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HMS Iron Duke and the Great Fire of Smyrna, 1922
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HMS Iron Duke and the Great Fire of Smyrna, 1922
A vivid photograph of the burning of Smyrna after its capture by the Turks, with HMS Iron Duke, the flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, in the foreground. Date: 1922
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Media ID 14169690
© Illustrated London News Ltd/Mary Evans
Blaze Burning Destruction Flagship Iron Izmir Smyrna Turks 1922
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In the haunting image of the Great Fire of Smyrna in 1922, the once vibrant harbor city of Izmir, Turkey, lies in ruins, engulfed in a fiery inferno. The photograph captures the devastating aftermath of the city's capture by Turkish forces, leaving behind a scene of unparalleled destruction. At the foreground of the image, anchored in the harbor, is HMS Iron Duke, the flagship of the Mediterranean fleet, a stark reminder of the foreign intervention that followed the chaos. The Great Fire of Smyrna, also known as the Catastrophe of Smyrna, began on September 13, 1922, when a small fire in a tobacco warehouse spread rapidly, fueled by the volatile conditions of the city. The fire quickly escalated, and within hours, the entire city was in flames. Thousands of Greek and Armenian Christians were trapped, unable to escape the advancing Turkish forces. The international community, led by the League of Nations, intervened, and several countries, including Britain, sent naval forces to evacuate their citizens. HMS Iron Duke, under the command of Vice-Admiral Thomas Bayly Massy, arrived in the harbor on September 15, 1922, to assist in the evacuation efforts. However, the photograph captures the scene after the evacuation, with the Iron Duke serving as a silent witness to the destruction that had unfolded. The Great Fire of Smyrna marked the end of the Greek presence in Asia Minor and led to the exchange of populations between Greece and Turkey, resulting in the displacement of over a million people. The photograph serves as a poignant reminder of the tragic events that unfolded in this historic city, leaving behind a legacy of destruction and loss.
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