How many Ottomans were captured in 1918?

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 29 Mar 2007 10:28

Has anyone got figures on the number of Turks captured in 1918?What percentage of the total force in Palestine became prisoners?

http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/4794 ... tcik.0.jpg

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 29 Mar 2007 14:55

From the Illustrated War News,1915.

The first Turkish POWs taken by the British in the Sinai,January 1915.After the failed Suez Canal attack.

seljuk · Post by **seljuk** » 30 Mar 2007 16:31

According to Taskıran (who wrote books about Turkish pow in wwo) minumum 202.000 pows. I have the book but I couldnt find. If I found I will give more certain numbers.

http://www.tulumba.com/storeItem.asp?ic=zBK980417PM960

Peter H · Post by **Peter H** » 31 Mar 2007 05:33

I've got some data now.The 202,000 figure appears to be total POWs 1914-18.Some Turkish sources even state 250,000 were captured. Erickson's figure is around 145,000.

Roughly as follows:

Mesopotamia 18,000
Russia 50,000
Sinai/Palestine 77,000

Of the later figure,6,000 POWs at 3rd Gaza/Jerusalem,another 71,000 Megiddo.The British Official History gives 75,000 captured in 1918--4,000 Germans/Austrians,71,000 Turks.

In the overall picture 75,000 POWs are not a huge horde but with the 7th & 8th Armies only comprising 100,000 men in September 1918,then three quarters were captured from the Megiddo operation.