Nazmi Bey is the
Turkish captain who successfully laid a mine line parallel to the narrows of the
Dardanelles and impeded the Allied Armada’s entrance to the strait.
Nazmi Bey was born in Istanbul, in 1875. He entered
the Academy of War on 14 March 1894 and graduated on 19 February 1896.
Before the Allies began their Dardanelles
expedition, Nazmi Bey was appointed the commander of the minefields of the fortified area
of Canakkale. On 18 January, he laid a mine line on the narrows of the strait and on 8
March 1915, twenty-six mines to Karanlik Liman. Those mine lines impeded the Allied
Armada’s passage through the strait, on 18 March 1915. Another worthy
achievement of Nazmi Bey is his pilotage for Muavenet-i Milliye, the torpedo
boat that sunk the Goliath.
Nazmi Bey became a major on 19 July 1915. He retired
from the Navy on 20 November 1920 and until his death on 5 May 1940, he piloted for the
trade ships passing the Bosphorus.
