Rayski: WWI Turkish Air Force

[henryk]

I ran across this information on Ludomil Radski, commander-in-chief of the Polish Air before and at the start of WWII.
http://disc.server.com/discussion.cgi?d ... 20of%20WW2

Rayski, former OC of Polish air force, hero of Gallipoli and of Turkish WWI aviation, flew combat sorties in 1944 both in fighters and bombers.

Does anyone have information on his service in the Turkish Air Force, or how he came to be in it?

[Peter H]

Rayski was an Austro-Hungarian pilot,seconded for service with the Ottomans:

http://www.polonya.org.tr/sec1-rayski.html

http://www.nasza-gazetka.com/Menu_Polon ... Rayski.htm

Perhaps someone can translate these?

[henryk]

Thank for the sources. I can't read the Turkish one but could follow the Polish one. To clarify his nationality, Rayski was an ethnic Pole born in Austrian occupied Poland. His father Artur Teodor Rayski left Poland in 1863 to join the Turkish Army as an officer, returning to Poland in 1910. Ludomil was wounded in 1914 while in Pilsudski's Polish Legion. In 1915 he followed his father's footsteps, joining the Turkish Army. Wounded in 1917, he took up flying and was placed in command. He was honoured with the Order Polksiezyca for his bravery in the battles of Dardaneles. Returning to Poland at end of the war he joined the Advanced Pilots Training School.

[Tosun Saral]

Here is the translation of offical webb page of Polnish Ambassy in Ankara:
A Hero of two Nations: LUDOMİL RAYSKİ
One of those Polnish whose fate is connected to Turks is Ludomil Rayski'dir (1892-1977). His father Teodor Rayski, took place in the great revolt of 1863 againts Russians when he was 17 years old. After the deafeat to the Russians he was one of those brave men who refuged to Ottoman Turkey. He converted into Islam and joined to Turkish Ottoman army as a captain. He fought in 1877-78 Rusco-Turkish War. Teodor Rayski, retired in 1889' and returned to his beloved Poland. At the beginning of the XXth century the Rayski family buys a house in Krakov at the corner of Dluga and Pedzichow streets. At the roof flat they had a little mescit for praying in islamic rituals. The minaret of the mescil is still there. As the WW1 began Ludomil Rayski joins to the troops of Jozef Pilsudski (He will later establisg the free Polnish State)established in the armies of Austrian-Hungary. He gets wounded in WW1 and healed in Wiener hospitals. While in Hospital he learns that Ottoman Turkey enters the war with the side of Germans and Austrian-Hungary.Ludomil Rayski, was still a Turkish citizen. He receives from Ottoman War Ministerium a enlist to the front. He enters war in the service of Transportation unit of the Fortress Canakkale in March 1st 1915. In september 1915 he graduates from Flying School at Maltepe/Istanbul as a warplane navigator and returns to the battle ground in Gallipoli. He gets wounded 2 times during his flight above the peninsula. After his heilment he graduates as a war pilot. He fights in the order of 5th Air Regiment of Izmir till the end of the war. For his services during the war he was decoreted and awarded with the madals of honour such as "harp Madalyası" madal of war in Jan 4th 1916, Liyakat Nişanı Badge of Merit in Oct 23th 1916, "Mecidiye Nişanı" Badge of Sultan Mecit in September 23th 1917.
He returns to Poland after war. He takes part in Polnish-Rusco War in 1919-22. He was promodet Polnis Colonel in 1925.
Wit a Breguet XIX plane he fşies from Paris - Madrid - Casablanka - Tunus - to İstanbul. In 1920 and 30's he established a air Industry in Poland. He visitesIstanbul in 1928 again and gets a permission to build the Turkish Air Industry. Together with the Turkish Republic he produces a Turkish plane in Kayseri the PZL P24. The last original P24 is still to day at Istanbul's Yesilkos Air Museum. A copy is in Ankara. Ludomil Rayski was the commander of Polnis Air force till August 1936.In 1939 he was founded guilty for the defeat agints German and had the change to fled to Great Britain. As a Mojor he fights among RAF. In 1977 he dies in England.In 1993 he gains his all right from the Polnish government and his deadly body was taken to Warsaw in all honours.
May Allah Mercy him. He was a hero of Turkey and Poland. For that reason I would like to thank you to mention his holy name.

TS's note: Turkey has always been a safety heaven for refugees and freedom fighters during the long period of History. It is an unknown character of Turks to open the doors to all desperate people.

[Tosun Saral]

Airmen of the 6th Air Company at Gallipoli. The one marked wit x is Rayski

[henryk]

What is the inscription on the memorial?

[Tosun Saral]

For the momory of those Turkish Soldiers who fall at Galizia

I think ı posted this pix wrongly.

[henryk]

Thank you.

[Tosun Saral]

Rayski wearing Turkish War Medal the Harb Madalyası, Turkish pilots badge.

[henryk]

Thank you, Tosun Saral
I presume it is the medal near his belt; some information and a picture:
http://antique-photos.com/en/awardsdata ... te]Osmanlı pilot brövesi

Ottoman Army Pilot’s Badge

Pilot’s Badge of the Ottoman Air Force was not an award but rather an unofficial or semi-official honour badge designed after German and Austro-Hungarian qualification badges. Neither any official decree instituting the badge nor award documents are known to exist. It seems that production of the Pilot’s badge that started in 1914 was authorized by the Commander-in-Chief of the Ottoman military, Enver Pasha. It’s most probable he had an intention of having the badge fully authorized by the Sultan at a later date but that never occurred.

The badge consisted of an oval gilt laurel wreath with a pair of superimposed outstretched wings that were connected in the center by a crescent and star. The wreath itself was connected at the bottom by a bow with a date “699” – the year Ottoman Empire was founded. There’s an oval plaque with the tughra of Sultan Mehmed Reshad V, i.e. his calligraphic monogram. Wings, bow and plaque are generally silver in color.

Pilot’s badges made of bronze, silver and zinc were struck in the Ottoman Empire and in Germany. The former don’t have maker marks while the latter do – on the pin or beneath. The absence of such marks on Turkish-made badges reflects the fact that they were not struck by the Turkish national mint.

The exact total number of badges awarded is unknown though it seems to be not numerous, not exceeding 1,000 pieces as by the end of the Great war the Ottoman Air Force had 15 Army squadrons and 4 Navy squadrons. As for the German pilots stationed in Turkey they were brought there not merely to fly the airplanes but rather to train Ottoman pilots.

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