Material from Battle of Gallipoli stolen in Turkey’s Çanakkale

ÇANAKKALE

Bullets and cartridges from the 1915 Battle of Gallipoli have been stolen from the Namazgâh Bastion of Kilitbahir Castle in the western province of Çanakkale, daily Habertürk has reported.

Officials say that at least 8,500 bullets were stolen last month from a bastion that today serves as a museum. They also warn that the bullets were under special climatic protection while they were in the bastion and could become corroded after the robbery.

Security forces and museum officials have started a large-scale investigation, while the testimonies of museum personnel have been requested and footage of nearby surveillance cameras is being examined.

A warning letter about stolen bullets has been sent to museums, collectors and auction halls as part of the investigation by the Çanakkale provincial Directorate of Culture and Tourism. Border gates have also reportedly been warned about the situation.    

Material from the Gallipoli campaign is exhibited in a museum within the outdoor museum near the Eceabat Kilitbahir Castle and Kanuni Castle, which first started to be built in the 1770s. 

This bastion was the most significant coastal defense point during the Battle of Gallipoli, also known as the Dardanelles Campaign, when the Allied powers launched a naval attack to try to capture the Ottoman capital Istanbul.