▁took ▁place ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁in ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁when ▁the ▁cargo ▁ste amer ▁Ref ah ▁of ▁neutral ▁Turkey , ▁carrying ▁Turkish ▁military ▁personnel ▁from ▁M ers in ▁in ▁Turkey ▁to ▁Port ▁Sa id , ▁Egypt , ▁was ▁s unk ▁in ▁eastern ▁Mediter rane an ▁waters ▁by ▁a ▁tor ped o ▁fired ▁from ▁an ▁un ident ified ▁sub marine . ▁Of ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 ▁passengers ▁and ▁crew ▁ab o ard , ▁only ▁ 3 2 ▁surv ived . ▁ ▁Background ▁Turkey ▁remained ▁neutral ▁until ▁the ▁final ▁year ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁but ▁due ▁to ▁its ▁proxim ity ▁to ▁the ▁fighting , ▁it ▁decided ▁to ▁mobil ize ▁a ▁large ▁army ▁in ▁case ▁the ▁country ▁came ▁under ▁attack . ▁In ▁the ▁early ▁stages ▁of ▁the ▁war , ▁the ▁Turkish ▁government ▁had ▁already ▁ordered ▁four ▁sub mar ines , ▁four ▁destroy ers , ▁twelve ▁landing ▁craft ▁and ▁aircraft ▁for ▁four ▁fl ights ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁Kingdom . ▁ ▁D elivery ▁was ▁delayed ▁because ▁of ▁w art ime ▁difficulties . ▁Nevertheless , ▁the ▁British ▁decided ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁sub mar ines ▁and ▁aircraft ▁available , ▁fear ing ▁a ▁possible ▁pro - G erman ▁t endency ▁among ▁the ▁Turkish ▁states men . ▁It ▁was ▁planned ▁that ▁both ▁the ▁delivery ▁and ▁the ▁training ▁of ▁the ▁military ▁personnel ▁would ▁take ▁place ▁in ▁England . ▁The ▁direct ▁air ▁route ▁from ▁Turkey ▁to ▁England ▁would ▁have ▁meant ▁trav elling ▁over ▁Naz i ▁German - control led ▁Europe , ▁so ▁it ▁was ▁decided ▁to