HAKKI TUNA (Eceabat-Anafartalar Village)

I was born in 1896. I am eighty-five years old. I was going to the School of Officers when the government introduced the conscription. It was my second year in the school. I have fought in the Gallipoli Front for nine months and ten days. I was born in Ankara. Since I was a child, I am living here. After the war, I have married and settled here.
 
I was a student when the war has begun. They recruited me to the Artillery Reigment in Hadimkoy-Sancaktepe.

It was a regiment formed of six subdivisions.

One day, Cemal Pasha Minister of Marine came to inspect us. After his inspection, they took us to Istanbul Sultan Ahmet Mosque. We stayed in the mosque for several days. Then we were sent to different fronts. Some of us went to Arabia, some Bosphorus. My division was sent to Gallipoli. We have been embarked to a boat from the Galata Harbour. In those days, in the Marmara Sea there were submarines. Thus, they gave our boat torpedo. We have launched from the Galata Harbour and anchored in Akbas pier, in Canakkale. We unloaded the boat. In that moment, a shell had fallen very near.

We passed from Eceabat, a ruined town. All the houses were broken down. Many houses were burning. At night, we came close to Kritia. We have spent that night in 9th Regiment. The next morning, we found ourselves in Kirithia. We positioned our batteries. We had been preparing in a rush. When we have finished the preparations, the enemy was very near. We began to fire our guns. We spent that week in our trenches. Then we have been ordered to draw back to Zeytinlik. We positioned our tents and guns. I was in the Heavy Artillery Division. We had 12 -inch heavy hotwisers. We went to Yorgi Stream with two batteries. We stayed there for two months. The war was continuing. There had been attacks all the time. We lost two of our gunners. We had an officer named Refik. This time, we have positioned in the Domuz Stream. For three months, we fired against the enemy. Our commander was Nadir Effendi. His rank was first lieutenant. Our observation point was on Achi Baba. The Group commanders observation point was located above us. One-day commander Nadir Effendi told me that the Group commander was calling me. I went to his room and knocked on his door. He told me that you are going to the skirmisher line. There you will find the commander of 16th Regiment and he will give a mission.