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Bandırma Steamship was a maritime vessel used during the Ottoman Empire for postal and passenger transport. Its significance in the history of the Republic of Türkiye stems from its role in transporting Mustafa Kemal Paşa, appointed as Inspector of the 9th Army, along with his military and civilian delegation, from Istanbul to Samsun on 19 May 1919. This journey marked a historic turning point widely regarded as the beginning of the Turkish War of Independence and the start of the process leading to the foundation of the Republic of Türkiye.
The Bandırma Steamship was a iron-hulled, steam-powered, propeller-driven general cargo and passenger vessel built in 1878 at the Phoenix Works Shipyard of McIntyre & Co. Shipbuilding Company in Glasgow/Paisley, England, on slipway number 21. Launched in July 1878 under the name “Trocadero,” the vessel measured 328 gross register tons, with a total length of 150.1 feet, a beam of 22.4 feet, and a depth of 11.4 feet. Its power came from two compound steam engines manufactured in Glasgow with a combined output of 60 horsepower.
The ship’s first owner was the London-based firm Dansey & Robinson, and it was registered in the Port of London on 14 August 1876. In 1880 it was purchased by W. H. Solas, and in 1883 by H. Psicha of Piraeus, at which point it was renamed “Kymi.” In 1888, the vessel was acquired by E. Arvaniti and ran aground on rocks during a voyage to Erdek on 16 December 1891, but was salvaged through the efforts of Captain Andreadis and subsequently repaired in the Golden Horn in Istanbul.
In 1892, the ship was purchased by the Piraeus-based firm G. & P. Dandelo and operated under the name “Panderma.” In 1894, it was bought in Istanbul by the Italian broker Rama P. D’Erasmo and transferred the same year to the Ottoman Special Administration (İdare-i Mahsusa), where it was renamed “Bandırma.” In 1910, the Bandırma Steamship joined the fleet of the Ottoman Directorate of Maritime Affairs (Seyr-i Sefain İdaresi) and served as a transport vessel throughout World War I. It narrowly escaped sinking in August 1915 when a torpedo fired by the British submarine HMS E-14 in the Sea of Marmara failed to hit.
On 16 May 1919, the Bandırma Steamship departed from the Galata Pier in Istanbul carrying Mustafa Kemal Paşa and his companions, arriving at the Samsun Tobacco Wharf on 19 May 1919. This voyage played a pivotal role in initiating the Turkish National Struggle.
Transferred to the Directorate of Maritime Affairs of the Republic of Türkiye in 1923, the vessel was decommissioned in 1924. In 1925, it was sold to Hüseyin İlhami Söker, a scrap dealer located on the shore of Balat Köprübaşı Bereket Street in the Golden Horn, and was subsequently dismantled, ending its service life.
Following the Armistice of Mudros, Mustafa Kemal Paşa was appointed Inspector of the 9th Army on 30 April 1919 to restore order in Anatolia and organize the Turkish national resistance. Due to the fact that some of the available maritime vessels had been sent to Germany for maintenance, the Bandırma Steamship—though deemed unsuitable for the harsh conditions of the Black Sea—was selected for this critical journey due to its availability in the Sea of Marmara.
On 16 May 1919, the 41-year-old Bandırma Steamship set sail from Istanbul carrying Mustafa Kemal Paşa, 22 staff officers, and 25 non-commissioned officers bound for Samsun. After a demanding three-day voyage, the ship arrived in Samsun on Monday morning, 19 May 1919. This journey is recognized as the actual beginning of the Turkish War of Independence and a decisive turning point in the Turkish nation’s struggle for independence.
Bandırma Steamship. (Samsun Governorate)
Alongside Mustafa Kemal Paşa, the ship carried staff officers and state officials, several of whom later assumed high-ranking positions during the Republic era. The 18-member delegation consisted of the following:
Confusion and Name Disputes
The Bandırma Steamship was decommissioned in 1924 and dismantled in 1925. A different vessel, the 1886-built Medway, was renamed Bandırma in 1926 and was frequently confused with the historic Bandırma Steamship. This similarity in names led to debates in some sources regarding the size and technical specifications of the original vessel. Until the proposal to establish a museum in 1933 during the 10th anniversary celebrations of the Republic, the historical identity of the steamship was not adequately preserved.
In 1957, during the presidency of Celal Bayar, efforts were made to preserve the steamship as a museum. However, it was then confirmed that the vessel then bearing the name “Ülgen” was not the historic Bandırma Steamship. Thus, it was officially recorded that the original vessel had long been dismantled and lost.
Today, a faithful replica of the Bandırma Steamship, constructed by the Samsun Metropolitan Municipality based on original drawings and photographs, was opened to the public on 19 May 2006 under the name Bandırma Ship and National Struggle Park Open-Air Museum. The museum ship displays wax figures of Mustafa Kemal and his comrades, along with artifacts recounting the journey.
The Bandırma Steamship Reconstructed According to Original Specifications. (AA)
Bandırma Ship Museum. (Samsun Governorate)
Henüz Tartışma Girilmemiştir
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History
The Journey of 19 May 1919
The Delegation on Board the Bandırma Steamship
The Bandırma Steamship in the Modern Era