turkish army

[antoniop]

Hi,

Can anybody tell me the composition of 2nd turkish army during the 1914-15 winter.

Thanks

Antonio

[Peter H]

The 2nd Army was in Thrace 1914/15.

5th Corps-13th,14th,15th Divisions
6th Corps-16th,24th,26th Divisions


Do you mean the 3rd Army on the Caucasus front?

3rd Army
9th Corps-17th,28th,29th Divisions
10th Corps-30th,31st,32nd Divisions
11th Corps-18th,33rd,34th Divisions,three border bns,four Jandarma bns
Reserve Cavalry Corps-1st,2nd,3rd,4th Reserve Cav Divisions
Van Jandarma Inf Division
2nd Cav Division
Van Cav Bde

Erzurum Fortress Garrison-seven fortress regts,two heavy artillery regts

Stanke Bey Mufrezesi(Detachment)-under the command of the German Major Stange,two bns of 8th Regt,two artillery batteries.This detachment covered Bakum on the coast.Shipped to Trabzond region by the battle cruiser Yavuz(ex SMS Goeben) and two other Turkish cruisers.Stange was later promoted to Lt Colonel for his successes with his Detachment in defending the Black Sea coast.

Strength of 3rd Army December 1914:

For offensive operations-75,660 men,73MGs,218 artillery pieces.
Erzurum Fortress-37,000 men.
Replacements available-6,000 men.

Reinforced by the:
5th Expeditionary Force(from 1st Army Thrace in January 1915)-37th,40th,43rd Regts,three cav bns,two MG dets,mountain and field artillery.

1st Expeditionary Force(also from 1st Army,March 1915)-7th,9th Regts

Source:Ordered to Die by Edward Erickson

[AJK]

Hi Moulded,

Would you, by any chance, have the names of the commanders of the Turkish units (Armies, Corps, Divisions) that you mention?

Thanks in advance,

AJK

[Peter H]

Hi AJK,
What I can gather(not much):

3rd Army-Hasan Izzet Pasha(until Jan1915),replaced by Brig-Gen Hafiz Hakki Bey(died of typhus Feb 1915),Mahmut Kamil Pasha(until early 1916).

Chief of Staff was the German Major Felix Guse(later Oberst in 1916).Guse held this position from 1914-16.Postwar he wrote a book about his KaukasusFront experiences.

9th Corps-Brig Gen Ahmet Fevzi(up to early Dec 1914),Colonel Ali Ihsan Pasha.

10th Corps-Brig-Gen Ziya Pasha(relieved Dec 1914),Brig-Gen Hafiz Hakki Bey(see above),Colonel Yusuf Izzet.

Chief of Staff was the German Major Lange.

11th Corps-Brig Gen Galip Pasah.

Colonels commanded the 7,000 man Divisions.Colonel Ihsan Pasha(see 9th Corps) originally commanded the 34th Division.

Van Jandarma(Irregular) Division -Major Ferit.

The Erzurum Fortress was commanded by a Colonel Alaaddin.

5th Expeditionary Force-Colonel Halil Bey Pasha(the uncle of Enver Pasha),later the victor of Kut.

1st Expeditionary Force-Colonel Kuzim Bey.


Hafiz Hakki Bey comes across as a key figure in the campaign.Enver Pasha's right hand man,he advanced from assistant Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army to command of the Army within 2 months.Then he died of typhus.Due to the purge of the Officer corps by the Young Turks,many Colonels,without a full schooling in staff command, attained Army or Corps command with 3rd Army.

Regards,
Moulded

[AJK]

Hi Moulded,

Thanks for your help - much appreciated.

Best wishes,

AJK

[antoniop]

hi Moulded, thanks a lot. You were right, I meant III Army.

could you help me with the units of turkish army in Gallipoli at the time of the british left the peninsula.?

Best regards

Antonio

[monk2002uk]

In 'late summer 1915' and January 1916, Erikson records:

Fifth Army, with
I Corps: 2, 3 Infantry Divs
II Corps: 4, 5, 6 Infantry Divs
III Corps: 7, 8, 9, 19 Infantry Divs
IV Corps: 10, 11, 12 Infantry Divs
V Corps: 13, 14, 15 Infantry Divs
25 Infantry Div

for the Gallipoli sector.

Robert

[antoniop]

Hi Robert,

Thanks a lot

Is it possible that at the end of the campaign there were two armies (3rd and 5th)?.

In july I believe that were the following units:

Asian group (XV corps?): 3rd and 11th divisions
Helles sector: 6 divisions
Anzac sector (III corps): 5th, 9th, 16th, 19th divisions
Saros group (XVI corps?): 6th, 7th, 12th divisions.

Would it be possible that at Helles were stationed the 2nd, 4th, 8th, 10th, 13th, 14th, 15th and 25th divisions ?.

Best regards,

Antonio

[Peter H]

The Australian Official History gives the following Turkish OOB July 26th 1915:

Helles Group--1st,4th,8th,10th,11th,13th,14th Divisions
Anzac Group--16th,19th,5th Divisions
Covering coast between Helles and Anzac-9th Division
Gulf of Saros--7th,12th Divisions
Asian Group--2nd,3rd Divisions

Opposing the British at Suvla/Anzac on the 19th/20th December 1915:

Suvla--XVI Corps(11th,12th,9th Divisions)
Anzac--XV Corps(6th,4th,8th,19th,16th Divisions)

Opposing the British at Helles 8th/9th January 1916:

XIV Corps--12th,10th Divisions
V Corps--13th,14th,15th Divisions.

5th Army took ultimate command of the battle.The staff of the Turkish 2nd Army were sent to assist in July 1915,merging with the Southern (Helles) Group,but still answerable to 5th Army.

[Tosun Saral]

There is no any combat report about Turkish 2nd Army in Winter 1914-15. We only know that the 2nd was stationed in Trakya, todays EU part of Turkey commanded by Vehip Pasha (Kaci) Before the battles of Tortum-Azap and Erzurum in April 1915-Feb. 16 1916, 3rd Army Commander Mahmut Kamil Pasha came to Istanbul for fresh units, reinforcements to the eastern front on Jan.29th 1915. He couldnt get any extra forces. On Feb. 16th 1915 Russians took Erzurum. Mahmut Kamil Pasha resigned on Feb. 23 1915.
Vehip Pasha was made commander of 3rd Army. Ahmet Izzet Pasha ( Furgac) was made commander of 2nd Army. Mahmut Kamil Pasha became councellor of the War Ministerium.
2nd Army moved to Eastern front on April 2nd 1916 to take part in the battles along Murat River. The 2nd could reach the territory only at the end of August.