Stange Bey

[Tosun Saral]

Although the first Stange topic was locked by our moderator with his permission of understanding I would like to add more information about him in order to lighten the way of our foreign non-Turkish searchers.

Field Marshall Mustafa Fevzi Çakmak " Birinci Dünya Savaşında Doğu Cephesi" ( East Front During WW1"

p.47
information given by Aziz Samih (Ilter) "Deutsche Offiziere in der Türkei p. 22
Stange: german Officer. He was at the order of Command of Erzurum Fortification at Caucasus Front. He commanded a detachment consisted of 2 battalions of the 8th Regt., 8th MG Company, Border battalion of Arhavi, a cavalry team from the lancer cav. Regt. and a battary of serial mountain artillary. He commanded the horse artillary school as Lt. Col. After he returned from Turkey he attanted to 8th horse artillary Regt as major. As Lt. Col. he retired from german Army in 1920.

Fevzi Pasha gives the power of the detachement in p.265
At the beginning of Dec. Stange Bey with 2 battalions of 8th Regt., a mountain battary, and 100 horsemen sailed towards Trabzon under the protection of Mecidiye, Berk-i Satvet and Pek-i Şevket. But due to Russian mines covering the enterence of Trabzon port they landed on Rize.

p.47
According to the plan of Hafız Hakkı Pasha and Enver Pasha their task was to move to Kars which was in Russian hand since 1877-78 war over Ardahan.

p.58
The Russians had a Kozac Regt. in Ardahan. Stange Bey landed on Rize in Dec. 9th 1914. The Detachment of Stange Bey come to Artvin with 2 battalons of 8th Regt., 4 mountain guns and met ther with Yakup Cemil, Halit Bey and Şakir Bey forces . They moved onDec. 22nd 1914 towards Ardahan.The Russian Liyahof forwarded 3rd Plaston Brigade towards Ardahan leaving behind the 15th, 16th 17th battalion at the shore. The Stange bey detachment won againts Russian and captured Ardahan onDec. 29th 1914.

p.63
On Jan. 5th 1915 a Siberian Kozac Brigade rushed from Tibilisi towards Ardahan. They made a cavalry charge from northwest and took Ardahan over. Stange Bey lost an artillary gun and removed backwards. On Jan. 13th Stange Bey trenched in Ardanuç againts rushing Russians with 1200 rifles, 2 guns, 4 MGs. The detachment of Capt. Halit stayed at Berta. 3 Plaston battalions were following our forces.

p. 71-72
If The Detachment of Stange Bey reinforced with 2 more border Regiments , volunteers and artillary and would forwarded to Tuzla over Olur it would be better for the fate of Sarıkamış battle. The people of Tavusker were ready to revolt to Russians and join their Turkish brothers. It would cover the Russians from behind at Oltu or seperate them into two groups. The composed division of Stange Bey would easly cut the Sarıkamış-Kars high way moving over Tuzla-Kop-Vartanek by entering to Divik.

p.80
On Jan. 16th 1915 Stange Bey reteated to Artvin. The units of capt. Halit Bey, Milo Battalion and Detachment of Bahattin Şakir Bey were also in Artvin. On Feb. 5th and 22/23 1915 they drived back the Russians to times. On Feb. 28th 1915 Hopa fell. For that reason Stange Bey moved from Artvin to Murgul. He also took the command of Rıza Bey Detachment. Still they were weak againts Russians. For thar reason they retaeded slowly and partially. Before their attack to Ardahan Stange Bey had 2000 men at the 1st and 3rd battalions of 8th Regt. They were totaly 2300 men including a company of engeeners and 30 hosemen. In addition he had 389 men from Milo Battalion 1250 men of Bahattin Şakir and Yakup Cemil. total force was 4000. As they were reteating from Ardahan they had only 2500 men. Most of them wre frozen because of the hard winter conditions or desertation of volunteers. On the other hand they had received 8th MG Company. On March 14th Russians took Arhavi. On March 20th 1915 Russians attacked to Artvin. After a few days fight on March 26th they threw Stange Bey at the back of the River Arhavi.

p. 81
On March 28th Avni Pasha ws made commander of East Black Sea and Sorroundings. He was receving orders from 10th AC.Lt. Col. Kara Vasıf Bey COS. The Detachment of Stange Bey was attached to his order. Duringthat time Stange Bey fgot sick and left the Front.

[Peter H]

Strange that Stange's full name remains a mystery.

[Osman Levent]

The full name of Stange Bey was "August W. Stange". Although unconfirmed as of date; I believe that the letter "W" stood for Wilhelm.
Best Regards, Osman Levent

[Peter H]

Thanks Osman,much appreciated

Peter

[infantry]

As far as I'm concerned his name is Wilhelm Stange. But in Ottoman documents he was cited as Ştanke Bey. Currently I'm conducting a research about his operations at the eastern Black Sea coastline. Some of his reports are widely circulated by the Armenians as a proof for the Turkish misconducts in and around Erzurum.

[stevebecker]

Mates,

The 8th Regt is interesting here, part of the;

3rd Composite Div Caucasus (1st Expendionry Force under LtCol Kazim Bey 12-14 and LtCol Mehmet Ali Bey or Ali Insan 6-15)

7th Regt - Maj Kerfan or Irfan Bey
8th Regt - unknown? (replaced by 44th Regt Jan 1915)
9th Regt - LtCol Schierholz (German)
44th Regt - Maj Hassan Bey

4th Artillery Regt - unknown

formed Caucasus 1914 disbanded 1915 later 51st Div

What happened to the 8th Regt and who commanded it with Stange is unknown?

Cheers

S.B

[Tosun Saral]

Miralay/ Oberst Christian August Stange Bey

[stevebecker]

Mates,

Others record

Stange August Wilhelm Maj to LtCol Artillary commander of fortification Erzincan 1914/15 to 8th Regt (Stange Detachment) 1914/15 (2) Edirne'de Topçu Subayi Lazistan Çete Birlikleri Komutani sonra Çanakkale'de General Weber Komutasi altinda en son Topçu piyade atis okulu komutani

translated
(Edirne'de Gunner Subasi Lazistan Gang Units Commander after the General Weber Commander in Çanakkale under the latest Gunner infantry school commander)

Istanbul'da Piyade Alay komutani Istanbul'da yedekbirliklerin Müfetttisi

translated
(The Infantry Regiment in Istanbul is an inspector of reserve units in Istanbul)

Stange detachment (Stanke Bey Müfrezesi)

LtCol Stange (G) CofS LtCol Vasif Bey

8th Regt - 8th MG Co Capt Lazistan (G) 1914 & Capt Halit Bey 2xBn's (1Bn (306 men) & 3Bn's (581 men) 8th Regt) + (Frontier Guards) Border bn of Arhavi + 1st Lancer Regt (100men) + Cav Troop (30 men) MG Co (92 men) Engineer Co (140 men) + Bty Mountain Artillery (192 men) Trabzon Jandarma Bn (400 men) Rize Jandarma Bn (450 men) Giresun Jandarma Bn (330 men) Hopa Hudut (Border) Bn (330 men) in all 2000 + men with Special Organization Regt (Teskilat-i Mahsusa Alay) Zia Bey Bn Adil Bey Bn Muhsin Bn Salih Aga Bn Ibrahim Bey Bn Veysel Efendi Det in total 1,430 men - later Veysel Bey Bn Mehmet Ali Bn + MG Co later Border units (Frontier Guards) Milo Bn (349 men) + Bahattin Sakir and Capt Yakup Cemil (1250 men) - commanded regular army forces engaged in conventional offensive and defensive operations until late March 1915
?Bty/8th FAR (4x 75mm Mountain guns) (192 men) to 2xBtys/8th FAR April 1915

S.B

[stevebecker]

Tosun,

Do you have any details on Capt Halit Bey?

I have these known offices by that name, which one is he?

Dadayli Halit (Akmansu) Staff Officer - 3rd Corps 1914 & A/CofS 1st Expeditionary Force (1st Canal Expeditionary Force (25th Div) 1915 & Staff of the Iraq Area Command & staff 52nd Div & CofS 8th Corps & CofS 18th Corps 1916 & CofS 6th Army 10-18 & CofS 24th Corps 1919?
Capt to Maj

Deli Halit (Karsalan) or (Karsialan) Mürettep Teskilat-i Mahsusa Regt & 3rd Caucasus Div 3-18 Maj to LtCol to Col

Halit Bey Tribal Cavalry Regiment

Halit Efendi 70th Regt - 3Bn - OC Co? 1915 Lt

Mehmet Halit Bey 20th Regt - 4-15 Maj WIA 9-8-15 DoW 11-8-15

Cheers

S.B