Battle of Rhodes (1912)

Last updated
Battle of Rhodes
Part of the Italo-Turkish War
Rhodes Italian landing.jpg
Italian troops landing at Rhodes on May 4 of 1912.
Date4–16 May 1912
Location 36°22′23″N27°13′05″E / 36.3730°N 27.2180°E / 36.3730; 27.2180
Result Italian victory
Belligerents
Flag of Italy (1861-1946) crowned.svg  Kingdom of Italy Flag of the Ottoman Empire (1844-1922).svg  Ottoman Empire
Commanders and leaders
Giovanni Ameglio Major Abdullah Bey  White flag icon.svg [1]
Strength
9,000 [2] -10,400 [1] ~1,800 men garrison
10,000 local militia
Casualties and losses
4 killed
20 wounded
~83 killed
~26 wounded
983 captured,
144 rifles
200 cases of ammunition
An Italian fleet participated in the battle.
16 May 1912: surrender of the Turkish garrison in Rhodes to the Italian general Ameglio near Psithos DC-1912-21-d-ResaDeiTurchiARodi.jpg
16 May 1912: surrender of the Turkish garrison in Rhodes to the Italian general Ameglio near Psithos

The Battle of Rhodes or Invasion of Rhodes was fought in May 1912 as part of the Italo-Turkish War. Italian troops under Lieutenant General Giovanni Ameglio landed on the Turkish-held island and took control after 13 days of fighting, ending nearly 400 years of Ottoman rule. The battle became the major engagement during the Italian operations in the Aegean Sea. [2] [3]

Italian forces numbered about 9,000 to 10,400 [1] men supported by a fleet of Regia Marina ("Royal Navy") warships. Many of the Italian troops were veterans of the campaigns in Ottoman Libya, having been shipped from Benghazi and Tobruk. The Regia Marina began operating off the island a few days prior to the invasion. On 1 May, the Regia Marina cut the communications cable linking Rhodes with the Anatolian mainland. An unopposed landing in Kalithea Bay began at 4:00 am on 4 May and lasted until 2:00 pm when the Italians began their march north towards the city of Rhodes. Ottoman Army personnel numbered about 1,000 officers and men with a handful of old artillery pieces, [1] although another 10,000 militiamen were recruited from the local Muslim civilian population. At first the Italians overestimated the Ottoman garrison on the island at 2,000 to 5,000 and therefore they waited until they gathered enough men for the attack. [1] Rhodes was protected by a castle but the Turks did not use it and it played no part in the battle.

The first line of Turkish defenses was at Smith Plateau, where a few hundred men were stationed. Italian troops attacked the position, while 11 Italian ships bombarded the area. The Turks were routed with significant losses, while the Italians reported that only seven of their men were wounded. Ottoman forces retreated that night to the mountains around Psithos and the Italians advanced to within 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) of Rhodes and stopped at 7:00 pm. When the city surrendered the following morning at 10:00 am, Italian troops marched in without opposition. [2] [3]

Meanwhile, additional unopposed landings took place at Kalavarda and Malona Bay, both about 30 miles (48 km) south of Rhodes. On May 7, the Wali of Rhodes was captured with over 100 Turkish officials by the Italian destroyer Ostro. The Turks were trying to flee the islands, but instead ended up going to Taranto on 11 May as prisoners of war.

Lieutenant General Ameglio took the offensive again on 15 May against the Ottoman forces around Psithos. With the landings at Kalavarda and Malona Bay completed, Ameglio and his main force were able to surround the Turkish position on three sides while the battleship Ammiraglio di Saint Bon bombarded troop concentrations from the fourth. After a nine-hour battle the Ottomans were defeated and the battle for Rhodes came to an end when the Turkish commanders surrendered the next day on 16 May. Eighty-three Turks were killed at Psithos, 26 were wounded and 983 surrendered. The remaining 10,000 militiamen returned to their homes. Four Italians were reported to have been killed in the final engagement and 26 men were wounded. After 390 years of Muslim rule, Rhodes was once again controlled by Christian forces. [2] [3]

Citations

Related Research Articles

Italian battleship <i>Regina Margherita</i> Pre-dreadnought battleship of the Italian Royal Navy

Regina Margherita was the lead ship of her class of pre-dreadnought battleships built for the Italian Regia Marina between 1898 and 1904. She had one sister ship, Benedetto Brin. Regina Margherita saw action in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912. By the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the battleship had been reduced to a training ship. She struck two naval mines on the night of 11–12 December 1916 while steaming off Valona. She sank with heavy loss of life: 675 men were killed, and only 270 survived.

Italian battleship <i>Ammiraglio di Saint Bon</i> Pre-dreadnought battleship of the Italian Royal Navy

Ammiraglio di Saint Bon was a pre-dreadnought battleship of the Regia Marina built during the 1890s. She was laid down in July 1893, launched in April 1897, and completed in May 1901. She was the lead ship of her class, and had one sister ship, Emanuele Filiberto. The ship was armed with a main battery of four 254 mm (10 in) guns and was capable of a top speed of 18 knots.

Italian cruiser <i>Varese</i> Italian Giuseppe Garibaldi-class cruiser

Varese was a Giuseppe Garibaldi-class armored cruiser built for the Royal Italian Navy in the 1890s. The ship made several deployments to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant before the start of the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12. She supported ground forces in the occupations of Tripoli and Homs in Libya. Varese may have bombarded Beirut and did bombard the defenses of the Dardanelles during the war. She also provided naval gunfire support for the Italian Army in Libya. During World War I, the ship's activities were limited by the threat of Austro-Hungarian submarines and Varese became a training ship in 1920. She was struck from the naval register in 1923 and subsequently scrapped.

Italian ironclad <i>Re Umberto</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Re Umberto was a Re Umberto-class ironclad battleship built for the Italian Regia Marina in the 1880s, the lead ship of her class. She was laid down in July 1884 and launched in October 1888; work proceeded so slowly that she was not finished until February 1893. She was armed with a main battery of four 343 mm (13.5 in) guns and had a top speed of 20.3 knots, though this high speed came at the cost of armor protection.

Italian ironclad <i>Sicilia</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Sicilia was the second of three Re Umberto-class ironclad battleships built for the Italian Regia Marina. The ship, named for the island of Sicily, was laid down in Venice in November 1884, launched in July 1891, and completed in May 1895. She was armed with a main battery of four 343 mm (13.5 in) guns and had a top speed of 20.3 knots, though this high speed came at the cost of armor protection.

Italian ironclad <i>Sardegna</i> Ironclad warship of the Italian Royal Navy

Sardegna was the third of three Re Umberto-class ironclad battleships built for the Italian Regia Marina. The ship, named for the island of Sardinia, was laid down in La Spezia in October 1885, launched in September 1890, and completed in February 1895. She was armed with a main battery of four 340 mm (13.5 in) guns and had a top speed of 20.3 knots —albeit at the cost of armor protection—and she was one of the first warships to be equipped with a wireless telegraph.

Italian battleship <i>Vittorio Emanuele</i> Pre-dreadnought battleship of the Italian Royal Navy

Vittorio Emanuele was an Italian pre-dreadnought battleship, laid down in 1901, launched in 1904 and completed in 1908. She was the second member of the Regina Elena class, which included three other vessels: Regina Elena, Napoli, and Roma. Vittorio Emmanuele was armed with a main battery of two 305 mm (12 in) guns and twelve 203 mm (8 in) guns. She was quite fast for the period, with a top speed of nearly 21 knots.

Italian battleship <i>Roma</i> (1907) Pre-dreadnought battleship of the Italian Royal Navy

Roma was an Italian pre-dreadnought battleship, laid down in 1903, launched in 1907 and completed in 1908. She was the third member of the Regina Elena class, which included three other vessels: Regina Elena, Napoli, and Vittorio Emanuele. Roma was armed with a main battery of two 305 mm (12 in) guns and twelve 203 mm (8 in) guns. She was quite fast for the period, with a top speed of nearly 21 knots.

Italian battleship <i>Napoli</i> Pre-dreadnought battleship of the Italian Royal Navy

Napoli was a Regina Elena-class pre-dreadnought battleship built for the Italian Regia Marina in 1903–08. She was the last member of the four-ship class, which included the lead ship Regina Elena, Vittorio Emanuele, and Roma. Napoli was armed with a main battery of two 305 mm (12 in) and twelve 203 Mm (126,138 mi) guns, and was capable of a top speed of 21 knots.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Kunfuda Bay</span> Naval battle of the Italo-Turkish War

The Battle of Kunfuda Bay was a naval battle of the Italo-Turkish War between small squadrons of the Italian and Ottoman navies. On 7 January 1912, the Italian protected cruiser Piemonte and the Soldato-class destroyers Artigliere and Garibaldino, cruising the Red Sea, discovered six Ottoman gunboats, a tugboat, and a yacht in the harbor at Kunfuda. The vessels engaged for over three hours and five Ottoman vessels were sunk and four dhows were captured. Three of the gunboats were damaged during the battle and grounded on the beach to prevent them from sinking. The following morning, the Italian vessels returned to destroy the remaining three vessels; the yacht, which had been sunk, was later salvaged and seized by Italy. After the battle, the Italian squadron in the Red Sea was able to proclaim a blockade of Ottoman ports in the Red Sea and frequently bombarded Ottoman positions for the rest of the war.

Italian cruiser <i>San Marco</i> Italian San Giorgio-class cruiser

The Italian cruiser San Marco was a San Giorgio-class armoured cruiser built for the Royal Italian Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. She was the first large Italian ship fitted with steam turbines and the first turbine-powered ship in any navy to have four propeller shafts. The ship participated in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912, during which time she supported the occupations of Benghazi and Derna, the island of Rhodes, and bombarded the fortifications defending the entrance to the Dardanelles. During World War I, San Marco's activities were limited by the threat of Austro-Hungarian submarines, although the ship did participate in the bombardment of Durazzo, Albania in late 1918. She played a minor role in the Corfu incident in 1923 and was converted into a target ship in the first half of the 1930s. San Marco was captured by the Germans when they occupied northern Italy in 1943 and was found sunk at the end of the war. The ship was broken up and scrapped in 1949.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battles of Zanzur (1912)</span> Battles that occurred during the Italo-Turkish War

The Battles of Zanzur or Battles of Janzur, were a series of battles that took place in 1911–1912 at Zanzur oasis, near Tripoli during the Italo-Turkish War. During the battles, the Italians unsuccessfully attacked the Turkish-Arab stronghold located approximately twelve miles from the Italian lines at Tripoli until finally achieving a victory on 20 September 1912.

Italian cruiser <i>Marco Polo</i> Italian armored cruiser

Marco Polo was an armored cruiser built for the Royal Italian Navy in the 1890s, the first of her type in Italian service. The ship spent the bulk of her career deployed in the Far East. Between deployments she participated in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–12 during which she caused a diplomatic incident with the Austro-Hungarian Empire. After that affair Marco Polo was sent to Libya where she bombarded the towns of Homs, and Zuara and the defenses of the Dardanelles. In between these operations, the ship provided naval gunfire support to the Royal Italian Army in Libya. Due to her age, Marco Polo did not play a significant role in World War I, serving as an accommodation ship in Venice until she began conversion into a troopship in 1917. After a series of renamings in 1920–21, the ship was stricken from the naval register in 1922 and subsequently sold for scrap.

Italian cruiser <i>Pisa</i> Italian lead cruiser of Pisa-class

The Italian cruiser Pisa was the name ship of her class of two armored cruisers built for the Royal Italian Navy in the first decade of the 20th century. The ship participated in the Italo-Turkish War of 1911–1912, during which she supported the occupations of Tobruk, Libya and several islands in the Dodecanese and bombarded the fortifications defending the entrance to the Dardanelles. During World War I, Pisa's activities were limited by the threat of Austro-Hungarian submarines, although the ship did participate in the bombardment of Durazzo, Albania in late 1918. After the war she became a training ship and was stricken from the Navy List in 1937 before being scrapped.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Benghazi (1911)</span> A battle that occurred during the Italo-Turkish War

The Battle of Benghazi occurred during the Italo-Turkish War when the Kingdom of Italy attacked and took possession of the major cities of the Ottoman Empire's North African Tripolitania province, now Libya. Benghazi was one of the five strategic cities captured and held by the Italians during the entire length of the war.

Ostro ("Ostro") was an Italian Lampo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1901, she served in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I. She was stricken in 1920.

Italian destroyer <i>Fulmine</i> (1898) First Italian destroyer

Fulmine ("Lightning") was the Kingdom of Italy′s first destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1900, she served in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I. She was stricken in 1921 and scrapped.

Italian destroyer <i>Zeffiro</i> (1904) Italian Nembo-class destroyer

Zeffiro ("Zephyr") was an Italian Nembo-class destroyer. Commissioned into service in the Italian Regia Marina in 1905, she served in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I, playing an active role in the Adriatic campaign. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1921, she was decommissioned in 1924.

Italian destroyer <i>Alpino</i> (1909) Italian Soldato-class destroyer

Alpino was a Soldato-class ("Soldier"-class) destroyer of the Italian Regia Marina. Commissioned in 1910, she served actively in the Italo-Turkish War, operating in the Ionian, Aegean, and Red Seas. During World War I she initially operated in the upper Adriatic Sea, conducting reconnaissance and minelaying operations and supporting actions by motor torpedo boats and aircraft. She subsequently operated in the southern Adriatic and the Ionian Sea, where she was assigned to escort operations and patrolling the Otranto Barrage in the Strait of Otranto. Reclassified as a torpedo boat in 1921, she was stricken in 1928.

Italian destroyer <i>Artigliere</i> (1907) Italian Soldato-class destroyer

Artigliere was a Soldato-class ("Soldier"-class) destroyer of the Italian Regia Marina. Commissioned in 1907, she served in the Italo-Turkish War and World War I. She was stricken in 1923.

References