TCG Atılay

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Turkish submarine Atilay DzKK.jpg
Atılay underway at sea
History
Turkey
NameTCG Atılay
BuilderGermaniawerft, Kiel
Laid down14 August 1937[1][unreliable source?]
Launched1938
StatusMined and sunk 14 July 1942
General characteristics [2]
Class and typeAy-class submarine (model:Germania)
Displacement934 long tons (949 t) surfaced 1,210 long tons (1,230 t) submerged
Length80.0 m (262 ft 6 in)
Beam6.40 m (21 ft 0 in)
Draught4.26 m (14 ft 0 in)
Propulsion2 shafts

Burmeister & Wain diesels: 3,500 bhp (2,600 kW)

2 electric motors: 1,000 shp (750 kW)
Speed20 kn (23 mph; 37 km/h) surfaced 9 kn (10 mph; 17 km/h) dived
Armament6× 533 mm (21 inch) torpedo tubes

1× 100 mm gun

1× 20 mm anti-aircraft gun
Turkish Navy submarine Atılay during launch in 1939.
Hand-written decree of President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk on 17 January 1938 for naming the four submarines. (Document is exhibited at Istanbul Naval Museum).

TCG Atılay was a submarine of the Turkish Navy, which sank on 14 July 1942. Its wreck was located after more than 50 years.

She was built at Germaniawerft, Kiel, being launched in 1938.[2] Her name was chosen as Atılay personally by a written decree of the founder of the modern Turkey President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (1881–1938). Her sister submarines were named , Batıray and . She was commissioned on 19 May 1939. The submarine was 80 m (260 ft) long and her full crew was 52.[3][unreliable source?]

Sinking[]

On 14 July 1942, Atılay was tasked by the Fleet Command to conduct testing on underwater magnetic security lines in the Dardanelles Strait.[4] Carrying 38 crew,[4] she was commanded by LCdr Sadi Gürcan.[3]

The vessel came to Çanakkale and moored around 7:30 hours local time. After a briefing held between 8:00 and 9:00, she dived in Morto Bay at 14:30 to leave the Strait, accompanied by a security boat on the surface. However, due to bad weather conditions, the escort boat soon lost its contact with the submarine.[4] As the submarine did not return in due time, two navy boats were sent for search and rescue operation. At 20:30, the submarine's rescue buoy was found. The emergency station of the navy was, however, unable to establish a telephone contact with the submarine although the telephone in the rescue buoy was intact.[3] A seaman named Ahmet Bağdat, who had disembarked for crew rations, was the only one to survive the disaster.[4] The fate of the submarine remained unknown for years.[5]

Aftermath[]

In 1994 after more than 50 years, Selçuk Kolay, with the support of the "Rahmi M. Koç Foundation for Museum Studies and Culture",[6][unreliable source?] found in a two-and-half-month research the exact location of the wreck of Atılay.[5] She was 5 km (3.1 mi) offshore and was lying at a depth of 68 m (223 ft). A 1.5-metre-wide (4.9 ft) hole in the hull proved that she hit a naval mine. It is assumed that the mine was a World War I munition, which was laid during the Dardanelles Campaign.[7][8]

A crew member, Warrant officer Fethi Yüceses, was the husband of Hamiyet Yüceses, a well-known Turkish singer. After the 14 July event, she released a song Gitti de Gelmeyiverdi ("He Went and Didn't Return"), which became a popular song of the time.[3]

Museum project[]

In the general congress of Chambers of Shipping a project was proposed by the architect Kaya Şener. According to this project the submarine will be relocated in 30 meters depth and a museum will be established in the submarine. [9] So far the project is not realised.

Citations[]

  1. ^ Black and white page (in Turkish)
  2. ^ a b Gardiner & Chesneau 1980, p. 408
  3. ^ a b c d "Atılay Faciası 14.Temmuz.1942" (in Turkish). Denizaltıcılar Birliği. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  4. ^ a b c d "Tarihte bugün: 14 Temmuz". (in Turkish). 2008-07-14. Retrieved 2018-03-20.
  5. ^ a b "Esrarengiz denizaltı 83 yıl sonra bulundu". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 1999-01-01. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  6. ^ "Atatürk'ün adını verdiği ilk denizaltımız Atılay" (in Turkish). Kurucaşile Tarih Araştırmaları. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  7. ^ "Denizin derinliklerinde". Hürriyet (in Turkish). 2001-07-20. Retrieved 2018-03-21.
  8. ^ Bartın newspaper (in Turkish)
  9. ^ Tourism news

References[]

  • Gardiner, Robert; Chesneau, Robert, eds. (1980). Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. London: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-146-7.
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