[PHOTOGRAPHY / THE BRITISH OCCUPATION OF TURKEY] Six original gelatine silver photos of the Kemalists executed by the occupying British firing squad in August 1920 in Izmit Shipyard, taken by the first Armenian photographer of Izmit

MAVIYAN, MARDIROS (Armenian photographer).

Maviyan, Izmit, [August 1920].

Complete title: [PHOTOGRAPHY / THE BRITISH OCCUPATION OF TURKEY / FIRST ARMENIAN PHOTOGRAPHER OF IZMIT] Six original gelatine silver photographs of the Kemalists (Nationalists) executed by the occupying British firing squad (the Gordon Highlander Regiment in August 1920) in Ismidt (Izmit) Shipyard, taken by the first Armenian photographer of Ismidt (Izmit), Mardiros Maviyan.

Six loose original gelatin silver prints, two bearing the photographer’s credit, “Ismidt Photographist Mavian”, in the lower right corner. Each measuring 9 × 14 cm. All photographs exhibit rich tonal quality and sharp detail and are in near-fine condition.

An exceptionally rare and historically significant group of six original gelatin silver photographs documenting the execution of Kemalist prisoners by a British firing squad of the Gordon Highlanders at the Izmit (Ismidt) Shipyard in August 1920, during the Allied occupation of the Ottoman Empire. The photographs were taken by Mardiros Mavyan (Mavian-Maviyan), the first Armenian photographer active in İzmit.

The photographs document the tragic scenes of the execution of Kemalist prisoners at the İzmit (Ismidt) Shipyard in August 1920. The prisoners are shown blindfolded and seated against the imposing walls of the shipyard, with sacks placed behind them, apparently to prevent bullets from ricocheting. The series records the moments surrounding the executions carried out by British forces, reportedly members of the Gordon Highlanders. Two of the photographs bear the photographer’s credit, “Ismid Photographist Maviyan”, printed in the lower left corner.

Mardiros (Mardros) Maviyan, an Armenian photographer, lithographer, and printer associated with Armash (modern Akmeşe), near Izmit, was an important figure in the region's early printing and photographic history. In 1860, he reportedly established a printing establishment at Akmeşe to produce books and documents for the Armenian monastery at Armash, continuing these activities until 1892. Approximately twenty-five Armenian-language titles were printed at the monastery between 1863 and 1892, while a further seven titles appeared in Adapazarı between 1911 and 1914. In 1893, Mavyan transferred his activities to central İzmit, where his lithographic establishment on Hamidiye Street occupied a building subsequently used as the governor’s office. Alongside Makinistian, he is recognised as one of the earliest photographers active in the İzmit Sanjak. He is particularly remembered for his photographic documentation of the Allied occupation of İzmit, including the executions of Kemalist prisoners at the shipyard. (Özendes).

THE OCCUPATION OF IZMIT BY THE BRITISH ARMY: 242nd Brigade (242 Bde) was an infantry formation composed of British and Indian troops, which served in Turkey during the Occupation of Constantinople after World War I. 242 Brigade was formed around Izmit, about 100 km east of Constantinople, on 30 March 1920 by General Headquarters of the British Army of Occupation. Under the command of Brigadier-General F.S. Montague-Bates, 242 Bde initially comprised three Indian Army battalions, with a proportion of British Army support troops, all drawn from the 28th Division, which was serving in Turkey at the time; a British infantry battalion (1st Gordon Highlanders, from the Army of Occupation in Germany) was soon added. The brigade was formally attached to the 28th Division from 6 June to 15 September 1920. On 13 July the 20th Hussars took part in one of the last mounted actions by British cavalry, during an operation against Turkish nationalists.

In August Major-General Edmund Ironside took over command of the troops in the Izmit area (which became ‘Ironside Force’). When Montague-Bates authorized a sortie over the river Sakarya to protect his perimeter against attacks by Nationalist Turks, Ironside reprimanded him. One of Montague-Bates’ staff reported that the two generals ‘had heated words’ and ‘When Brigadier Bates came out of the meeting, he was white with rage, said good-bye, and having collected his belongings left with hardly a word’. Montague-Bates returned to Constantinople and was sent home. He was replaced in command of 242 Bde by Brigadier-General H.A.V. Cummins. In September 1920, the Greek Army took over the Izmit Front, which allowed the British Army of Occupation to be reduced. The 242nd Brigade was disbanded on 3 October, and the troops dispersed, most of them joining the 84th Brigade of the 28th Division at Haydarpasa.