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Battle of Beirut (1912): Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 33°53′13″N 35°30′47″E / 33.8869°N 35.5131°E / 33.8869; 35.5131
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{{Short description|Naval battle that occurred during the Italo-Turkish War}}
{{Short description|Naval battle that occurred during the Italo-Turkish War}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2020}}
{{Infobox military conflict
{{Infobox military conflict
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| combatant2 = {{flag|Ottoman Empire}}
| combatant2 = {{flag|Ottoman Empire}}
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} [[Paolo Thaon di Revel]]
| commander1 = {{flagicon|Kingdom of Italy}} [[Paolo Thaon di Revel]]
| commander2 = {{flagicon|Ottoman Empire}} [[Enver Pasha]]{{cn|date=October 2023}}
| commander2 = Unknown
| strength1 = 2 [[armoured cruiser]]s
| strength1 = 2 [[armoured cruiser]]s
| strength2 = 1 [[corvette]]<br>1 [[torpedo boat]]
| strength2 = 1 [[corvette]]<br>1 [[torpedo boat]]
| casualties1 = None
| casualties1 = None
| casualties2 = 1 corvette sunk<br> 1 torpedo boat sunk<br>6 [[Lighter (barge)|lighter]]s sunk
| casualties2 = 1 corvette sunk<br> 1 torpedo boat sunk<br>6 [[Lighter (barge)|lighter]]s sunk<br> 49–55 killed (including 2–3 officers)<br> 108 wounded (including 8 officers)
| notes = '''Civilian Casualties:''' 66 killed
| notes = '''Civilian Casualties:''' 66 killed
|campaignbox={{Campaignbox Italo-Turkish War}}
}}
}}
{{Campaignbox Italo-Turkish War}}


The '''Battle of Beirut''' was a [[naval battle]] off the coast of [[Beirut]] during the [[Italo-Turkish War]]. Italian fears that the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] naval forces at Beirut could be used to threaten the approach to the [[Suez Canal]] led the Italian military to order the destruction of the Ottoman naval presence in the area. On 24 February 1912 two Italian [[armoured cruiser]]s attacked and sank an Ottoman casemate [[corvette]] and six [[Lighter (barge)|lighter]]s, retired, then returned and sank an Ottoman [[torpedo boat]].
The '''Battle of Beirut''' was a [[naval battle]] off the coast of [[Beirut]] during the [[Italo-Turkish War]]. Italian fears that the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] naval forces at Beirut could be used to threaten the approach to the [[Suez Canal]] led the Italian military to order the destruction of the Ottoman naval presence in the area. On 24 February 1912 two Italian [[armoured cruiser]]s attacked and sank an Ottoman casemate [[corvette]] and six [[Lighter (barge)|lighter]]s, retired, then returned and sank an Ottoman [[torpedo boat]].
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==Background==
==Background==
During the Italo-Turkish War, the [[Italian military]] feared that Ottoman naval forces in the Mediterranean would stage a raid on the Italian supply and [[troopship]]s headed for [[Italian East Africa]]. In order to prevent such a raid, Rear Admiral [[Paolo Thaon di Revel]] was ordered to clear the harbour of Beirut of what Ottoman naval vessels he might find there. Revel's force consisted of two armoured cruisers: [[Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi (1899)|''Giuseppe Garibaldi'']] and [[Italian cruiser Francesco Ferruccio|''Francesco Ferruccio'']].{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1092}} Both cruisers were of the [[Giuseppe Garibaldi class cruiser|''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' class]] and armed with two 10-inch guns in turrets, ten 6-inch guns, six 4.7-inch guns, ten 6-pounders, ten 1-pounders, 2 Maxim machine guns, and five torpedo tubes.{{sfnp|Brassey|1898|p=36}}
During the Italo-Turkish War, the [[Italian military]] feared that Ottoman naval forces in the Mediterranean would stage a raid on the Italian supply and [[troopship]]s headed for [[Italian East Africa]]. In order to prevent such a raid, Rear Admiral [[Paolo Thaon di Revel]] was ordered to clear the harbour of Beirut of what Ottoman naval vessels he might find there. Revel's force consisted of two [[armoured cruiser]]s: [[Italian cruiser Giuseppe Garibaldi (1899)|''Giuseppe Garibaldi'']] and [[Italian cruiser Francesco Ferruccio|''Francesco Ferruccio'']].{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1092}} Both cruisers were of the [[Giuseppe Garibaldi class cruiser|''Giuseppe Garibaldi'' class]] and armed with two 10-inch guns in turrets, ten 6-inch guns, six 4.7-inch guns, ten 6-pounders, ten 1-pounders, 2 Maxim machine guns, and five torpedo tubes.{{sfnp|Brassey|1898|p=36}}


In contrast the Ottoman forces consisted of the casemate corvette {{ship|Ottoman ironclad|Avnillah||2}} and the torpedo boat ''Angora''.{{sfnp|Beehler|1913|p=54}} ''Angora'' was a relatively new vessel completed in 1906 and armed with two 37&nbsp;mm cannon as well as two 14-inch torpedo tubes with a pair of torpedoes per tube.{{sfnp|Gardiner|1985|p=392}} In contrast ''Avnillah'' was an antiquated ironclad corvette built in 1869. After reconstruction was completed in 1907 she was armed with four [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3-inch gun]]s and eight 6-pounders. In addition to her cannon, she was also armed with a single 14-inch [[torpedo tube]].{{sfnp|Gardiner|1985|p=389}} Thus the Ottoman force was entirely outgunned by the Italians, giving them a severe disadvantage in the looming battle.
In contrast the Ottoman forces consisted of the casemate corvette {{ship|Ottoman ironclad|Avnillah||2}} and the torpedo boat ''Angora''.{{sfnp|Beehler|1913|p=54}} ''Angora'' was a relatively new vessel completed in 1906 and armed with two 37&nbsp;mm cannon as well as two 14-inch torpedo tubes with a pair of torpedoes per tube.{{sfnp|Gardiner|1985|p=392}} In contrast ''Avnillah'' was an antiquated ironclad corvette built in 1869. After reconstruction was completed in 1907 she was armed with four [[3-inch/50-caliber gun|3-inch gun]]s and eight 6-pounders. In addition to her cannon, she was also armed with a single 14-inch [[torpedo tube]].{{sfnp|Gardiner|1985|p=389}} Thus the Ottoman force was entirely outgunned by the Italians, giving them a severe disadvantage in the looming battle.
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== Aftermath ==
== Aftermath ==
[[File:Ironclad Avnillah sunk NH 42779.tiff|thumb|right|The wreck of the ''Avnillah'' lying in Beirut harbour, photograph taken during [[World War I]]]]
[[File:Ottoman ironclad Avnillah sunk NH 42779.tiff|thumb|right|The wreck of the ''Avnillah'' lying in Beirut harbour, photograph taken during [[World War I]]]]
The Ottoman naval presence at Beirut was completely annihilated, removing the only Turkish naval threat to Italian transports in the area and giving the Italians complete naval dominance of the southern [[Mediterranean Sea]] for the rest of the war. Casualties on the Ottoman side were heavy. Both Ottoman warships were sunk, with ''Avnillah'' alone taking 2 officers and 49 enlisted killed and 19 wounded.{{sfnp|Büyüktuğrul|1974|p=84}} In contrast, the Italian ships not only took no casualties but no direct hits from the Ottoman warships as well.{{sfnp|Beehler|1913|p=106}} The damage was not restricted to the Ottoman naval vessels present at Beirut, as the city took heavy damage as well. Stray shots from the cruisers decimated the city. Fires broke out as a direct result of the stray gunfire, destroying several banks and part of the city's [[customs house]] as well as other buildings. Combined from the fires and shelling, 66 civilians were killed in the city along with hundreds of others wounded.{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1094}}
The Ottoman naval presence at Beirut was completely annihilated, removing the only Turkish naval threat to Italian transports in the area and giving the Italians complete naval dominance of the southern [[Mediterranean Sea]] for the rest of the war. Casualties on the Ottoman side were heavy. Both Ottoman warships were sunk, with ''Avnillah'' alone taking 2 officers and 49 enlisted killed and 19 wounded.{{sfnp|Büyüktuğrul|1974|p=84}} In contrast, the Italian ships not only took no casualties but no direct hits from the Ottoman warships as well.{{sfnp|Beehler|1913|p=106}} The damage was not restricted to the Ottoman naval vessels present at Beirut, as the city took heavy damage as well. Stray shots from the cruisers decimated the city. Fires broke out as a direct result of the stray gunfire, destroying several banks and part of the city's [[customs house]] as well as other buildings. Combined from the fires and shelling, 66 civilians were killed in the city along with hundreds of others wounded.{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1094}}


As retribution for the Italian actions at Beirut, four days after the battle the central Ottoman government ordered the Wilyets of Beirut, [[Aleppo]], and [[Damascus]] to expel all Italian citizens from their jurisdictions, resulting in the [[deportation]] of over 60,000 Italians from the region. Despite the retaliatory expulsion of Italian citizens from the area, the battle gave the Italian forces complete naval superiority in the approaches to the Suez Canal and Italian forces in Eritrea could now be reinforced without hesitation, eliminating much of the Ottoman threat to the region. Thus the battle was both a strategic and tactical Italian victory.{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1094}}
As retribution for the Italian actions at Beirut, four days after the battle the central Ottoman government ordered the Wilyets of Beirut, [[Aleppo]], and [[Damascus]] to expel all Italian citizens from their jurisdictions, resulting in the [[deportation]] of 50,000 Italians from the region.{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1094}}<ref>{{cite journal |last1=McCollum |first1=Jonathan Claymore |title=The Anti-Colonial Empire: Ottoman Mobilization and Resistance in the Italo-Turkish War, 1911-1912 |journal=UCLA History |date=2018 |page=53 |url=https://escholarship.org/content/qt5341c962/qt5341c962_noSplash_536c6c9a453c6ced0c2643a82cae670e.pdf |access-date=23 September 2024}}</ref> Despite the retaliatory expulsion of Italian citizens from the area, the battle gave the Italian forces complete naval superiority in the approaches to the Suez Canal and Italian forces in Eritrea could now be reinforced without hesitation, eliminating much of the Ottoman threat to the region. Thus the battle was both a strategic and tactical Italian victory.{{sfnp|Earle|1912|p=1094}}


== Citations ==
== Citations ==
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==References==
==References==
{{Commons category|Battle of Beirut (1912)}}
{{Commons category|Battle of Beirut (1912)}}

{{refbegin|indent=yes}}
*{{cite book |title=Article 5 – No Title |work=The New York Times |date=26 February 1912 |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/02/26/100519427.pdf |ref={{sfnref|Article 5|1912}}}}
*{{cite news|title=Article 5 – No Title |work=The New York Times |date=26 February 1912 |url=https://timesmachine.nytimes.com/timesmachine/1912/02/26/100519427.pdf |ref={{sfnref|Article 5|1912}}}}
*{{cite book | last = Beehler| first = William| title = The history of the Italian-Turkish War, September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912| publisher = The Advertiser Republican | year = 1913| location =Annapolis| url = https://archive.org/details/historyitaliant00beehgoog| page = [https://archive.org/details/historyitaliant00beehgoog/page/n65 58]| quote = awn illah.| oclc = 63576798 }}
*{{cite book | last = Beehler| first = William| title = The history of the Italian-Turkish War, September 29, 1911, to October 18, 1912| publisher = The Advertiser Republican | year = 1913| location =Annapolis| url = https://archive.org/details/historyitaliant00beehgoog| page = [https://archive.org/details/historyitaliant00beehgoog/page/n65 58]| quote = awn illah.| oclc = 63576798 }}
*{{cite book | last = Brassey | first = T. A. | title = Naval Annual 1898| publisher = J. Griffin and Co.| year = 1898 | location = Portsmouth| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KhcuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA35}}
*{{cite book | last = Brassey | first = T. A. | title = Naval Annual 1898| publisher = J. Griffin and Co.| year = 1898 | location = Portsmouth| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=KhcuAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA35}}
*{{cite book | last = Büyüktuğrul |first = Afif |title=Osmanlı Deniz Harp Tarihi |volume = 4 |publisher = Genelkurmay Başkanlığı Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı |language = Turkish |year = 1974 |url = https://denizmuzesi.dzkk.tsk.tr/dmk/upload/files/202005/5ecfb00735ef8-1590669319.pdf }}
*{{cite book |last = Büyüktuğrul |first = Afif |title = Osmanlı Deniz Harp Tarihi |volume = 4 |publisher = Genelkurmay Başkanlığı Deniz Kuvvetleri Komutanlığı |language = Turkish |year = 1974 |url = https://denizmuzesi.dzkk.tsk.tr/dmk/upload/files/202005/5ecfb00735ef8-1590669319.pdf |access-date = 4 October 2020 |archive-date = 8 October 2020 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20201008162602/https://denizmuzesi.dzkk.tsk.tr/dmk/upload/files/202005/5ecfb00735ef8-1590669319.pdf |url-status = dead }}
*{{cite book | last = Earle| first = Ralph| authorlink = Ralph Earle (American naval officer)| title = Naval Institute proceedings, Volume 38| publisher = United States Naval Institute| year = 1912| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZzJoYNBHEEC&pg=PA1092}}
*{{cite book | last = Earle| first = Ralph| authorlink = Ralph Earle (American naval officer)| title = Naval Institute proceedings, Volume 38| publisher = United States Naval Institute| year = 1912| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZZzJoYNBHEEC&pg=PA1092}}
*{{cite book| last = Gardiner | first = Robert | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1906–1921| publisher = Conway Maritime Press| year = 1985 | location = London| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=V2r_TBjR2TYC&pg=PP4 | isbn = 978-0-87021-907-8}}
*{{cite book| last = Gardiner | first = Robert | title = Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921| publisher = Conway Maritime Press| year = 1985 | location = London| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=V2r_TBjR2TYC&pg=PP4 | isbn = 978-0-87021-907-8}}
*{{cite book | last = Hidden| first = Andrew W. | title = The Ottoman Dynasty| publisher = Nicholas Hidden| year = 1912 | location = New York| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVtFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA452}}
*{{cite book | last = Hidden| first = Andrew W. | title = The Ottoman Dynasty| publisher = Nicholas Hidden| year = 1912 | location = New York| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=ZVtFAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA452}}


==Further reading==
==Further reading==
*{{cite book | last = Ellis| first = Raff | title = Kisses From a Distance| publisher = Cune Press| year = 2007 | location = Seattle| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XfvuZeRUEckC&pg=PA129| isbn =978-1-885942-45-6 |ref=none}}
*{{cite book| last = Ellis| first = Raff| title = Kisses From a Distance| publisher = Cune Press| year = 2007| location = Seattle| url = https://books.google.com/books?id=XfvuZeRUEckC&pg=PA129| isbn = 978-1-885942-45-6| ref = none}}{{Dead link|date=September 2023 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}
{{refend}}


{{Ottoman battles in the 20th century}}
{{Ottoman battles in the 20th century}}
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{{good article}}
{{good article}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Beirut, Battle of}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Beirut 1912}}
[[Category:Conflicts in 1912]]
[[Category:1912 in the Ottoman Empire]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of the Italo-Turkish War]]
[[Category:Naval battles and operations of the Italo-Turkish War]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1912]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in 1912]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in Lebanon]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in Lebanon]]
[[Category:History of Beirut]]
[[Category:Military history of Beirut]]
[[Category:Battles of the Italo-Turkish War]]
[[Category:February 1912 events]]
[[Category:February 1912 events]]
[[Category:20th century in Beirut]]
[[Category:20th century in Beirut]]

Latest revision as of 13:48, 25 September 2024

Battle of Beirut
Part of the Italo-Turkish War

A sketch of warship positions
during the Battle of Beirut.
Date24 February 1912
Location33°53′13″N 35°30′47″E / 33.8869°N 35.5131°E / 33.8869; 35.5131
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Italy Kingdom of Italy  Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Kingdom of Italy Paolo Thaon di Revel Ottoman Empire Enver Pasha[citation needed]
Strength
2 armoured cruisers 1 corvette
1 torpedo boat
Casualties and losses
None 1 corvette sunk
1 torpedo boat sunk
6 lighters sunk
49–55 killed (including 2–3 officers)
108 wounded (including 8 officers)
Civilian Casualties: 66 killed

The Battle of Beirut was a naval battle off the coast of Beirut during the Italo-Turkish War. Italian fears that the Ottoman naval forces at Beirut could be used to threaten the approach to the Suez Canal led the Italian military to order the destruction of the Ottoman naval presence in the area. On 24 February 1912 two Italian armoured cruisers attacked and sank an Ottoman casemate corvette and six lighters, retired, then returned and sank an Ottoman torpedo boat.

As a result of the battle all Ottoman naval forces in the region were annihilated, thus ensuring the approaches to the Suez Canal were open to the Italians. Besides the naval losses, the city of Beirut itself suffered significant damage from the Italian warships.

Background

[edit]

During the Italo-Turkish War, the Italian military feared that Ottoman naval forces in the Mediterranean would stage a raid on the Italian supply and troopships headed for Italian East Africa. In order to prevent such a raid, Rear Admiral Paolo Thaon di Revel was ordered to clear the harbour of Beirut of what Ottoman naval vessels he might find there. Revel's force consisted of two armoured cruisers: Giuseppe Garibaldi and Francesco Ferruccio.[1] Both cruisers were of the Giuseppe Garibaldi class and armed with two 10-inch guns in turrets, ten 6-inch guns, six 4.7-inch guns, ten 6-pounders, ten 1-pounders, 2 Maxim machine guns, and five torpedo tubes.[2]

In contrast the Ottoman forces consisted of the casemate corvette Avnillah and the torpedo boat Angora.[3] Angora was a relatively new vessel completed in 1906 and armed with two 37 mm cannon as well as two 14-inch torpedo tubes with a pair of torpedoes per tube.[4] In contrast Avnillah was an antiquated ironclad corvette built in 1869. After reconstruction was completed in 1907 she was armed with four 3-inch guns and eight 6-pounders. In addition to her cannon, she was also armed with a single 14-inch torpedo tube.[5] Thus the Ottoman force was entirely outgunned by the Italians, giving them a severe disadvantage in the looming battle.

Battle

[edit]
An Italian cruiser bombards two Ottoman ships with smoke billowing over the city.
An Italian cruiser shelling Ottoman vessels in Beirut harbour

The two Italian cruisers approached the harbour and fired a blank shot at the Ottoman vessels lying there.[1] Upon sighting the Italian ships, the Ottoman commander on Avnillah sent out a launch under a flag of truce to communicate with the enemy. While negotiating, the Ottoman commander ordered Angora to position itself near the harbour's mole. At 07:30, Admiral Revel ordered the Ottoman launch to return with an ultimatum addressed to the Wāli of Beirut informing him to surrender his two warships by 09:00.[6] The message was received by the Wali at 08:30. The Wali was in the process of issuing an order of surrender but this was not received by the Italians by the deadline. Accordingly, at 09:00, the Italians began their attack on the Ottoman ships in the harbor.[7]

At a distance of 6,000 metres (6,600 yards), the Italians opened fire upon the Ottoman corvette. The Ottomans returned fire ineffectively until 09:35 when the Italian gunfire set Avnillah afire. Receiving heavy damage and outgunned, the corvette struck her colours and the crew abandoned ship. At this point Garibaldi sailed in close and engaged Angora at 600 metres (660 yards) with gunfire but failed to damage it.[1] Garibaldi then attempted to finish off Avnillah by firing a torpedo at her. However, the torpedo deviated from its trajectory and hit several lighters moored nearby, sinking six of them.[8] Undeterred, the Italian cruiser fired a second torpedo that struck the Ottoman corvette amidships. By 11:00 the corvette was sunk in shallow water and the pair of cruisers withdrew to the north.[9] The action was not over however; at 13:45, the Italian cruisers returned and once more engaged the Ottoman forces. The only warship left in the harbour was the torpedo boat Angora so Ferruccio moved in close and engaged it with gunfire for three minutes before it joined Avni-Illah at the bottom of Beirut's harbour. Once the fighting had ended the two Italian cruisers sailed off in a westward direction.[10]

Aftermath

[edit]
The wreck of the Avnillah lying in Beirut harbour, photograph taken during World War I

The Ottoman naval presence at Beirut was completely annihilated, removing the only Turkish naval threat to Italian transports in the area and giving the Italians complete naval dominance of the southern Mediterranean Sea for the rest of the war. Casualties on the Ottoman side were heavy. Both Ottoman warships were sunk, with Avnillah alone taking 2 officers and 49 enlisted killed and 19 wounded.[11] In contrast, the Italian ships not only took no casualties but no direct hits from the Ottoman warships as well.[12] The damage was not restricted to the Ottoman naval vessels present at Beirut, as the city took heavy damage as well. Stray shots from the cruisers decimated the city. Fires broke out as a direct result of the stray gunfire, destroying several banks and part of the city's customs house as well as other buildings. Combined from the fires and shelling, 66 civilians were killed in the city along with hundreds of others wounded.[10]

As retribution for the Italian actions at Beirut, four days after the battle the central Ottoman government ordered the Wilyets of Beirut, Aleppo, and Damascus to expel all Italian citizens from their jurisdictions, resulting in the deportation of 50,000 Italians from the region.[10][13] Despite the retaliatory expulsion of Italian citizens from the area, the battle gave the Italian forces complete naval superiority in the approaches to the Suez Canal and Italian forces in Eritrea could now be reinforced without hesitation, eliminating much of the Ottoman threat to the region. Thus the battle was both a strategic and tactical Italian victory.[10]

Citations

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c Earle (1912), p. 1092.
  2. ^ Brassey (1898), p. 36.
  3. ^ Beehler (1913), p. 54.
  4. ^ Gardiner (1985), p. 392.
  5. ^ Gardiner (1985), p. 389.
  6. ^ Article 5 (1912), p. 1.
  7. ^ Hidden (1912), p. 456.
  8. ^ Beehler (1913), p. 97.
  9. ^ Beehler (1913), p. 55.
  10. ^ a b c d Earle (1912), p. 1094.
  11. ^ Büyüktuğrul (1974), p. 84.
  12. ^ Beehler (1913), p. 106.
  13. ^ McCollum, Jonathan Claymore (2018). "The Anti-Colonial Empire: Ottoman Mobilization and Resistance in the Italo-Turkish War, 1911-1912" (PDF). UCLA History: 53. Retrieved 23 September 2024.

References

[edit]

Further reading

[edit]