#2
Post
by bob lembke » 04 Jul 2005, 19:21
Peter;
A few comments.
Without bothering with actual facts, I might observe that this is conceivable.
Many Turkish divisions seemed to have been commanded by colonels at Gallipoli, I think, including Mustafa Kemal Pasha; later Kemal Atatürk (Or, if my Turkish does not fail me, "Kemal. father of Turkey.")
Secondly, some of these guys were rather young. They weren't called "Young Turks" for nothing. (That actually was a political party, and probably most young Turkish officers were not literally "Young Turks". But you get the idea. The old farts were being overthrown.)
So a 32 year old colonel in late 1915 could be a 67 year old general in 1951. Would have been a nice gesture (or reminder) by the Turks, and if the guy was in his dotage he could have been issued a really sharp chief of staff. Do the Turks go to the German extreme of the "Ia" of chief of staff actually being more important than the CO?
Incidentally, I remember that photo from my last visit to the Askeri Müze in Istanbul last September. My third visit to the "Military Museum", a great place. As I remember there was an elaborate display about the leadership of the Turkish contingent; perhaps such service might be a reason. Frankly, it was the period in time of Turkish military history in which I probably have the least interest, and I was trailing my rapidly moving travel partner.
Incidentally, again, anyone know about the supposed three volume history (in English) of either the Gallipoli campaign, or WW I, supposedly once put out by the Turkish General Staff and supposedly to be re-issued at some time?
Bob Lembke
