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Bouvet Warship Wreck
She was a pre-dreadnought class warship.
Her construction started in 16th January 1893. She has been put into sea in 27th april 1896 and completed in
1st July 1898 and started her missions.
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Weight:
Power:
Speed:
Size:
Crew:
Guns:
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12,000 tons
15,000 hp
18 knots
117,81m*21,39m
666
Main Gun: 2 pieces 304,8/L=45
Main Gun:2 pieces 275/L=45
Secondary Gun: 8 pieces 138/L=45
Secondary Gun: 8 pieces 100/L=45
12 pieces QF gun 47/L=43
7 pieces QF gun 37/L=23
4 pieces torpedo tube 457
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Sinking of Bouvet
England minister of Sea Forces Churchill sended a message to Admiral Carden that was forcing him to pass
the straits fast. Because of this letter and other difficulties that he faced trying to pass the straits, he
have to reassigned from his position. In 17th of March Admiral de Robeck took his place. Admiral de Robeck
deciced to part his navy in to three parts for the second attack to Dardanelles.
The A line consisted of the navy's powerful ships , Queen Elizabeth, Agamemnon, Lord Nelson and Inflexibile. Near
two sides of these ships, there would be Prince George and Triumph warships. Aproximately one mile behind these ships,
there would be French Ships Gaulois, Charlemagnei Bouvet And Suffren. Near two sides of these ships there would be
English Ships Majestic and Swiftsure.
The other ships consists of war ships, crusiers and mine layers that would take a part in the attack should
wait in the straits. Admiral was hoping that while war ships bombing the shores, the mine cleaners could have
time to clean the mines. So that the navy can easily pass the straits and reach the sea of Marmara.
The English and French leaders were thinking that they would easily defeat the Turkish defences and take the control
of the straits. With this hope and confidence, the enemy ships started bombing shore in 18th March 1915.
Mecidiye of Rumeli and central guns were under heavy bombardment. The ships in the straits then started attacking
Hamidiye defences. Dardanos defences that saw this opened fire to help them. After that, all of ships started
attacking on Dardanos. Dardanos defences fearlesly continued bombing. In the meantime Mesudiye defences
also started bombing. When ships started bombing Mesudiye, Hamidiye defences helped them. In the meantime our
shore guns started bombing also. The enemy that was exhausted couldn't escaped from the bombardment. This horrible bombardment
lasted for one hour. An english writer told about the bombardment as follows:
« Anyone can imagine the view. The Castles were lost behind the clouds of dust. There were flames been seen
around the castles. The ships were moving slowly between the columns of water that reachs the sky. Even sometimes
they became invisible between water splashes and smoke. The flames of the guns that were firing from hills were
being seen time to time and there were sounds like earthquakes.»
Because of the bombardment Turkish Guns got a lot of damage. Admiral Robeck took the English ships back and ordered to
French ships to go to front line.
Bouvet was the third from left of the four French ships that were moving around the seventh mile of The Canakkale
straits in 18th march 1915. During noon, while English ships continued bombardment from a distance, French ships
were ordered to bomb the shores more closely. Gaulois and Suffren got a lot of damage because of
the bombardments from the castles, but the worse were still yet to come...
Turkish guns hit the Bouvet eight times and her front gun malfunctioned. Bouvet turn to right tı Erin Keui Bay. But
at just 13:54 she strucked to an unnoticed mine from her right front gun's deck and there were a terrible explosion
probably because of the shells. Bouvet sunk in two minutes with her 600 crew. Actually the mines around the region
were layed here the night before because The Turkish Navy noticed that ally ships manuever around this region.
Although the lost of Bouvet, the allies without knowing about the mines, keep on moving thinking that a torpedo or a gun
sunked Bouvet and they gave a lot of causalties that day.
In the same day, the same mines sunked Irreristible, damaged Ocean and Inflexible which is taking water. That day
allies lost 3 main war ships, 3 of their main ships damaged but only a few Turkish Guns got damaged. That day
showed us all that even a little defence force can do a lot with a good and suitable strategy.
Bouvet Photos
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