Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire in the First World War →Tag
(334)1915
January
- 02
- End of the Battle of SarikamishIn early January 1915 the Russians encircled the remnants of the Ottoman IX Corps at Sarikamish and took its commander. X Corps escaped over the mountains.
- Russians abandon UrmiaOn 2 January 1915 Russian troops withdrew from Urmia in northern Persia. Thousands of Assyrians and Armenians fled with them; Kurds and Turks took the town.
- 08
- Turks take TabrizOn 8 January 1915 Kurdish and Turkish units entered Tabriz, abandoned by the Russians. The occupation of the capital of Persian Azerbaijan lasted three weeks.
- Battle of Kara Urgan beginsIn early January 1915 the Ottoman XI Corps attacked the Russians at Kara Urgan, on the road from Erzurum to Sarikamish. Then Enver Pasha left the front.
- 26
- Turkish march on the Suez CanalAt the end of January 1915 Djemal Pasha's Ottoman army crossed the Sinai desert. On 26 January its troops clashed with the British at Kantara.
- London agreement extended to TurkeyAccording to the British chronology, on 26 January 1915 the Entente agreed the Pact of London's ban on a separate peace also applied to the war with Turkey.
February
- 02
- Turkish advance guards on the Suez CanalOn 2 February 1915 the leading Turkish units approached Ismailia. In a sandstorm they clashed with Indian troops and dug in a few kilometres from the canal.
- Turks enter the Aden ProtectorateOn 2 February 1915 Ottoman troops from Yemen attacked the sultanate of Al-Bayda on the edge of the Aden Protectorate. Local tribes repulsed the attack.
March
- 09
- Bombardment of Smyrna endsOn 9 March 1915 an envoy of the governor of Smyrna came to the British admiral. The shelling stopped and a truce was agreed until the morning of 11 March.
- British reply on LemnosOn 9 March 1915 London replied to the Greek request for an explanation of the occupation of the island of Lemnos, citing military necessity.
April
- 12
- Battle of Shaiba beginsOn 12 April 1915 Turkish troops and the Arab allies of Süleyman Askerî attacked the British camp at Shaiba near Basra. The attacks were repulsed.
- Entente offers Smyrna to GreeceOn 12 April 1915 the Entente ministers promised Gounaris's government gains in the vilayet of Aidin if Greece joined the war on Turkey. The prize was Smyrna.
- Paris agrees to a Russian ConstantinopleIn April 1915 France was the last to agree that Russia should receive Constantinople and the Straits after the war, on condition that its own plans were met.
- 25
- Key eventAllies land at GallipoliOn 25 April 1915 British, Australian, New Zealand and French troops landed at the Dardanelles. The Turks put up fierce resistance.
- Russians bombard the Bosporus againOn 25 April 1915, the day of the Gallipoli landings, the Russian Black Sea Fleet shelled the Bosporus forts to tie down Turkish forces near Constantinople.
- 28
- First attack on KrithiaOn 28 April 1915 the British and French attacked from Helles towards Krithia village and the hill of Achi Baba. Turkish resistance halted the weary troops.
- British treaty with al-IdrisiIn late April 1915 Britain concluded a treaty with Muhammad al-Idrisi, ruler of Asir. Idrisi undertook to fight the Turks in return for arms and protection.
May
- 24
- Russians retake UrmiaOn 24 May 1915 the Russians returned to Urmia, left a few days earlier by the Turks and Kurds. An occupation tragic for the Christians was over.
- Allied declaration on the Armenian massacresOn 24 May 1915 France, Britain and Russia called the massacres of Armenians crimes "against humanity" and threatened Ottoman ministers with punishment.
June
July
- 25
- British capture NasiriyahOn 25 July 1915 General Gorringe's troops entered Nasiriyah, abandoned by the Turks at night after a lost battle. The whole Basra vilayet was in British hands.
- Britain promises Mytilene to GreeceAccording to the British chronology, on 25 July 1915 London assured Greece that after the war Turkey would give up Lesbos, where the British had a base.
August
- 06
- Landing at Suvla BayOn the evening of 6 August 1915 British IX Corps began landing at Suvla Bay on Gallipoli. The Turks had only three battalions there and were caught unawares.
- Battle of Sari Bair beginsOn 6 August 1915 Australians took the Turkish trenches at Lone Pine, and after dark columns from Anzac set off up the gullies towards the Sari Bair heights.
- 21
- Attack on Scimitar HillOn 21 August 1915 the British attacked the hills above Suvla Bay. Twice they took the top of Scimitar Hill, but lost 5,300 men and returned to their positions.
- Key eventItaly declares war on TurkeyOn 20 August 1915 the Italian ambassador handed the grand vizier a declaration of war. From 21 August Italy was at war with the Ottoman Empire.