Turkish 1st Camel Regiment

[Peter H]

I can find no information on this formation....but I have seen photos of Turkish camel troops near Medina in 1915.

Can anyone help?

[Tosun Saral]

The u/m information I get from the official book Turkish general Staf "Birinci Dünya Harbinde Turk Harbi IV cild, 1nci kisim, Sina-Filistin Cephesi, Ankara 1979"
Sorry for my poor English!
Turks call camel troops "Hecinsüvar" Hecin (A)= camel, süvar= rider

A camel regiment was founded for the canal expedition under the order of 10th Infanrty Division. (no number)
For the Canal Expedition the 4th Army needed 9000 camels only for the first group units of the 8th Army Corps. But the army could only suplied 5000 cames till the arrive of Ahmet Cemal Pasha the Army commander. (p170) On December 14th 1914 the units of the 4th Army had 5028 camels. The army had 5 camel battalions for suppleing ammnunition, water and goods. First and 2nd camel line battalion was for water supply. 1st battalion had 25 units and 92 camels (p169) 2nd battalion had 5o units (p.783) 3rd camel battalion was for supplying goods had 10 units and 128 camels. 4th and 5tf camel suply battalions was for mixed supplies. 4th had 10 (128 camels), 5th had 10 units (128 camels). During the expedition the consume of every camel was 3 kg barley and 5 kg water/day. For the camel units that were hired from urban no officers or soldiers were given.
Commander of 4th Army Ahmet Cemal Pasha ordered by cable on December 8th 1914 to Commanding General of Medina to buy camels for the preparations of Canal Expetition. But he recived a negative answer. He later ordered that they should immediately buy camels because camals were vital for the expedition (p 149) After working hard the 4th Army collected 3322 camels during the days between December 18th 1914- January 3th 1915, Until Jan.2oth 1915 4094 camels and between Jan.2oth to Feb.4th 1915 3105 totally 10514 camels were collected. (p.175)

In Mahdes the 68th Regiment had a camel company.

In Serapyum there was a camel company at the order of 25th Div.

After withdrawal from the Canal the camel regiment was stationed at Hafirülavce.(p 271) (The number of regiment isnt mentioned at book)

On June 9th 1915 the 4th camel regiment was forwarded to Iraq front. (p273)

Between July 22nd- August 25t 1915 The 2nd Camel regiments who was reorganized was forwarded to Iraq .

Between June 15t- July 15th a new camel regiment was established in Damascus.

In Elaris there was a voluntier camel company

During the 2nd Canal operation 5o camelriders were ordered to ride to Saluf on the night march 22/23 1915 to hold the canal shore. They saw a enemy ship full of soldiers between salu and Acigol. They immediately fired to the ship. The ship fired also. After a fight for 20 minutes the camel troop withdrawed (p.305)

On Jan 1916 in Birüssebi there was a camel company of the 3rd division. A camel regiment called “Akıncı” (raider) and 2nd camel company was also in Birüssebi..

During the battle of Katya (april 22/23 1916) camel company was commanded by captain Sirri.

with my best wishes

[Tosun Saral]

The 1st camel regiment ( 1 nci hecinsüvar Alayı) was at the order of Hicaz Expetitionary Forces . (p 399) This regiment had 3 camel companies and a MG Company. 1st Akıncı camel regiment with 3 companies was also attached to Hicaz Forces. This regiment was forwarded top Hicaz in 1916. The 2nd camel regiment was in Medina.

[Peter H]

Thanks Tosun!

Regards,
Peter

[Byrom]

Hi Tosun

Have you any information on Ottoman camel units operating from Maan (Ma'an) in southern Jordan, either before or during the 1st World War. I have read somewhere that a Circassian Cavalry unit also operated on the canal expedition and guarded the Hejaz railway?

Byrom.

[Tosun Saral]

Dear Byrom, According to the plan volunteers were also attached to the 1st Canal Expedition. There were
270 men Circassian Cavalry Regiment
200 men Kurdish Cavalry Company
300 men Libyan platoon
150 men Şakir Arslan Platton of Lebanese Druzi
270 men Nurettin Volunteers Group
Source: Birinci Dünya Harbinde Türk Harbi IV cild,1.kısım, Sina Filistin Cephesi p.174

original source in the archiv of Department of Strategical Researches amd Military History of the Turkish General Staf
As.T.ve Str.E.Bşk.Arş. : 4/7302 Kls. 3221 Dos. H-9A Fih. 1-4

After the misattack on Canal the 4th Army was reorganized again between June 15th-July 15th 1915. According to that reorganization Circassian Cavalry Company was given to the order of 8th Army Corps in Damascus. (p.282)

[Byrom]

Hi Tosun

Thankyou very much for the information it is very useful. It is so difficult to get detail on the Ottoman Army units for WW1 in Britain.

Best wishes

Byrom.

[Tosun Saral]

Extra information for camel troops:
Source:
"Birinci Dünya Harbinde Suriye Hatıraları" (Syrian Memories during WW1) by Em.Orgeneral Ali Fuad Erden (General of the Army Ali Fuad Erden) p.66

The owner of the memory is Lt.Col. Ali Fuad Bey the Chief of Staf of the 4th Army of Ahmet Cemal Pasha. After WW1 he fought under Mustafa Kemal in the War of Indepandance was made during the republican periad General of the Army. He died in 1937.

"The "Hecinsüvar Alayı"(no number) the Camel Regiment was taken to Iraq after the canal expedition in the spring and summer months of 1915. The Regiment consisted of 23 officers, 565 men, 618 Hacin (Camel for riding) 114 camel for carrying, 42 cavalry horses, 1 Mountain artillary and 1 MG platoon.

Page 174
"Medine Akıncı Taburu" the Raider Battalion of Medine reorganized and was made a Regiment called "Akıncı Hecinsüvar Alayı"(no number) the Raider camel Regiment consisting 1000 men was attached to the order of "Birinci Kuvva-i Seferiye" the First Expeditional Forces, to take part in the Canal Expedition. The Regiment departed fromMedine to Amman by rail on Dec.12th 1331 Turkish time (Dec.14th 1915) The regiment gone from Amman to Bir üs sebi on land."

Page 237: According to Ali Fuad Bey the men of the "Medine Akıcı Alayı" were all Araps. Only Officers and NCO's were Turkish.
"Medine Akıncı Alayı" fought bravely. They attacked to enemy tranches and destroyed the fortifications and HQ. They killed too many English. The noble sons of Hicaz Desert fought among the Ottoman units in the Sinai Desert bravely just two months before Scheriff Husseyin's Revolt in 1916. They lost their lives bravely in the English trenches of the Suez Canal with their Turkish soldiers."

[Peter H]

Thanks Tosun.

The German Josef Bischoff commanded the Camel Regiment in early 1916:

viewtopic.php?t=57656

Best regards,
Peter

[Tosun Saral]

2nd Lt. Halet was the commander of 2nd Company of Medine Hecinsuvar Alayi the Medine Camel Raider Regiment
Photos from a/m source.

[Tosun Saral]

2nd Lt.Halet in front of his Company. 2nd Hecinsuvar Bolugu
(to be continued)

[Byrom]

Tosun

Thanks for the further information-very interesting and useful.

All the best

Byrom.

[Mehmet Fatih]

Lt. Halet is a hero according to the memoirs of Ali Fuad Erden.
This photo is from Erden's book as far as I remember.

Best,
Fatih

[Byrom]

Hi Tosun

Have you ever come across any maps of Ma'an (Maan) in southern Jordan in the Turkish sources? I have been trying to locate the Ottoman airfield there for years but without success .

Thanks
Byrom.

[Tosun Saral]

Atif Bey commander of Camel Raiders at Medina with his staff. (4th on the right)

Atif Bey in his battle raider dress.(4th on the right)