Goeben and Breslau (need some help)

[Kyriakos]

Goeben and Breslau were the names of two german ships which were sent to the Ottoman Empire with the plan of luring it to join the war (ww1) on the side of the central powers. They travelled in the med during the beginning of the war, managing to avoid the british and french fleets, and finally reached Constantinople, where on the 16th of August they were granted to the ottoman fleet, in a way as a substitution for two ships which had been built in Britain and paid by the ottomans, but which were kept by Britain nonetheless.
Later on the Goeben (the most powerfull of the two ships) and the Breslau escorted other ottoman vessels on a raid in the crimea, effectively causing Russia to declare war on the Ottomans, with the rest of the Entente following suit.

Yesterday i was at a bookshop and saw an interesting book consisting of letters of Eleytherios Venizelos (greek PM during WW1) and Ioannes Metaxas (army commander at the time, PM during WW2) which were about events during the first world war. The fact that Goeben and Breslau got coal in greek national waters, following the decision to provide coal to some german merchant ships (at the time Greece had not yet joined the war, as part of the allies) that afterwards transported it to those warships, was one of the main topics of the first series of letters.
Another theme of the letters was the Gallipoli campaign, and Venizelos' will to send part of the greek army to support the british and french one (this did not happen, however, and Metaxas played a vital part in declining that prospect, arguing that a possible defeat at Gallipoli would then leave Greece undefended against the Ottoman Empire and Bulgaria).

Since it appears that the escape of the med divison of the Kaiserliche marine (which consisted solely of those two ships) to Constantinople contributed significantly to the entrance of the Ottoman Empire in the war, i was wondering if any of you know where i could find other sources of information about that event

My intention is to build a story around it, the main character being a history student.

(The Breslau)

 

[Adler17]

Indeed the Ottomans were a bit reluctant to join the war. The British tried it as well as the Germans, who had by far the better relations. When SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau got the knowledge about war with Russia on Aug. 2nd they were in Messina. There they waited for Italian and Austrian ships to attack French ports of North Africa. As Italy declared neutrality little later and Austria hoped to avoid war with Britain no allied ship was there. So they departed on 1.00 o'clock on Aug 3rd Messina to attack French North Africa. Rear admiral Souchon let a band play the National Anthem and then Wacht am Rhein. When they were out of the harbour the band, still playing, went into a boat and rowed to the guarding British units. They had the order to guard the ships and although war was not yet declared a combat was likely. But they were fooled by the band. When they got it both German ships were far away. A day later Phillippeville and Bône were shelled by the Germans. The French feared Algiers were the next and sent all available ships to defend the city. Again they were wrong as both ships were en route to Messina again. They got the news about Italy's neutrality and the closure of the strait of Messina. Thus they contacted the Austrian Admiral Haus but he declined their plea to send ships for a breakthrough into the Adria. Nevertheless a day later (Aug 7th) he departed on his own to cover the German ships and returned only when hearing they were heading east to Turkey.
Souchon had departed east and did not want to be interned in Italy, although he got the info that the entrance of the Dardanelles was not yet possible because of political reasons. Nevertheless he sat course as he believed to know the political situation: An Entente victory would have had severe consequences for the Ottomans, as Russia wanted the Dardanelles. His arrival might be the last piece to make them an ally of the Central powers.
The British did not expect such an attempt and had their ships to guard the entrance of the Adria and the way to Gibraltar. Only a few reconnaissance ships were there when the Germans went to Turkey. The only ship to come near was the HMS Gloucester, a CL. The ship was driven away by SMS Breslau and lost contact. No further British ships were now able to catch the German Med division.
In the meantime Britain and Germany had diplomatic missions in Turkey to convince them to enter the war on their sides. The British was lead by Admiral Limpus, the German by ambassador Freiherr von Wangenheim and Korvettenkapitän Humann, captain of the SMS Loreley (III). Both were able to convince the Ottomans. Here were especially 2 factors decisive. One was the taking over of Osman I. by the British and the withhelding of the Turkish crew, which should a day later set sail to Turkey. The other was replacement in form of a BC and a CL- SMS Goeben and SMS Breslau.
This was the last piece. Now both ships were put formally under Ottoman flag but still German crewed and commanded. The Germans at once started to make Turkey ready for a war. That was very difficult concerning the status of the fleet.
That is in short the history of the Med division until the arrival in Turkey.

Source: Hildebrand/Röhr/Steinmetz, Die Deutschen Kriegsschiffe

Adler

 

[Verbose]

Apparently the Breslau was sunk during a sea battle, alongside the Goeben, with smaller RN vessels near the island of Imbros in 1918. The Goeben, from 1914 renamed Yavus Sultan Selim, returned to port in Constantinople. She remained in port until 1926, deteriorating as she lay there, until in 1926 the French St. Nazaire-based warf Penhoet was commissioned to give her a complete overhaul and refitting. The company built a special floating dock in Constantinopolis. The Breslau remained in it until the refitting was completed in 1930. Upon recommission she was renamed the Javus Selim. In 1936 this was further shortened to Yavuz. It would seem to have been in active service with the Turkish navy until 1948. It remained in the navy after that, but apparently rather like as museum piece as a "traditional ship". In 1963 the German Federal Republic offered to by this historical piece. The Turkish government turned down the offer then, only to make the counter-offer to sell it to the Germans in 1966, at which time the German government declined (new social democrat govt. was uncomfortable with the symbolism of ship's Imperial past). The Turskish government then put it up for sale, and the Goeben was sold in 1971, decommissioned in 1976, and cut up for scrap metal in 1976.

Apparently it's the 19th c. ship with the longest service record; 50 years under commission.

This is what I quickly got out of the German Wikipedia (which iirc is the most reliable of the Wikipedias).

 

[Kyriakos]

Ty

I was wondering if the Goeben and Breslau were in any way actively involved during the first phases of the Gallipoli campaign, while the plan was still to drive through using naval superiority. The existence of mines prevented the plan, but still in such a small passage (1 mile only in its narrowest) even a few strong ships could make a difference.

 

[Adler17]

SMS Goeben was used mainly in the Black Sea at this time. However it would have been a bad surprise for the Allied predreadnoughts off Gallipoli once such a ship appeared. Or for the forces at the beach. Anyway as the mines and coastal artillery had already driven away the enemy capital ships as well as Uboats, U 21 for example, for such an action was no need if you had to fear the Russians in the Black Sea.

Adler

 

[jeriko one]

There are some books in Turkish about Yavuz and Midilli, but I am not sure if you would be interested.

BTW the German crew wore Fez and disguised as a part of the Ottoman Navy.(so say some of the scholars. I am not sure)