The Caucasian front.

Discussions on all aspects of the First World War not covered in the other sections. Hosted by Terry Duncan.
Post Reply
User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10550
Joined: 20 Mar 2005, 12:48
Location: Argentina

The Caucasian front.

#1

Post by tigre » 29 Jul 2015, 17:09

Hello to all :D; a brief account regarding this (forgotten) front......................

HE SARYKAMYCH OPERATION

By Captain M.D. Taylor, Field Artillery

The Sarykamych operation was an episode in the war on the Caucasian front between Russians and Turks in December 1914. It involved a wide envelopment by the Turkish forces, which just missed success, and the counteroffensive executed by the Russians. It illustrates maneuver on a large scale in difficult terrain under open warfare conditions.

The terrain in the Caucasus is rugged and barren. The ridges rise to an average height of about 6,000 feet; in some places they reach 9,600 feet. The climate is severe in winter. During the operations to be described, the snowfall was very heavy. The communications in the area were deficient. On the Russian side of the frontier, a single railroad led from Tiflis through Kars to Sarykamych, where it ended. The only highways were in Russian territory, there being-three: the first Kars-Sarykamych-Karakourt; the second, Kars-Sarykamych-Karaourgan; the third, Kars-Olty. On the Turkish side there was the single improved road, Erzeroum-Gassankala. The other routes of circulation were merely trails not suitable for wheeled transport. Consequently, the movement of large bodies of troops, their control, supply, and evacuation were very difficult on both sides.

The Russian Army of the Caucasus on the outbreak of war consisted of:

I Corps (General Berchman):

20th Division

39th Division

2 brigades (11 battalions) of "plastouns" (dismounted Cossacks from Kouban)

Several regiments of Cossack cavalry

IV Corps (General Oganovski) Army troops

II Corps.

These troops were divided between the western and eastern sectors of the Caucasus front. The former (Erzeroum) sector was given to General Berchman. It is here that the operations which are being described took place.

General Berchman's forces were disposed as follows:

8 battalions under General Istomin at Olty

25 battalions under General Baratov at Sarykamych

5 battalions in reserve at Kars

5 battalions in reserve at Kaghizman.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Sep 1935.

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
Attachments
image024.png
image024.png (107.88 KiB) Viewed 713 times

User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10550
Joined: 20 Mar 2005, 12:48
Location: Argentina

Re: The Caucasian front.

#2

Post by tigre » 31 Jul 2015, 23:55

Hello to all :D; something more......................

THE SARYKAMYCH OPERATION

By Captain M.D. Taylor, Field Artillery

At the outbreak of war these forces (Russian) advanced by converging routes on Erzeroum. The Olty force was delayed on 7 November by supply difficulties, leaving Baratov in an exposed position at Kaprikei. The Turks (the Third Army consisting of the IX, X, and XI Corps-nine divisions in all) took advantage of the situation and attacked Kaprikei on 14 November, driving the Russians back to the general line: Ekrek-Karaderbent, where the situation stabilized. Meanwhile the II Corps reinforced General Berchman. The dispositions by the middle of December, from right to left, were as follows:

The Istomin detachment near Ekrek
1st Brigade
1 battalion of artillery, 20th Division Cossack regiment
II Corps blocking the road to Sarykamych
39th Division (General de Witt) in Zanzah-Khorassan area
1st and 2nd Plastoun Brigades (General Prjevalski) near Juzveran

Detachment of Colonel Koulebiakin at the Karaderbent defile:
2 battalions, 20th Division
1 mountain battery
1 Cossack regiment.

A Cossack division was in cantonments about Salkori. In rear at Karaougan the 80th Regiment was in general reserve while farther to the rear were some territorial units and the 3d Chasseur Brigade.

Opposite the Russians the positions were occupied by Kurd partisans with the Third Army held in rear. The army commander was Hassan-Izet-Pacha with the German Major Guse as chief of staff. Many Germans were interspersed through the staff.

Early in December Enver Pacha arrived at the Third Army with the German General von Schellendorf to take personal charge of a Turkish offensive. The plan of maneuver was as follows: The X Reserve Corps and part of the IX Corps were to fix the bulk of the Russian army by a frontal attack. The remainder of the IX Corps and the X (active) Corps were to fall on the Olty detachment of General Istomin and drive it to the northeast. While one division of the X Corps would pursue, the IX Corps and the remaining two divisions of the X Corps were to converge on Sarykamych in the Russian rear and encircle the army of General Berchman. The plan was bold and aimed at decisive results. It was defective in that the terrain to be crossed by the IX and X Corps was very mountainous, traversed only by trails which, difficult in good weather, were now covered by heavy snows.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Sep 1935.

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
Attachments
image030.png
image030.png (87.62 KiB) Viewed 674 times


User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10550
Joined: 20 Mar 2005, 12:48
Location: Argentina

Re: The Caucasian front.

#3

Post by tigre » 03 Aug 2015, 22:01

Hello to all :D; something more......................

THE SARYKAMYCH OPERATION

By Captain M.D. Taylor, Field Artillery

On 19 December Istomin reported unusual activity among the Turks on his front. By 21 December he had proof that the Turks had been reinforced. On 23 December he was forced out of his position by two divisions of the X Corps and retreated. To relieve the pressure on Istomin, Berchman ordered an attack by the II Corps and the 39th Division on 23 December; but the attack was quickly stopped by the Turks. By the evening of 24 December Istomin was in full retreat on Merdenek, leaving the Russian right completely exposed to the Turkish envelopment.

The news on these combats arriving at Russian general headquarters at Tiflis, General Mychlaevski accompanied by General Joudenitch was sent to take command of the front. Meanwhile the Turks were pushing forward their enveloping mass which was within 12 miles of Sarykamych on 24 December. It was not until late on 27 December, with the Turks within 3 miles of their goal, that Mychlaevski learned the gravity of his situation. At that time five enemy divisions commanded by Enver Pacha in person were so near that their advance guards had already cut the railway between Kars and Sarykamych. The Russian commander hastily ordered:

(a) The II Corps and 39th Division to halt the frontal advance of the Turks on the line: Ziak-Karaourgan-Medjengent.
(b) The 1st Plastoun Brigade to move by forced marches to Sarykamych, there its commander, Prjevalski, would take command of all troops defending this critical point.
(c) General Baratov with the 1st Cossack Division (less one regiment) and the 2d Plastoun Brigade to pass to the east of Sarykamych and, reinforced by elements from Kars, to fall on the marching flank of the Turkish envelopment.

This regroupment would require several days. Meanwhile Sarykamych,on 26 December seemed doomed to capture before the regroupment could be effected. Losing confidence, General Mychlaevski gave the frontal defense to Joudenitch, the defense of Sarykamych to Berchman, and quit the army for Tiflis, where he hoped to constitute a new army.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Sep 1935.

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).

User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10550
Joined: 20 Mar 2005, 12:48
Location: Argentina

Re: The Caucasian front.

#4

Post by tigre » 06 Aug 2015, 16:26

Hello to all :D; something more......................

THE SARYKAMYCH OPERATION

By Captain M.D. Taylor, Field Artillery

However, Sarykamych did not fall. On 26 December it was defended only by an improvised force under Colonel Baukretov consisting of two territorial battalions, a battalion of the 18th Chasseurs, and two pieces of artillery. Aided by the strong terrain, these forces held out against the Turkish 77th and 29th Divisions during 26 December and were reinforced by the 80th Infantry during the night. During 27 December the defenders of Sarykamych were almost encircled, but the town held out. The Turks wasted the 28th Division in local attacks. At nightfall 5 Plastoun battalions under Prjevalski arrived, and the worst moments for the Russians were over. Meanwhile the frontal retirement was being carried out in good order.

By 30 December reinforcements from the retiring front allowed Prjevalski to begin counterattacks about Sarykamych, most of which were directed at the Bardouz defile on the Turkish right. Gradually the Turks were forced on the defensive about Sarykamych. On 4 January the forces of Prjevalski passed to the counteroffensive in conjunction with an attack of the Turkish flank by General Baratov who, with eleven battalions and fourteen sotnias, had at length reached his attack positions. By 2:00 PM, 4 January, the Turkish resistance was broken. The Turks were encircled and the commanders of the IX Corps and the 17th, 28th, and 29th Divisions were captured. Of the 90,000 Turks who began the campaign only 12,000 escaped death or capture.

Enver Pacha had erred in applying rigidly the Schlieffen formula of envelopment without giving due consideration to the factor terrain. The communications of the enveloping force were wholly inadequate, and the supply system soon broke down. Operating on interior lines over better communications, the Russians were eventually able to envelop the envelopment and thus create a disaster for the Turkish Third Army. Every maneuver can be met by a countermaneuver which will succeed if the opportunity is not missed to organize it.

Source: Review of Military Literature. Sep 1935.

It's all folks. Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
Attachments
image007.png
image007.png (122.98 KiB) Viewed 644 times

User avatar
tigre
Member
Posts: 10550
Joined: 20 Mar 2005, 12:48
Location: Argentina

Re: The Caucasian front.

#5

Post by tigre » 23 Feb 2019, 16:52

Hello to all :D; a brief account regarding this front......................

Night Attack in the mountain - Bitlis 1916.

In February 1916 in Eastern Anatolia there was still snow on the ground and cold weather prevailed, while in Mesopotamia It was already warm. The route of the Russian forces to Mesopotamia was blocked by the city of Bitlis, surrounded by high mountain ranges. A Turkish infantry division, after exhausting retreat battles and a sixty mile retirement, arrived in Bitlis, camped therein, and having fortified the city, prepared for defense.

The division had ten to fifteen guns (howitzers and cannons) and machIne guns. The terrain was favorable to strong defense; the road traversed over a narrow valley surrounded by wild mountain peaks. In addition to this, at a distance of about a half day march (some 8 miles away), another Turkish division was bivouacked for the night.

Russian forces consisted of the 6th and 8th Caucasian Rifle regiments with reinforcing artillery, but due to deep snow and difficulties of mountain transportation, only two guns could be brought into action. The Russians also had the Poltavsky regiment of the 1st Kuban Division and units of the 2nd Armenian Division. All these forces were under the commander of the 2nd Caucasian Cossack Division.

For two days the Russians tried to capture the City by attacking in daytime and attempting to outflank the enemy. But because of the failure of these attempts it was decided to execute a night attack.

The attack began shortly before daybreak and was executed in three columns. At the head of the attacking forces advanced the first wave (echelon) of infantry, behind It the second, followed by cavalry, and finally, by the guns.

The result of the night attack was stunning. The Turkish positions were captured with one blow; prisoners and machine guns were taken. After the breakthrough, the Russian immediately placed machine guns un mountain peaks and began to fire on the enemy.

Shortly after this the enemy artillery was captured and the City fell. The fresh Turkish division resting up within half-day's march did not participate in the battle, probably being Impressed by the success of the sudden Russian night attack.

After the capture of the city, already' after daybreak, the Russians undertook pursuit employing cavalry for this purpose, which was driving the enemy to a distance of ten to twelve miles. The road to Mesopotamia was open.

Source: Foreign Military Digests. Military Review. July 1942. Vol XXII Nro 85.

Cheers. Raúl M 8-).
Attachments
image011.jpg
Situation of Bitlis ...............................................
http://www.esacademic.com/dic.nsf/eswiki/208937
image011.jpg (58.42 KiB) Viewed 387 times
image013.jpg
Detail of the attack on the town.............................
image013.jpg (38.97 KiB) Viewed 387 times

Post Reply

Return to “First World War”