National Experiences - British Commission for Military History

324 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
to Çanakkale under
anti-aircraft
fire, gave report
to Admiral
von Usedom and
thus, ensured
that the Fortress
Command made
itself ready for
the campaign. 5
Meanwhile,
Second Lieutenant
Pilot Cemal
saw the approaching
fleet by Bleriot
(Ertuğrul) and
confirmed the assault.
Before the
attacks started, the hostile naval-reconnaissance aircraft that had been unable to see
the mines had issued the certificate of clear ground. It used to be believed that the
mines cast in 8 m in depth could be seen from 1000 m high above. However, the
aircraft could only detect the ones that were very near to the sea level. The chopping
sea also prevented the mines to be detected. 6
Çanakkale under bombs.
Having beaten the outer
bastions of the Çanakkale
since February 1915, the
great armada, of British
and French vessels started
its main attack on March
18, 1915. The mines laid
by Nusrat mine vessel
and could not be detected
by minesweepers played
a major role at this wellknown
phase of the Battles
of Çanakkale. Of the allied
armada, Bouvet, Irresistible
and Ocean had sunk
Dropping of the airplanes onto sea by hoist.
5 Karl Stirling Schneide, Ibid., p. 94.
6 Yavuz Kansi, Ibid, p. 196.