#13
Post
by jwsleser » 31 Jan 2009, 18:48
Peter
Information is from Türk Silahli Kuvvetleri Tarihi IIIncü Cilt, 6nci Kisam 1nci Kitap (1908-1920) (History of the Turkish Armed Forces vol III, part 6, book 1) and Türk Istiklal Harbi I Mondros Mütarekesi ve Tatbikati (Turkish War of Independence vol I The Mondros Treaty and its Application).
On October 31 1918, the Ottoman XXV Army Corps, under the 3rd Army (HQ in Istanbul), was responsible for northern and central Thrace. The 5th Army (HQ in Gelibola) was responsible for southern Thrace and the straits.
XXV AC was to have the 10th Kalfas and 15th Divisions. Only the 31st Infantry Regiment (10th Kf) had arrived, the bulk of the 10th Kf was in Batum and the 15th was still in central Caucasia. So most of the western border was held by the 31st Infantry Regiment and the 545th Hudut (Border) Battalion. The 3rd Army also controlled the Çatalac Müstahkem Mevki (Çatalca Fortified Place) occuppying the Çatalca Lines, but this was mostly an artillery command and didn’t have a large infantry component.
The 5th Army controlled the XIV AC, consisting of the 49th, 55th, 60th, and 61st Divisions. All but the 61st were in Gallipoli, the 61st being on the Asiatic shore. The army also controlled the Çanakkale Müstahkem Mevki.
There was really no confrontation between Ottoman and Entente forces after the collapse of Bulgaria. The Ottoman government had withdrawn the XX AC from Macedonia into Turkish Thrace in April 1917. The 177th Infantry Regiment followed in May 1918. The Ottomans began diplomatic contacts on 13 October before any really combat could develop.
As one can see, the collapse of the Macedonia Front left the Ottoman Army strategically off balanced. If 5th Army was pulled north, the straits would be left uncovered, allowing the Entente to do what the tried in 1915. In 1913, the Çatalca Lines were held by 18 divisions. Clearly four battalions wasn’t going to do much. 8th Army had the 56th Division in Izmir and the 57th at Antalya; not much help against an Entente push against Istanbul. The excessive forces in the Caucasus couldn’t be redeployed in time to affect the situation. So the Ottoman government had little choice at that point.
Hope this helps.
Jeff.
Last edited by
jwsleser on 01 Feb 2009, 03:59, edited 1 time in total.