Cengiz Topel

Cengiz Topel (September 2, 1934 – August 8, 1964) was a fighter pilot and captain of the Turkish Air Force.

Topel was killed in the Battle of Tillyria, becoming the first war casualty of the Turkish Air Force in Cyprus. His name was posthumously given to several schools, neighborhoods, streets and avenues.

Early Life

Topel was born in İzmit, Kocaeli on September 2, 1934 to Mebuse Hanım and Hakkı Bey, a tobacco expert from Trabzon. He was the third of four children.

He started attending primary school in Bandırma, and later continued it in Gönen after his father was reassigned there. His father passed away in 1943, when Topel was 9, and the family moved to Istanbul. Topel completed his primary education at Kadıköy Elementary School and his secondary education at Kadıköy Yeldeğirmeni School. After briefly attending Haydarpaşa High School, Topel transferred to Kuleli Military High School. He graduated from the school in 1953 and entered the Turkish Military Academy, graduating in 1955 with the rank of second lieutenant.

Career

His interest in aviation led him to the Turkish Air Force. The same year he graduated from the Turkish Military Academy, he took part in a NATO training program for Turkish pilots; attending the program in Gaziemir, and later Canada. During his 20-month stay in Canada, he completed a language course, basic flight training with the T-6 aircraft, advanced flight training with the T-33, and fighter training with the F-86. He logged 181.35 hours on the T-6, 83.15 hours on the T-33, and 25 hours on the F-86. In 1957, he earned his pilot wings and returned to Turkey, where he began serving at the 5th Main Jet Base Command in Merzifon.

In 1961, he was assigned to the 1st Main Jet Base in EskiÅŸehir, where he was trained as a combat-ready pilot on the F-100 aircraft. In 1963, he was promoted to the rank of captain.

Battle of Tillyria

On August 8, 1964, during Turkey’s aerial intervention in the Battle of Tillyria in Cyprus, Cengiz Topel was assigned as the leader of a formation of four F-100 aircraft belonging to the Turkish Air Force. His F-100 was hit by a Bofors 40 mm gun while diving to engage a Greek Cypriot ship located at the Gemikonağı Port and crashed. Topel managed to eject from the aircraft and parachuted down near the Greek Cypriot village of Peristeronari (currently known as Cengizköy). An attempt was made to rescue him by Turkey, but was unsuccessful. Turkey quickly demanded the return of Topel and threatened retaliatory attacks.

The events from when Topel parachuted to the ground to his death are unclear and have been the subject of much speculation. According to one, Topel was captured by Cypriot soldiers and taken to Morphou (Güzelyurt) to be interrogated. When he refused to talk after being beaten at the entrance of the town, he was shot and later transferred to the Nicosia Greek Hospital. Another claims that he was captured by Greek troops and taken to a hospital. Members of the Cypriot National Guard later took him to their headquarters at the Kykkos Monastery, where they tortured him to death. His death was later announced by Greek Cypriots via radio, stating that he had died on August 9.

Following persistent diplomatic efforts by Turkey, his body was recovered from the Nicosia Greek Hospital and brought to the Nicosia General Hospital for an autopsy on August 11, 1964. On August 12, 1964, it was repatriated to Turkey. After ceremonies held in Cyprus, Adana, Ankara, and Istanbul, he was buried on August 14, 1964, at the Sakızağacı Air Martyrs Cemetery in Edirnekapı, Istanbul.

Personal belongings of Cengiz Topel are displayed at the Istanbul Military Museum in Harbiye.

Topel is remembered as the first Turkish air combat loss in Cyprus.

Autopsy

Following his capture, reports indicate that Topel was subjected to severe torture. Turkish officials claimed that he was interrogated under harsh conditions to extract information and force him to broadcast anti-Turkish statements.

An autopsy was conducted at the Nicosia General Hospital, which documented significant injuries consistent with torture. According to the report:

# His left eye had been removed.
# His genital area had been severely damaged.
# Drill holes were found in both arms.
# A nail had been driven into the left side of his skull.
# A large incision extended from his neck to his abdomen, with significant damage to or removal of internal organs, including the lungs and heart.

Legacy

A former Turkish Air Force base located near İzmit, currently in use as Cengiz Topel Naval Air Station, is named after him. A monument was erected on the coastal road in the village Gemikonağı near Lefke in Northern Cyprus, where he had landed by parachute. A bronze statue in Eskişehir depicts him in flight suit. A number of places, schools in Turkey and a hospital in Northern Cyprus are named after him.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Topel, Cengiz
1934 births
1964 deaths
People from Ä°zmit
HaydarpaÅŸa High School alumni
Kuleli Military High School alumni
Turkish Military Academy alumni
Turkish aviators
Turkish Air Force officers
Turkish military personnel of the Cyprus conflicts
Shot-down aviators
Turkish prisoners of war
Burials at Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery
Turkish torture victims
Turkish military personnel killed in action
Deaths by firearm in Cyprus