The Akbaş Martyrs' Memorial is located in the Eceabat district of Çanakkale, near Akbaş Harbor, northeast of the Gallipoli Peninsula. During the Gallipoli Campaign of 1915, this area served as one of the important health centers established by Turkish forces behind the lines. Throughout the war, hospitals were located here to treat wounded soldiers, and Akbaş served as a strategic site served as a strategic location for both healthcare services and logistical activities.

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Health Services and Martyrs' Memorial Formation

Field hospitals located around Akbaş Port were places where critically wounded soldiers brought from the front lines were treated. However, due to limited medical facilities, difficult transportation conditions, and the high number of wounded, many soldiers lost their lives at this location. Burials of those who fell due to lack of treatment were held in this area near the port, and over time, it became a martyrs' memorial site.

Martyrs' Cemetery and Architectural Restoration

The Akbaş Martyrs' Cemetery was transformed into a symbolic memorial cemetery in 1977 through a renovation carried out by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism. The existing monument and gravestones were constructed to commemorate the soldiers who died here. The actual burial sites have become obscure over time; therefore, the gravestones are symbolic. The monument consists of a white marble slab surrounded by symbolic gravestones. It bears inscriptions commemorating the soldiers who died in the Gallipoli Campaign. The cemetery area has been made accessible to visitors through landscaping.

^{A photo from the Akbaş Martyrs' Memorial - Gallipoli Campaign}

Historical Events and Memory

The Akbaş Martyrs' Cemetery is significant not only as a place of healing but also as a place of memory reflecting the painful aspects of the Gallipoli Campaign. The Akbaş Raid of 1920 gave this region special historical significance. In this incident, the Akbaş Ammunition Depot, under French occupation, was raided, the ammunition was recovered, and the site retained its historical significance in the post-war period.

^{Akbaş Martyrs' Cemetery - Gallipoli Campaign}

Current Status

Today, the Akbaş Martyrs' Memorial is protected under the responsibility of the Çanakkale Historical Site Directorate. This site, open to visitors, is important for shedding light on the healthcare aspects of the Gallipoli Campaign. The site reveals the war's behind-the-scenes dimensions and honors the memory of the soldiers who lost their lives there.

This martyrs' cemetery, built in memory of the Turkish soldiers martyred in the Gallipoli Campaign, contains 459 symbolic tombstones. The cemetery serves as both a memorial and a symbolic space for visitors to the area. The actual martyrs' cemetery is located opposite the symbolic cemetery, on the right side of the road towards Yalova village, approximately 25 meters above road level. This area has been preserved in accordance with the 1915 battle order, and environmental security has been ensured.

Behind the symbolic cemeteries is a statue that references the events between soldiers of opposing sides during the Gallipoli Campaign, with themes of peace and friendship, and a monument dedicated to the 1915 Gallipoli Martyrs. Additionally, a relief depicting the activities of the medical units during the war is located in this area. The names of a total of 754 martyrs are displayed on either side of the relief, aiming to keep individual memories alive in the collective memory.

The relief bears the following statement from Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, reflecting the spirit of war:

"Turkish commanders knew how to command, and Turkish soldiers knew how to die. This is the secret of our victory in the war."

At the base of the martyrs' cemetery, there is a small mosque and a fountain built to meet the religious and spiritual needs of visitors. These structures are important for visitors to the site to practice their religious duties. As a result of extensive renovations carried out in 2013, the martyrs' cemetery was restored to its current appearance.