Mesudiye – Guide 402



The Mesudiye, an ironclad of the Ottoman Navy, is today’s subject.

Read more about the ship here:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Ottoman-Steam-Navy-1828-1923/dp/1557506590
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Conways-Worlds-Fighting-Ships-1860-1905/dp/0851771335
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Naval-Warfare-1815-1914-History-ebook/dp/B0BL5HFCTC

Naval History books, use code ‘DRACH’ for 25% off – https://www.usni.org/press/books?f%5B0%5D=subject%3A1966

Free naval photos and more – www.drachinifel.co.uk

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‘Legionnaire’ by Scott Buckley – released under CC-BY 4.0. www.scottbuckley.com.au

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37 thoughts on “Mesudiye – Guide 402”

  1. I remember what was written in my school history (some 35 years ago at a Greek high school) about the naval part of the first Balkan war: "Greek navy led by the battleship (!) Georgios Averof won a superb victory at Limnos battle against the Ottoman navy lead by the battleships (!!) Mesudiye and Hamidiye". I remembered as a student to be really skeptical about the prospect of one battleship forcing two ones to retreat, even if Averof was a new ship. And then (35 yrs later) Drach informed us that Averof was a protected cruiser and the Ottoman ships were just disguised and modernized ironclads. Now this makes more sense… and thank you Drach for all these fascinating stories.

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  2. While somewhat under utilised I think she had a respectable service, it was hardly the designers fault in the 1870's how different warfare in the 1910's would be. Although failing to install the main battery on a pre dreadnought is pretty stupid.

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  3. Ottoman ships were the most unfortunate of all: This one was well-designed, well-built, armed and engined, then left to go sour. But that rebuild has always impressed me. Some of the British and French ironclads were the recipients of impressive rebuilds, but nothing quite tops Mesudiye's.
    A shame about that torpedoing.
    I believe she was yet another Reed design: Have you done a video about the man yet?

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  4. I clicked on this guide solely because it was about a ship from outside Western Europe, North America, or Japan. I was not disappointed! More ships from smaller powers, please!

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  5. Drach: Poorer choices of name could be made, but you'd almost need deliberate effort.
    US Navy: Should we name a ship John F. Kennedy?
    Also US Navy: We'll take a shot at it.

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  6. The town of Holbrook in New South Wales was named after Lt. Norman Holbrook, the commander of the B-11. If you're ever on the highway between Sydney and Melbourne, I reccomend that you pay it a visit. Aside from having a very good submarine museum, it boasts a truly estimable pie shop.

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