Captain Dimitroyati

Discussions on the final era of the Ottoman Empire, from the Young Turk Revolution of 1908 until the Treaty of Lausanne in 1923.
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Peter H
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Captain Dimitroyati

#1

Post by Peter H » 02 Mar 2007, 16:23

The Istanbul Greek who died for Turkey.

http://www.diggerhistory2.info/graveyar ... dex-tk.htm
The regimental doctor Captain Dimitroyati. This doctor was originally one of the Istanbul Greeks in the 57th Regiment. (Remember that nobody lived from this Regiment). He said "Please do not send me to a different cemetery because I'm non-Muslim. I want to be side by side with you, because I will die for this country".
Captain Dimitroyati loved his country and went to fight for her. He also loved his country's men and died with them. When he was mortally wounded and was taken to a field hospital, his last words to a sergent from his regiment were the following:

"Do not! Sergent Ali, you would tell that I'm non-muslim, you would burry me to a different place. Do not seperate me from you!". Before leaving for the battle, Sergent Ali had the attending soldier promise to pass Cpt. Dimitroyati's last words to the higher officers. Today Captain Dimitroyati's name lies side by side with his comrades at 57th Regiment Memorial.

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Mr Holmes
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#2

Post by Mr Holmes » 16 May 2007, 16:59

I am not certain if the following gentleman saw any combat during WW1. Agapios Tomboulis ("Bul-Bul") was also an Istanbul Greek (a fairly famous Rembetiko lyricist and instrumentalist) and is seen here pictured with a Turkish Uniform in 1917:

Image

Caption: "Tomboulis, wearing a Turkish Army officer's uniform (Istanbul, 1917)"

Source: http://www.rebetiko.gr/photosgal_item.asp?id=306

Here in happier times:

Image

Caption: "Tomboulis' companions: violin, oud, symbol [? or tambourine?] and sandouri [? or dulcimer?] (Istanbul, 1920)
Source: http://www.rebetiko.gr/photosgal_item.asp?id=303

Would anyone have any biographical details of this gentlemen, especially his wartime experiences (if any).

Thanks

Nick
Last edited by Mr Holmes on 17 May 2007, 09:11, edited 1 time in total.


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infantry
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#3

Post by infantry » 16 May 2007, 19:39

I guess he saw some action if the ribbons he had on the uniform were genuine. I counted four ribbons that means a very highly decorated reserve officer!

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#4

Post by Tosun Saral » 16 May 2007, 20:57

Tombul means in Turkish "fatty" someone with extra kilos.
Bul-Bul or or in Turkish spelling Bülbül/Bu"lbu"l (u with umlaut) means nightingale. late Tombulis had a beautiful voice. We call someone with beautiful voice "Nightingale."

For Capt. Dimitroyati :In the English translation the translater wrote with very kindness non-moslem. But his original words was as it is written on the text of the image "gavur-mavur"
Gavur = non beliver
gavur-mavur= a idiom such as non beliver-meliver

He said to his sargenant "dont grave me in a remoute place because I am a non-beliver-meliver.

There was a great understanding between Turks and Rum of Anatolia until May 15th 1919. The mainland Greeks supported by the British disturbed that understanding. They were never happy in their new home at mainland Greece. They burned sad songs called Rembetiko.

What a pitty.

Some ten years ago a bomb exploded under the car of my old friend Prof. Dr. Y.Y. The was a Jew. We grew up on the same street. Luckily he was saved with less wounds. In his hospital bed he gave interwiev to the journalists with his madal of Independance on his pijamas proudly. One of the journalist asked him whre did he got that madal of Independance? the only medal of Turkish Republic. He answered from my grandfather Lt.Col.Dr. M.Y. Md. and continued. He fought the Balkan War, WW! and joined the National Forces of Mustafa Kemal in 1920.
He go on " They wanted to kill me a leader of only 20 Jews living in Ankara. They dont know that I am a section leader at the university leading 100 akademiker. and they dont know that I am a inherit of madal of Independance"

May Those who secrified their lives for the honour of this country rest in light.
So mote it be!

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#5

Post by Mr Holmes » 17 May 2007, 09:19

Hello infantry,

It was very late last night when I wrote that, and I made a typographical error. I deleted the erroneous "at" but forgot to insert "during WW1". I've made the change, thanks for bringing it to my attention. Thank you also for informing me that he is pictured as a reserve officer. :-) Do you know which front/s he would have fought in? I cannot find anything from Greek websites. I wonder if he was also involved in the 1912-13 conflicts?

hehe, fatty :-D

There were indeed many of those who came over from Asia Minor and who were not happy. They lived in refugee camps and the population (not sure to what extent) were not very welcoming. A proportion of them became involved in the underground and wrote some very bitter, but very moving rembetika songs. Quite sad, really.

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#6

Post by infantry » 19 May 2007, 21:07

Dear Mr. Holmes,
Sorry I could not able to find anything about this fatty singer.
However there is another Ottoman Greek reserve officer of WW1 period who became famous recently after the republication of his memoir (the original was published in 1964). His name is Sokrat İncesu. He participated Gallipoli campaign (a platoon leader at 13th Infantry Regiment) and later on Palestine campaign but unfortunately he allocated very limited space to experiences in Palestine.
He ended the war as POW in Egypt. Interestingly he refused to leave his Turkish officer buddies and get special treatment that most of the Christians got it. He remained in Turkey and buried in Bozcaada (Tenedos).

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#7

Post by Tosun Saral » 20 May 2007, 12:58

Other non-muslim sohns of Anatolia killed during all wars. They were all medical officers.

Grave of Vasile from 56th Regiment

rank/Father/ birthplace/ duty/ time of death
officer cadet Dr. Anagastos Efendi/ Todori/ İzmir/ Balıkesir Military Hospital 1909
Capt.Dr.Anastas Efendi/ Yorgi/ Ankara/ 8th.Reg. depot company/1915
Capt.Dr. Andon Efendi /-/ 32th Medical Company/ 1915
Capt. Dr. Armenak Efendi/ Haçadur/ Amasya/ Mobile Gendarm Battalion 1915
Dr. Aron Efendi/ İlya/ İzmir/ 11th Medical Company 1916
Capt. Dr. Aşil Anceli Efendi/ -/ Damascus Military Hospital 1915
Capt.Dr.Avram Efendi/ Haim/ Istanbul/3th Div. mobile Hospital/ 1916
Capt. Dr.Avram Elbir Efendi/ -/ Istanbul/ 3rd Field Hospital 1916
Capt. Dr. Avram Kohen Efendi/ -/ Eyüp Sultan Istanbul/ Gallipoli field hospital/1915
Capt. Dr. Avram Yuda Efendi/ Davit/ 1916
Capt. Dr. Corci Sem'an/ Cebeli Lübnan/ Hayfa Military Hospital 1916
Capt. Dr.Çatalas Efendi/ Yorgi /- Merfete Ağa Hamami Hospital 1916
Capt. Dr. Dikran Efendi/ Nazret/ - Kabadibi fielld Hospital
Capt. Dr.Dikran Kasabyan/ -/ - 3rd Ammunition Battalion
Capt. Dr.Dimitri Anderyakodi
May all rest in peace and light
So mote it be!

http://images.google.com.tr/imgres?imgu ... r%26sa%3DN

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Mr Holmes
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#8

Post by Mr Holmes » 20 May 2007, 15:30

Thank you, dear Infantry! I apologise for putting you to the trouble of having to look up for information on Tomboulis (I still laugh at the nickname: "Bülbül" :-D); unfortunately, no Greek website seems to have anyhting. There is also another rembetis, Giorgos Batis he fought for Greece and who amassed something like ten years of warfare on the frontline. But I am unable to find out anything on him (did he fight in the 1912-13 war?, WW1? 1920-22? WW2?). I am very disappointed with Greek historical archival research; so much history but the government does not look after these records. It is next to impossible to find out information that researchers in Turkey can, for instance. (I don't know which units my grandfathers fought with during WW2, most frustrating.)

With regards to Sokrat İncesu would you know if these memoirs will be released in English (or Greek for that matter)?



Dear Mr Saral, thanks also to you for the list of Turkish medical officers. Seems that there are four Greek officers and five Jewish officers. Would the rest be Armenians? Thank you also for the link to the tombstone:
May all rest in peace and light
Indeed.

Regards,

Nick

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#9

Post by infantry » 20 May 2007, 17:53

Unfortunately Sokrat's memoir published in Turkish only. Most recent editon is actually part of a series trying to reprint out of print Gallipoli memoirs.
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