RootsChat.Com
General => The Common Room => Topic started by: reynolds_1979 on Wednesday 14 September 22 10:45 BST (UK)
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I am currently clearing my aunt and uncle's house. And came across a Turkish medal/coin with very little on it. It has the side view of, who I believe, is Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. The only words are 'Turkish Republic' with no date. And it's blank on the back. I suspect it may be a tourist thing but wondered if anyone has seen something similar and could help identify what it is.
Thanks
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There is a biography of this man, born 1881 and died 1938, on Encyclopaedia Britannica.
https://www.britannica.com/biography/Kemal-Ataturk
As it is blank on the back it may well have been a tourist souvenir. The image on the coin looks very like the photo included on the biography.
Perhaps another Rootschatter may be able to assist.
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Kemel Ataturk was very sympathic after WW1.
He had British and Commonwealth troops who were killed at Gallipoli buried in the same cemetery as Turkish troops.
In his speech he said ,to English mothers especially ,that their sons were with the sons of Turkey. Their graves would be tended just as well and not neglected.” Your sons are now our sons —-“ I must look it up as it is a very conciliatory speech and very comforting to British mothers especially who would never get to visit their sons’ graves.
The film Gallipoli was where Turkish and British troops clashed, the Turks on the cliffs above and our troops on the beaches below,sitting ducks!
A lovely poem in a WW1 book “ Death of a Hero “ is about The battle of Troy, but is comparable with Gallipoli ,which is not far from the believed site of Troy .
An interesting find,don’t throw it away.
There may be a connection to someone in your family ,Suvla Bay is worth looking up.
I can imagine the medal was distributed perhaps in recognition of Kemel Ataturk’s great sympathy for the men who has been the enemy .
Viktoria.
I am going to check my info,as some Australians are somewhat doubtful as to its authorship. They lost very heavily at Gallipoli.
K.A. Was a reformer though .V.
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I could be wrong (it has happened before, so I know that it could happen again), but I believe that the medal could be the one that was issued when Turkey became a Republic. I believe that it was issued to almost all the citizens of the new republic. People who were a "Somebody" had an inscription - most did not.
Regards
Chas
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That sounds feasible, it became a Republic under Ataturk .
He modernised the alphabet ,language and more rights for women.
There was a lovely TV programme ,and the cemetery was shown and his speech on a stone slab.
Most interesting.
Let us know if you make any family connection to Turkey,or WWl in that area,Gallipoli ,The Dardanelles .
An Australian song is very moving ,” And the band played Waltzing Matilda” ,
— ‘“We buried ours
And they buried theirs .
And it started all over again “
What an interesting find.Thanks.
Viktoria.
P.S. the ribbon ,looks like tartan but not seen one in those colours .