Turkish Women at War

[Tosun Saral]

In most forums members are discussing about "The legend of the female sniper at Gallipoli" but really to say that I havent heard about a Turkish woman sniper at Gallipoli. But on the other hand I know that many Turkish women fought on lines of Turkish men againts the enemy in various fights. Turkish War of Liberation could not be won without the help of Turkish Women. For that reason Mustafa Kemal Atatürk erected a monument of Liberation at Ulus in Ankara showing Turkish women carriing her baby on her back and an artillary shell on her shoulder to front.

Here are some examples of fighting Turkish Women

Source: My Book "Vatan Nasıl Kurtarıldı?" (How Fatherland was Saved?)

2nd Lt. Kara Fatma (Fatma Seher Erden) ( Erzurum 1888- Erzurum 1955):
Married to an officer called Derviş Bey and fought with him in Balkan War. She also organized a group of 9-10 women and fought at Caucasusu front in WW1. As her husband was killed by Armenian outlaws after the Armistrace of Mundros he joined the National Forces of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and fought againts Armenians at the East. She established a band and fought againts the invading Greeks at Bursa and Iznik (Nicosia)region. Her son and her doughter ware also members of her band. The band had 35 fighters. She joined the famous battles of the River Sakarya and the Great Attack againts Greeks on Augıst 26th 1922. She fall POW to Greeks near Afyon Karahissar but succeded to free herself. After the peace she was promoted to the rank of 2nd Lt. She presented her sallry to Turkish Red Cross Society.

Major Ayşe Hanım:
She joined the National Forces of Mustafa Kemal Pasha after invazion of Izmir by Greeks. She fought at Aydin, 1st and 2nd Inonu Battles, wounded at the battle of The River Sakarya. She was promoted to the rank of Major. After the Liberation she worked at Turkish National Bank as employee.

Tayyar Rahmiye:
She fought the French at Cilicia.After her husband was killed by Armenians she joined the National Forces at Cilicia (Adana) During a fight againts French the men of the national forces hesitated to move under heavry French fire. She yelled them that They are not men but women. She didnt hesitaded to charge to French. She fall as she was trying to help to wounded friend.


Hatice Hatun:
She scouted a French Battalion to a wrong way on the Tourus Mountains that coused 1000 men French Battalion under command of Major Milne to be taken POW at Pozantı.

Cav. 2nd. Lt. Kara Fatma (Şimşek):
During 1921-1922 she fought at the order of a Cavalry Detachment of Composit Cavalry Kocaeli Groıup Command.

Tarsuslu Kara Fatma:
She fought againts the French in Clicia (Adana) She had a band of 8-10 men. She was one of those heroes that took Town of Tarsus from Armanianns and French.

Gaziantep Yirik Fatma:
She fought the French at the region Gaziantep.

Nazife Kadın:
She fought the Greeks at the region Samsun. She was taken POW by Pontus Rum and tortured and burned in a backoven

Gördesli Makbule:
She was originaly from Balkan. Her famili was imigrated to Akhisar from Ustrumca/Bulgaria after 1877-78 Turco Russian war. Her husband was Ustrumcalı Ali Efe the famous milis leader who fought againts invading Greeks in the Region Aydin, Manisa. She was killed during a fight at Akhisar on March 17th 1922'

Soldier Saime Hanım:
She was one of the Turkish women who protested at a grand Meeting in Sultan Ahmet/Istanbul the invazion of Izmir by greeks on May 15th 1919. She joined to the National Forces of Mustafa Kemal Pasha and worked in Ankara HQ as military secratary. After the war she teached at the Lyceum of Istanbul literature.


Corporal Halide Edip Adıvar:
She was the main Turkish woman who organized a grand Meeting in Sultan Ahmet/Istanbul to protest the invazion of Izmir by greeks on May 15th 1919. She was arrested by British. After her releasement she joined the national forces of Mustafa Kemal Pasha with her husband Dr. Adnan Adivar. Mustafa Kemal Pasha appointed her to West Front as a corporal. She was one of the 6 personalities who were sentenced to deatd by the Sultan in Istanbul. Other one was Mustafa Kemal.

[Tosun Saral]

Halide Edip Adivar on the Meeting of Sultanahmet/Istanbul in May 1919

[Tosun Saral]

Fatma Seher Hanım

[Peter H]

Another photo of Kara Fatma.Holding a British 303.Must be after 1918.

From: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... 1480&st=25

Poster,harribobs

[Borys]

Lovely photos.

And the "Manchester Regiment Group" on the last one is a hoot!

Borys

[[email protected]]

Turkish women were mainly employed in labour battalions on the Eastern Front in WWI ...

A.K.

[Tosun Saral]

During Turco Russo War of 1828-29 the fortification of Silistre (Bulgarian:Силистра / Silistra, Rumenian: Durostor, Cadrilater) played a vital role. The Russians faced another defeat againts Turks. Silistre is on the Danube. It is today in the borders of Rumania. Still has a great Turkish population. During that fights a Turkish girl called Zekiye also fought againts the Russians after dead of her fiancee. This heroic act of Zekiye Hanim was written under the name "Vatan Yahut Silistre" (Fatherland or Silistre) by Turkish national poet Namık Kemal in 1878.

[Tosun Saral]

Another photo of Kara Fatma.Holding a British 303.Must be after 1918.

From: http://1914-1918.invisionzone.com/forum ... 1480&st=25

Poster,harribobs

My friend Kuscubasi Esref , an expert on rifles says that the rifle that Kara Fatma holding is not British 303 but:


A_ its Ottoman Turkish Contract mauser 1903 oder 1905 Carbine ( A model of our infantry rifle used by cavalry.
B- Second to right a Captured Greek Manlicher -Schonauer 1903 Carbine ,,

A- Osmanli Karabinasi M 1905 yada 1903 Piyade tufegimizin suvari karabina modeli
...B - Ikinci hanimin elindeki ise Yunandan ele gecen bir Manlicher Schonauer 1903 Karabinadir

[Tosun Saral]

A better photo of Kara Fatma