Cengiz Topel (September 2, 1934, Izmit - August 8, 1964, Cyprus), Turkish pilot captain. During the warning flight of the Turkish Air Force in Cyprus in 1964, when his plane was hit by Greek anti-aircraft guns, he parachuted and was captured. He was tortured by the Greeks and lost his life. Topel's body was returned by the Greeks on 12 August 1964, at the insistent request of the Turkish authorities. It is the first pilot loss of the Turkish Air Force in Cyprus.
Family and education life
He is the son of Hakkı Bey, Tekel tobacco expert from Trabzon (Çaykara). He was born on September 2, 1934 in Izmit, where his father was working. Her mother is Mebuse Hanım. He is the third of four siblings in the family.
Primary School Bandırma II. He started in primary school and continued his education in Ömer Seyfettin Primary School with the appointment of his father to Gönen. After he lost his father, his family moved to Kadıköy, Istanbul. He completed his primary and secondary education at Kadıköy Yeldeğirmeni School. He started his high school education at Haydarpaşa High School and went on to Kuleli Military High School and finished in 1953. He graduated from the Military Academy in 1955 and joined the army ranks as a lieutenant.
He was assigned to the air class as a result of his interest in aviation from an early age. He was sent to Canada for piloting training. After successfully completing his education in Canada, he returned home in 1957 and started to work at Merzifon 5th Main Jet Base Command. In 1961, he was appointed to Eskişehir 1st Air Main Jet Base. He was promoted to captain in 1963.
Cyprus operation
On 8 August 1964, he was sent from Eskişehir to Cyprus as a quadruple command commander during the Cyprus Operation. During the flight with the F-100 aircraft, the plane was hit and shot down from the ground. He managed to jump with a parachute, but was captured by the Greeks. He died as a result of the torture inflicted in violation of the articles of international war law covering prisoners. It was announced that Cengiz Topel, the first Turkish air war loss in Cyprus, died in the hospital, but his body was taken from the Greeks on 12 August 1964 as a result of persistent attempts.
The room where he was tortured has been restored and is located in Cengiz Topel Barracks in Cyprus today and is used as a museum. According to the autopsy report and the British nurse who photographed her body, she was tortured to death in unconsciousness. Greeks who took him prisoner; He cut, crushed and battered Topel's various limbs and removed some of his internal organs.
Details of the atrocities committed against Martyr Pilot Captain Cengiz Topel
Funeral
He was buried in Sakızağacı Air Cemetery in Edirnekapı on August 14, 1964, after the ceremonies held in Cyprus, Adana, Ankara and Istanbul.
In memory of
many parks in settlements in various regions of Turkey, was named to the streets and alleys. One district each in Gaziantep and Kayseri, one neighborhood in Ankara's Mamak, Çubuk districts and Konak district of Izmir, in Gaziosmanpaşa, Eyüpsultan, Tuzla and Kartal districts of Istanbul, in Yüksekova district of Hakkari province, in Karabaş district of Izmit district of Kocaeli and Balıkesir to the main street in Gönen (Balıkesir), where he continues to Ömer Seyfettin Primary School with the appointment of his father; One of the largest streets in Malatya, Kırıkkale, Sorgun and Eskişehir, a square in the center of Tekirdağ was named.
The name Cengiz Topel is in Muratpaşa and Finike districts of Antalya, Patnos district of Ağrı, Eskişehir in Adıyaman, Batman, Sakarya, Tokat Turhal in Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Isparta, Istanbul Bakirkoy and Zonguldak's Kozlu, Manisa's Demirci, Mersin's Mediterranean, Tarsus, Silifke and Anamur, Osmaniye's Kadirli, Adana's Yuregir, Konya's Karatay, Afyonkarahisar's Dinar, Trabzon's Of and Sinop 's Boyabat, Gaziantep's Şahinbey, İzmir's Buca and Güzelbahçe districts, and Gönen (Balıkesir).
In addition, there are "Martyr Topel Police Station" named after Cengiz Topel in Konya, "Cengiz Topel Naval Air Base Command" in Izmit and Kocaeli Cengiz Topel Airport.
There is a mosque bearing its name in Istanbul-Şirinevler, in Çağlayan district of Kağıthane and in Maltepe Gülsuyu District.
There is a statue in the center of Eskişehir and in Gürsu district of Bursa.
In the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, its monument was erected and a village and a hospital were named.
A street in İzmir-Karşıyaka and in the center of Düzce was given its name. Its name was given to a street in Çorum.
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