Ömer Naci Bey and Ömer Fevzi Bey

[stevebecker]

Mates,

I notice on the Turkish site that he makes this coment;

Do you know any details on these men. and the force they led?

"The grand plan had collapsed, at least for the time being; but small numbers of Turkish troops had nevertheless managed to achieve significant successes. On January 4, 1915, a volunteer detachment led by Ömer Naci Bey, who was sent to Persia on a special mission by Talat Paşa, captured the city of Urmia. One week later, the Mosul Group commanded by Ömer Fevzi Bey entered Tabriz, without facing much resistance."

As far as I can find a force of the 36th and 37th Div's entered Tabriz after its capture in Jan 1915 until Russians forces drove them out around April 1915.

The only man named Ömer Fevzi Bey I have was a Major in the 75th Regt (25th Div) in the 1st Canal Expeditionary Force during that time?

Any ideas

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

Major Ömer Fevzi Bey was a high ranking member of special organization "Teşkilat-ı Mahsusa" which was also called as Umur-u Şarkiye" the Office of Eastern Relations. He was an Arab from Mardin. Mardin is now a province of Turkish Republic near Syria. his father Mehmet Arif Bey was very popular among Arabs. Mehmet Arif Bey was founder of Arabic Club in İstanbul after 2nd Meşrutiyet. This club was pro Ottoman and wanting to make reforms in whole Arab territories. For that reason Ömer Fevzi bey was chosen to contact with Saudi arabs to sign an agrement of friendship. before WW1. At Trablusgarb(Libya) he fought with Enver. and became close friends. As armistarace was signed e was at katar. During Reublic period he gave himself to religion. because his family members were followers of Kadiri Order. He died in 1953 in Istanbul. He got the surname "Mardin" according to new Turkish social law.

[Tosun Saral]

He tought his religious teachings in his Kiosk at Acıbadem/İstanbul which is still a very important religious centre in Turkey. The following prominents were his students:
Ord. Prof.Dr. Süheyl Ünver, famous Turkish historian
Prof.Dr Hasan Reşat Sığındım, (Dermapolog)
Mehmet Ali Ayni,
The famous Esat Paşa of Jania and gallipoli,
Old commander of Istanbul Ahmet Fevzi Paşa,
Prof.Dr. İsmail Hakkı İzmirli
old Minister of Justice of Turkish republic Mr.Cami Baykut

[stevebecker]

Tosun,

Thankyou.

So he commanded a mixed force called the Mosul Group that entered Tabriz (Persia/Iraq) in Jan 1915.

And a few days later went back to Syria to command the 75th Regt in the Canal invasion of Egypt in Jan 1915?

I can't see it, so they must be different men or while he commanded the 75th Regt was not with his Regt when it went to Egypt?

I thought it maybe part of the Van Jandarma, reported part entered Persia captured Dilman and fighting at Hoy during Jan 1915.

Also do you have anything on a volunteer detachment led by Ömer Naci Bey, who was sent to Persia on a special mission by Talat Paşa, captured the city of Urmia?

I take it Ömer Naci Bey mission had no part, as a Turkish writer shows, During the war, in his capacity as the Minister of Interior, Talat Paşa had responsibility in the decision to move the Armenians from the war zones in eastern part of the country to Iraq and Syria. Large numbers of Armenians perished during this forced emigration.

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

It is very hard to find out information about WW1 personal in Turkey. I am not also sure of my writing about him. I found the information on an article written by a Turkish scolar. I am not sure about him:
1- He is Ömer Fevzi, the article gives the name of his father as Mehmet Arif. According to islamic system Ömer's name must be Arif not Fevzi. this makes me unsure about him. the Prof.Fr. who wrote the article is a historian he must know something. !!!
Before the eexpedition he was attached to Turkish embassy at Tahran as military attaché. As armistarace was signed e was at Qatar. For that reason the must be other Ömer Fevzi.
I advice you to stop searching about him. If I get some other information I am sure ı will forward vergebens.

[stevebecker]

Tosun,

No worries mate thankyou for checking them out.

I was only trying to place these men, as there names appear in the Turkish accounts of the actions around Tabriz in Jan 1915.

I was after details of the fighting around that area in early 1915 by Turkish units, but I could not find what units these men belonged to.

This time had much going on, as Max and other Russian mates have given us from the Russian side, and trying to confirm Turkish units around that area has been harder to confirm then our Russian sourses.

Turkish accounts give us the 36th and 37th Div's from the Mosul area, and the Van Jandarma Div, 1st Expeditionary Force and 5th Expeditionary Force from around the Van area.

Cheers

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

Expedition Klein

[Tosun Saral]

Turkish Major Fritz Klein (left) and his adjutanyt Turkish Lt. Edgar Stern- Rubarth. Stern a Jew became after the war a pominent liberal press politican during Weimarer Republic.

[Tosun Saral]

Turkish Lt. Stern

[Tosun Saral]

Our germans