18.03.2026 13:02
Corporal Müstecip changed the course of the battle by taking the initiative and firing a cannon without permission from his commander when he noticed the periscope of a French submarine passing through the strait during the Gallipoli Campaign. By hitting the submarine and enabling its capture, Corporal Müstecip became one of the forgotten heroes of the war. Historian Salih Erol stated, "Capturing submarines is almost impossible. The only person who hit the submarine we captured is him. We want Corporal Müstecip to receive the recognition he deserves."
Müstecip, born in 1891 in the rural Orhaniye neighborhood of Yenişehir district in Bursa, volunteered for the army upon the outbreak of World War I in 1914. Serving in an artillery unit at the Gallipoli front, Private Müstecip noticed the periscope of the French submarine 'Turquoise' passing through the strait during his watch on the night of October 30-31. Taking the initiative, he fired two shells from a field gun without permission from his commander, hitting the submarine from its periscope. The damaged submarine, losing its visibility, surfaced and ran aground. In the incident, 27 French crew members were captured, and the submarine was seized and towed to the Golden Horn in Istanbul. Following this event, the 5th Army Commander Liman Von Sanders and the Commander-in-Chief Deputy and Minister of War Enver Pasha awarded Private Müstecip the rank of 'Corporal' and presented him with a medal. Enver Pasha also gifted his gold watch to Corporal Müstecip. The repaired submarine was renamed 'Corporal Müstecip.'
Corporal Müstecip, who also participated in the National Struggle, returned to his hometown of Yenişehir after the war. Here, Corporal Müstecip Kılıçaslan worked as a farmer and passed away in 1959. Having served on the front lines during the Gallipoli Campaign and the National Struggle, Corporal Müstecip took his place among the hidden heroes of history.
"WE ARE AT THE HEAD OF A HERO'S GRAVE" Historian Dr. Salih Erol, commemorating Corporal Müstecip at his grave in Yenişehir district on the 111th anniversary of the Gallipoli Victory on March 18, said, “We are currently in the Orhaniye neighborhood of Yenişehir district in Bursa. It is commonly referred to as Hacıömerdere village. This is a migrant village established after the 93 War. This is also the village cemetery. The special reason for our presence here is that a great Gallipoli veteran lived in this village. We are currently at the head of his grave. This veteran is Corporal Müstecip or Müstecip Kılıçaslan. He was born in 1891, participated in World War I and the National Struggle, and lived until 1959. He served as a soldier on the front during the Gallipoli Campaign. He served in an artillery unit. What makes him particularly important is that he enabled the capture of the very famous French submarine Turquoise by hitting it from its periscope. You know, it started with a naval battle on March 18, but the French and the British crossed the strait with submarines many times. We are at the grave of a hero who hit one of those submarines and ensured its capture,” he said.
"THE ONLY PERSON WHO HIT THE ONLY SUBMARINE WE CAPTURED" Erol noted that Corporal Müstecip noticed the French submarine while on watch at the Gallipoli Akbaş position, recounting the heroism story with these words:
“On the night of October 30-31, 1915, he notices a submarine passing by at dawn from its periscope while he is on watch. At that moment, he takes the initiative on his own since his commander is far away and fires twice with a 7.5-inch gun, hitting Turquoise both times. As a result, the submarine is forced to surface because it was hit from its periscope. You know, capturing submarines and taking them is almost impossible, and this is one of those impossibilities. Müstecip is the person who hit the only submarine we captured. This way, the submarine surfaces and is captured along with its 27 crew members. The crew cannot even destroy their battle plans. Information is obtained that the captured submarine will meet with a British submarine, and we go and sink the British submarine as well. Thus, Corporal Müstecip led to the capture of one submarine and the sinking of another. The captured Turquoise submarine is towed to the Golden Horn in Istanbul. After maintenance and repair, it is renamed 'Corporal Müstecip' and put into service.”
"ENVER PASHA GAVE HIM A GOLD WATCH OUT OF FINANCIAL CONCERNS" Erol also mentioned that Corporal Müstecip was initially scolded because his commanders were unaware that he had hit the submarine, saying, “Of course, at first, since he took the initiative on his own, the commanders who came to the sound of the gun scold Corporal Müstecip. When the capture of the submarine is learned, Enver Pasha personally comes with Liman Von Sanders to reward him. He is given the rank of 'Corporal' and a medal. Enver Pasha personally takes off his gold watch and gifts it to him, and Corporal Müstecip thus becomes a great hero. Corporal Müstecip gave that watch to someone due to financial concerns,” he said.
"HE REJECTS THE INTEREST-FREE LOAN OFFER FROM THE STATE" Erol stated that Corporal Müstecip also participated in the War of Independence after World War I, saying, “Corporal Müstecip was also involved in the National Struggle, participating in battles on the Eastern and Southern fronts until 1922. He returned to his village when Yenişehir was liberated on September 6, 1922, and lived an ordinary life. He even rejected the interest-free loans offered to him by the state for five years, saying, 'I am poor, my state is also poor. Therefore, a poor person cannot take anything from another poor person. I do not want anything from my state, neither a salary nor a loan,'” he said.
"A FIRST IN THE HISTORY OF WAR" Erol explained that after the incident of capturing the submarine, Corporal Müstecip became famous and his name appeared in the Ottoman Archive, saying, “I know all of Corporal Müstecip's services from the official documents of the period, which I also know from the Ottoman Archive. Additionally, the period's War Journal, the most popular magazine Servet-i Fünun, featured him on the cover. There are documents about him in the Ottoman Archive because it is a very important event. This event is an extraordinary occurrence in the history of world warfare. For the first time, a submarine was captured. This is also mentioned in the German, Turkish, and French sources of the period,” he said.
"LET VALUE BE GIVEN" Erol emphasized that Corporal Müstecip's heroism was one of the turning points of the Gallipoli Campaign, but he did not receive the recognition he deserved, stating, “The capture of the submarine becomes a great source of morale among our soldiers. It is also a very devastating thing for the French.
They have lost their submarines and their war plans and strategies have been captured. The 27 people who were captured have been sent to prison in Afyonkarahisar. Here is Müstecip Corporal, such a hero. Despite this, he is not a well-known hero. For example, Ezineli Yahya Sergeant and Havranlı Seyit Corporal have been very well introduced, but Müstecip Corporal, as we see here, is not recognized or known despite all the great services he has rendered, just like the life he lived. Sometimes I ask those who come for official visits from Ankara whether they know him or not, and I receive negative answers. There must be a statue of him erected at the entrance of Yenişehir. In short, we especially want Müstecip Corporal to be valued and recognized at the same level as our great heroes Seyit Corporal and Ezineli Yahya Sergeant, as he has an equal usefulness to them," he stated.
"THE MORE WE LEARN, THE MORE PROUD WE ARE OF HIM" Nezaket Balkan, the granddaughter who visited Müstecip Corporal at his grave, also stated that she is proud of her grandfather, saying, "Müstecip Corporal is my grandfather. My grandfather showed great service during the Gallipoli Campaign. I am proud of him. He has been beneficial to our state and nation. He ensured the capture of the submarine by hitting it. My grandfather was offered a pension after the war, but he did not accept it. I am very proud. We did not know in our childhood, but now we know. The more we learn, the more proud we are of him," she said.