Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire in the First World War →Tag
(334)1908
1911
1912
1913
1914
July
August
September
- 17
- British naval mission leaves TurkeyIn September 1914 the British naval mission of Admiral Arthur Limpus left Turkey. German officers took over the Ottoman fleet.
- Admiral Souchon takes command of the Turkish fleetIn September 1914 the German admiral Wilhelm Souchon took command of the Ottoman fleet. A few weeks later he drew Turkey into the war.
October
- 30
- Allied ultimatum to TurkeyOn 30 October 1914 London gave Turkey 12 hours to expel the German missions and the crews of Goeben and Breslau, or face a break in relations.
- The Entente breaks off relations with TurkeyOn 30 October 1914 the ambassadors of Russia, Britain and France demanded their passports in Constantinople. War with Turkey was only days away.
- 31
- Admiralty orders hostilities against TurkeyOn 31 October 1914 the British Admiralty ordered its ships to begin hostilities against Turkey at once, although war had not yet been declared.
- Kitchener writes to the Sharif of MeccaOn 31 October 1914 Lord Kitchener promised the Sharif of Mecca protection and help if the Arabs supported Britain in the war with Turkey.
November
- 01
- British begin hostilities against TurkeyOn 1 November 1914 British warships attacked the Turks in the Gulf of Smyrna and at Aqaba, although war had not yet been declared on the Ottoman Empire.
- Martial law in EgyptAt the start of November 1914 General John Maxwell declared martial law in Egypt. The British promised that they would not call on Egyptians to fight.
- 02
- India guarantees the inviolability of the holy places of IslamOn 2 November 1914 the Viceroy of India said Britain would not attack the holy places of Arabia and Mesopotamia or Jeddah if the Turks let pilgrims through.
- Key eventRussia declares war on TurkeyOn 2 November 1914 Nicholas II issued a manifesto of war with Turkey. The Tsar said it would open Russia's way to its Black Sea aims, that is, the Straits.
- Serbia at war with TurkeyOn 2 November 1914 Serbia, Russia's ally, found itself at war with the Ottoman Empire. The two countries had no common border and did not fight each other.
- 05
- Key eventBritain and France declare war on TurkeyOn 5 November 1914 Britain and France declared war on Turkey. London abandoned its century-old policy of defending the Ottoman Empire against Russia.
- Britain annexes CyprusOn 5 November 1914 Britain annexed Cyprus, which it had administered on the Sultan's behalf since 1878. The island formally ceased to belong to Turkey.
- 06
- British land at FaoOn 6 November 1914 Indian troops, after a naval bombardment, landed at Fao on the Shatt al-Arab and took the Turkish fort. The Mesopotamian campaign began.
- Turkey breaks off relations with BelgiumOn 6 November 1914 the Ottoman Empire broke off diplomatic relations with Belgium. The Belgian minister left Constantinople, but no war was declared.
- Submarine B11 in the DardanellesOn 6 November 1914, says a British chronology, the submarine B11 went some 2 miles into the Dardanelles. A month later she sank a Turkish battleship there.
- Russians take KöprüköyIn the first week of November 1914 Russian troops reached Köprüköy on the road to Erzurum. The British chronology states that they took it on 6 November.
- 14
- Turks retake KöprüköyIn mid-November 1914 an Ottoman Third Army counter-offensive pushed the Russians from Köprüköy almost to the border, the first Turkish success in the Caucasus.
- Sultan proclaims jihadOn 14 November 1914 the Sultan-Caliph's call to holy war against the Entente was solemnly proclaimed in Constantinople. Germany hoped for Muslim uprisings.
- 17
- Russians shell TrebizondOn 17 November 1914 the Russian Black Sea Fleet shelled Trebizond, a key supply port for the Ottoman army in the Caucasus. Mines were laid there at night.
- Action at SahilOn 17 November 1914 two brigades of Gen. Barrett routed the main Turkish force at Sahil on the Shatt al-Arab in rain and mud. The road to Basra lay open.
- 22
- The British occupy BasraOn 22 November 1914 British and Indian troops entered Basra, abandoned by the Turks. The next day the occupation of the city was formally proclaimed.
- Alleged Russian reoccupation of KöprüköyThe British chronology records the Russian reoccupation of Köprüköy on 22 November 1914. Studies do not confirm it. The Caucasus front went quiet.
December
- 10
- Von der Goltz leaves for TurkeyOn 10 December 1914 Field Marshal Colmar von der Goltz set out for Constantinople. He did not command the Ottoman army but became the Sultan's aide-de-camp.
- Goeben shells BatumOn 10 December 1914 the battlecruiser Goeben shelled the Russian port of Batum in the Caucasus. The bombardment lasted under ten minutes and did little damage.