Georgian Legion 1916-18

[stevebecker]

Mates,

Do we have any details on this unit of the Ottoman Army?

From the net

The World War I-era Georgian Legion (German: Georgische Legion, Georgian: was formed in 1915 by Count Friedrich Werner von der Schulenburg, a former German vice-consul in Tiflis, who then served as a German liaison officer with the Ottoman 3rd Army. He was supported by the German Empire-based Committee of Independent Georgia. The reinforcements were raised largely from prisoners of war and from the Muslim Georgian areas and Lazistan.
Approximately 15,000 soldiers strong, the Legion was first commanded by Lieutenant Horst Schliephack. The highest-ranking Georgian officer of the Legion was Leo Kereselidze.
The Georgian Legion joined the German Caucasus Expedition. During the Russo-Turkish campaign of 1916-7, the Georgian Legion was stationed in the mountains east of Tirebolu, on the banks of the Harşit River not far from the Black Sea coast. The Legion was originally intended to promote a revolt in Russian-held Georgia, and remained under German control, while the Ottomans sought to use it as a normal battalion within their army.
In the end it took very little part in the fighting, being stationed on the Black Sea coast at Giresun until disbanded in January 1917, after the relations between the German-backed Georgian Committee and the Ottoman government had become strained.[1] The former Georgian volunteer officers later joined the National Army of the Democratic Republic of Georgia in 1918.
Late in 1915, the Order of Queen Tamar was introduced for issue to the soldiers and officers of the Georgian Legion.[2]

I was looking into Schulenburg (Winfred) Friedrich-Werner Graf von der (German liaison officer to the 3rd Ottoman Army on the Armenian Front) and found this unit which I had not seen before?

Do we know the make up of this Legion?

I did find a mention in documents, which mentions this unit with the 3rd Army in the Caucasus, Van area in 1915 and had 2 (two) Bn's.

This appears not much if it had some 15,000 men?

Cheers

S.B

[Tanzania]

Steve,

Also in this case, Chris Dale have a nice introduction about the different units of this very interesting theme on his webpage:

The German Caucasian Expedition Georgia 1918
http://s400910952.websitehome.co.uk/ger ... eorgia.htm

German Trans-Causcasus Expedition 1918
/viewtopic.php?t=22742

There are also some information in:
Feldgrau in Jerusalem, Das Levantekorps des kaiserlichen Deutschland, by Hans Werner Neulen.

Let me search in my files and I come back.
Cheers Holger

[stevebecker]

Holger,

Danke.

Yes I was aware to Peter's comments of the German element of the Georgia Operation in 1918.

Want I was not fully aware was the Georgia Legion with the Ottoman Army between 1915 to 1918.

The net only has the standard entries as mentioned above.

Cheers

S.B

[stevebecker]

Mates,

Found another two Officers in this unit but unsure if they are later German Trans-Causcasus Expedition 1918 or the early unit I am after details on?

Schliephack Horst Lt Georgian Legion att Ottoman Army 1916-18

Kereselidze Leo Maj Gen Georgian Legion att Ottoman Army 1915-18

Cheers

S.B

[stevebecker]

Mates,

Found another officer of interest?

Kiesling Hans Edler von auf Kieslingstein LtCol (Hans von Kiesling)

Askeri Heyette Gürcü gönüllü birlikleri kurulmasi Maresal Goltz'la 6. Ordu'da birlikle Iran seferi Türkiye'den Almanya'ya hammaddelerin gönderilmesi 6th Ordu kurmay baskani Yildirim ordusu

translated (hope thats right?)

(the establishment of Georgian troops in military delegation Marshal Goltz volunteer with the 6th Army supplied with the Iranian expedition sent from Turkey to Germany 6th Army of raw materials to establish military president Yildirim)

This Iran group has others on the lists as;

Back Lt Iran seferiyle Kermansah'a (Iran expedition to Kermansah)

Bopp Maj Gen 6. Ordu da görevli Iran'a giden birliklerin komutani (6th Army commander of the troops to Iran)

Busse von Maj Irak'ta 6. Orduda görevli (Officer in the 6th Army in Iraq) de Iran'a özel bir görveve giden (staff to) General von der Goltz'un emir subayi (a special visit to Iran General von der Goltz's order sub-office) 1915-1916

Hauck Lt Iran seferiyle Kermansah'a (Kermansah'a with the expedition of Iran)

Langenn-Steinkeller Franz Helmut von Capt Cav Süvari Iran'a yapilan (1.) seferde Kurmay emir subayi (Cavalry (1) made to Iran at the time Kurmay Emir commander) Süvari Filistin'de General Kress'in emir subayi (Cavalry commander of General Kress in Palestine) 1915-1918

Loeben von Capt 1916'de Iran'a özel bir göreve giden (staff to) General von der Goltz'un emir subayi (General von der Goltz, commander-in-chief a special reference to Iran) 1916-

Lühr Hans 1/Lt Pilot Airforce Iran seferinde görevli sonra (staff to General Goltz) 'un yaninda pilot (After the officer in the Iranian Expedition (staff to General Goltz))

Maschmeier Lt Iran seferiyle Kermansah'a (Kermanshah by the time of Iran)

Monteton von Capt 6. Ordu'da Iran seferinde görevli (6th Army officer in Iran)

Scheubner-Richter von Maj Cav 12/1914'den 08/1915' kati kadar Erzurum'da Alman konsolos yardimcisi Sonra 10/1916'a kadar Kuzey Iran'da yapilan Dogu Kafkasya operasyonlari süvari müfrezeleri komutani (12/1914 to 08/1915 times until the German consul in Erzurum After 10/1916 in northern Iran the Eastern Caucasus operations cavalry squadrons commander) 1915-16

Tzschirner Capt Iran'a geden askeri heyet üyesi 6.Orduda (Member of the military delegation to Iran 6th Army) 1915-1917

S.B