
lines at both sides of the Strait and under the command of Colonel Cevat Bey.
All Turkish and German aircraft in the area were assigned to the command of the
First Flight Company, which had been subordinate to Çanakkale until July 1915 and
subsequently assigned to the command of the 5th Army. The 5th Army, established
on March 25, 1915, was under the command of General Otto Liman von Sanders
having been chief of German military mission in Turkey who became Commander
of the 1st Army later. 2
The allies had a 40-aircraft combined air force for the air support, whereas the
Turks relied solely on Bleriot (Ertuğrul), Rumpler B. I. and three Albatros B. I. Aircraft.
3
1 The Air War, The Dardanelles Air Battles, Bülent Yilmazer, Mönch Press, Ankara, 2005, p. 53.
2 Richard T. Whistler, Over the Wine-Dark Sea, Aeral Aspects of the Dardanelles, Gallipoli Campaign,
Part III, Turco-German Aviation, Over the Front, 1994, USA, Vol. 9(3), pp. 231-233.
3 Karl Stirling Schneide, Aviation in the Dardanelles Campaign, March 1915-January 1916, International
Symposium on The Dardanelles Battles, Reasons and Results, TTK Press, Ankara, 1993, p.
94.