TNT History Archives: Sub Atatürk Named Sunk in 1942

türkçe links to original Turkish article

(Milliyet Newspaper, 14 July 2018)

submarines see this for recent TNT reporting on WW II-era 
Turkish submarines.


                                            R.I.P.

Atatürk bestowed the name 'Atılay' on one of Turkey's first
submarines. On 14 August 1937,  construction of 4 submarines for
the young  Turkish Republic at the Taşkızak Shipyard in Istanbul
was just getting underway.  In a hand-written note to then-Prime
Minister Celal Bayar, Atatürk wrote on 17 January 1938 that the
names of the new submarines would be 'Saldıray', 'Batıray', 'Atılay'
and 'Yıldıray'.


Atılay's launching in 1939 and Atatürk's note about its name. 

During World War II the Atılay was on duty in the Sea of Marmara
and the Aegean Sea, commanded by Major Sadi Gürcan with a
crew of 40 sailors.  On 14 July 1942  the Atılay hit two mines that
had been laid to prevent submarines from entering the Çanakkale
Straits.  The Atılay sunk in 68 meters of water and all personnel
were lost.  Consequently, the Navy commemorates the tragedy on
14 July every year.

Recently, with the latest technology, the Atılay has been located
and photographed by the Turkish Navy's 'Işın' ship.  In fact, a
plaque was placed on the deck of the sunken Atılay by a remote-
control underwater vehicle to ensure that the memory of those
lost will never be forgotten.