Turkish, Russian and German warships handed over to Allied forces according to the Dutch newspaper Nieuwe Tilburgsche Courant dated 6 December 1918

German battle cruiser SMS Goeben

Russian battleship Imperator Aleksandr III

An item dated London, England referred to an announcement of the British Admiralty reporting that all Turkish warships were handed over to the Allied forces and arrived at Constantinople, Turkey. The former German battle cruiser Goeben (1) which was handed over, was lying off Stenia, Bosporus. The former Russian warships of the Black Sea Fleet manned by German sailors were also handed over to the Allied forces. It were the dreadnought Volya (former Imperator Alexander III) and 6 destroyers.(2) Further more were four German submarines handed over of which 3 were destined for Ismid, Sea of Marmara.

Notes
1. Moltke-class. Sister ship Moltke. Building ordered on 8 April 1909, laid down at the shipyard of Blohm&Voss, Hamburg, Germany on 28 August 1909, launched on 28 March 1911, commissioned on 2 July 1912, handed over to the Turkish government on 16 August 1914, renamed Yavuz Sultan Selim and commissioned in the Turkish navy. Decommissioned on 20 December 1950, renamed Yavuz in 1935, stricken on 14 November 1954 and finally broken up in 1973. Displacement 22.979 tons/22.616 long tons (design)-25.400 tons/25.000 long tons (full loaded) and as dimensions 186,6 x 30 x 9,2 metres or 612.2 x 98.5 x 30.3 feet. The Parsons turbines supplied via 4 screws 51.289 (design)-84.609 (maximum) shp allowing a speed of 25,5 (design)-28,4 (maximum) knots and with a speed of 14 knots a range of 4.120 nautical miles. Her crew numbered 1.053 men included 43 officers. The armour consisted of a 10-29cm/3.9-11” thick belt. a 2,54-7,62cm/1-3” inch deck with the gun turrets, barbettes and conning tower protected by respectively 23cm/9.1”, 23cm/9.1” and 34cm/14”. The armament consisted of 5x2-28cm/11” L/50 guns, 12-15cm/5.9” guns and 12-8,8cm/3.5“ guns.
2. Of the Imperatritsa Maria-class. Ex-Imperator Aleksandr III. Her keel was laid down at the Russud Shipyard at Nikolayev was ordered on 30 April 1911, the contract for building her dates from 13 April 1912!, launched on 15 April 1914, commissioned on 17 July 1917 in the Imperial Russian navy, renamed on 29 April Volia and not Wolga/Volga as sometimes is suggested, in November that year was she commissioned in the Soviet Navy, on 19 June 1918 refused her crew to scuttle her and she went to Sevastopol where her armament was removed and the crew landed except for guards. On 1 October was she fallen into German hands and on the 15th made she a short voyage under German flagged. On 24 November handed the German forces her over to British forces and in December she departed towards Izmit manned by sailors from the HMS Agamemnon which ‘accompanied’ her during this voyage. Returning in 1919 to Sevastopol was she on 1 November handed over to the White Russian forces which commissioned her as the General Alekseyev. As part of the so-called Wrangel’s fleet was she interned by the French cabinet in Bizerte. End 20’s was she sold to be broken which actually happened not earlier as in 1936. Her main guns were used by German and Finnish forces and some were after the Second World War used by Soviet forces. With a displacement of 23.789 tons/23.413 long tons were her dimensions 551’x 90‘0” x 27.4’ or 168 x 27,43 x 8,36 metres. The steam turbines and 20 boilers supplied 26.000 shp allowing a speed of 21 knots and a range of 1.640 nautical miles. With a crew of 1.154 men consisted her armament of 4x3-30,5cm/12” guns, 18x1-13cm/5.1” guns, 4x1-7,62cm/3” anti aircraft guns and 4x1-45cm/17.7” submerged torpedo tubes. The armour consisted of a 12,5-26,25cm thick belt at the waterline, a 0.0-5cm thick deck, while the turrets, barbettes and conning tower were protected by respectively 25cm, 25cm and 30cm thick armour.