Seyit Çabuk served as an artilleryman in the Ottoman army and earned the nickname Koca Seyit due to his immense physical strength.
The artillery shell he carried during the Gallipoli Campaign was reportedly a 240mm shell from the Mecidiye coastal battery.
Despite the extreme weight of the projectile, historical records suggest he successfully loaded the cannon, disabling the steering gear of the British battleship HMS Ocean.
The memorial was established in the hero's birthplace, the village of Çamlık, to preserve the legacy of his local upbringing.
He was officially recognized for his service in 1915 and continued his life as a humble forester and charcoal burner after the war.
The Seyit Onbaşı Memorial in Havran, Balıkesir, honors the legendary corporal Seyit Çabuk, a hero of the Gallipoli Campaign during World War I. The site commemorates his feat of carrying a 276-kilogram artillery shell alone to the Mecidiye Battery to sink the HMS Ocean. The memorial features a bronze statue of Seyit Onbaşı depicted carrying the massive shell on his back. It is situated on the road connecting Edremit to Havran, serving as a significant landmark for national heritage in the Aegean region. The memorial grounds include landscaped gardens and information plaques detailing the historical context of his contribution to the Dardanelles victory. Visitors often stop here while traveling through the Kaz Dağları mountain range region.
Directly in front of the bronze statue to capture the scale of the shell he is carrying.
Visit during a road trip between Balıkesir and the North Aegean coast for an easy stopover.
Read the provided plaques carefully as they contain historical context regarding the specific battery where the event occurred.
Allow time to walk through the surrounding memorial garden which offers a view of the local topography.
Do not treat the site as a casual park for picnics, as it is a place of historical commemoration.
Maintain a respectful and quiet demeanor, as this is a memorial site honoring a national military figure.
