Turkish Order of Battle - Gallipoli

[Krithia]

I am trying to put together an Order of Battle of Ottoman forces at Anzac for 25th - 27th April 1915. There were, if I am correct, a total of seven Regiments who were eventually involved. Below is the first stab of putting names of the CO's to the divisions, regiments and battalions, however there are still a few question marks and spaces. Anyone out there with the knowledge to verify the info so far and to complete the blanks?

9th Division (Colonel Halil Sami Bey)

27th Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Yarbay Shefik)

1/27 - ?

2/27 – Major Ismet Bey (?)

3/27 - Major Halis Bey

26th Regiment - ?

1/26 – ?

2/26 - ?

3/26 – Major Mahmut

19th Division (Lieut-Colonel Mustafa Kemal Bey)

57th Regiment – Colonel Hüseyin Avni Bey

1/57 – Major Zeki Bey

2/57 – Major ???

3/57 Major Hairi Bey

72nd Regiment – Colonel Munir Bey ?

1/72 Ali Saib Bey

2/72 – ?

3/72 – ?

77th Regiment – Colonel Sald Bey ?

Attached to the Division for 27th April counterattack

33rd Regiment – Colonel Rushdi Bey ?

64th Regiment - ?

I am also missing information on the artillery structure at this time, does this info exist?

Thanks, Krithia

[Ozzie]

Krithia

You may find this of some help.

It names people and Battalions. A day after what you are looking for but it may be of use.

Cheers

Kim

Ooops.

 

Kim

[Crunchy]

Hello Krithia,

The 26th Regiment was not at Anzac during 25th -27th April. They were deployed to defend the southern coast of the Peninsula prior to the landings with one battalion defending the coast from south of Gaba Tepe to a point abreast of Krithia, the other two battalions were deployed around the tip of the Peninsula at Helles. Once the British landed the 25th Regiment of the same Division (the 9th) deployed to support them at Helles.

Forces at Anzac on the 25th April were:

Defending the coastline 2nd battalion, 27th Regiment. The 1st and 3rd battalions of the 27th were in reserve at Maidos and deployed to Anzac on the morning of the 25th April in response to the Landing and approached the Anzac position from the south east.

The 19th Division was the 5th Army reserve deployed in the Boghali - Mal Tepe area. In response to the Landing at Anzac the 57th deployed to the area of Chunuk Bair and fought down the main ridge line. The 77th Regiment and later the 72nd Regiment deployed against the Anzacs. The 77th attacked the centre of the Anzac line on the afternoon of the 25th April.

On the 26th April, the 33rd Regiment was ferried across the Narrows and reinforced the Turkish forces at Anzac; the 64th Regiment was also sent to Anzac on the 26th April.

The counter attack on the 27th April was carried out by the 27th, 57th, 64th, 72nd and 77th Regiments (a total of 15 battalions) while the 33rd Regiment was in resreve in the area of Scrubby Knoll on the Third (or Gun) Ridge.

Regards

Chris

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Steven,

It might be a bit difficult to find a list of the Bn commanders as usually official lists only include Regimental commanders. Will have a look together with a Turkish friend if we can find some while going through books.

As far as I know 2/57 was Captain Ata.

eric

[Krithia]

Thanks Frev for the link, a fascinating lettr and descriptio of the 33rd Regiment attack on 27th April.

Thanks Chris, for spotting the school boy error with the 26th Regiment - not sure how it slipped itself in.

Thanks Eric for Major Ata, may I ask what the source was?

So the story so far ...

Turkish Ottoman Army (General Liman von Sanders)

19th Division (Lieut-Colonel Mustafa Kemal Bey)

57th Regiment – Colonel Hüseyin Avni Bey

1/57 – Major Zeki Bey

2/57 – Captain Ata Bey

3/57 - Major Hairi Bey

72nd Regiment – Colonel Munir Bey

1/72 Ali Saip Bey ?

2/72 – ?

3/72 – ?

77th Regiment – Major Binbasi Saip Bey

Major Rifat ?

Attached to the Division for 27 April attack

33rd Regiment – Colonel Yarbay Sevki Bey

1/33 – Major Ali Faik

64th Regiment - Colonel Servet Bey

9th Division (Colonel Halil Sami Bey)

27th Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Yarbay Shefik Bey)

1/27 - ?

2/27 – Major Ismet Bey (?)

3/27 - Major Halis Bey

[drewsart]

Hi there Krithia hope this helps with some detail

Ok here goes

Turkish Ottoman Army (General Liman von Sanders)

Army Assets

2 x 120mm Guns from 4/8th Heavy Artillery Battery located on Gaba Tepe - additional independent heavy artillery assigned later

19th Division (Lieut-Colonel Mustafa Kemal Bey)

19th Division Assests

19th Division Engineer Coy

19th Division Field Hospital

5th Sqn 4th Cavalry Regiment (deployed in the rear areas)

19th Division Artillery - not all deployed at ANZAC Cove

1/39th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

2/39th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

3/39th Field Artillery batty (4 x Older Guns 75mm – not QF)

4/39th Field Artillery batty (4 x Older Guns 75mm – not QF)

1M/39th Mountain Artillery batty (6 x 75mm mountain Howitzers)

2M/39th Mountain Artillery batty (6 x 75mm mountain Howitzers)

57th Regiment – Colonel Hüseyin Avni Bey

1/57 – Major Zeki Bey

2/57 – Captain Ata Bey

3/57 - Major Hairi Bey

+1/57th Regt MG Coy

72nd Regiment – Colonel Munir Bey

1/72 Ali Saip Bey ?

2/72 – ?

3/72 – ?

+1/72nd MG Coy, 2/72nd MG Coy

77th Regiment – Major Binbasi Saip Bey

1/77 -

2/77 -

3/77 -

No MG Coy attached

Major Rifat ?

Attached to the Division for 27 April attack

33rd Regiment – Colonel Yarbay Sevki Bey - from 11th Division

1/33 – Major Ali Faik

2/33 -

3/33 -

+ 33rd Regt MG Coy

64th Regiment - Colonel Servet Bey ............... I am quirying this one, i have no record of this Regt at Gallipoli

9th Division (Colonel Halil Sami Bey)

27th Regiment (Lieutenant-Colonel Yarbay Shefik Bey)

1/27 - ?

2/27 – Major Ismet Bey (?)

3/27 - Major Halis Bey

+ 27th Regt MG Coy

26th Regiment (?)

1/26 - not present deployed to Basra Iraq

2/26 -

3/26 -

+ 26th Regt MG Coy

25th Regiment

1/25 - ?

2/25 – ?

3/25 -

+ 25th Regt MG Coy

9th Division Artillery - not all deployed at ANZAC

1/9th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

2/9th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

3/9th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

4/9th Field Artillery batty – (4 x 77mm QF)

1M/9th Mountain Artillery batty (6 x 75mm mountain Howitzers)

2M/9th Mountain Artillery batty (6 x 75mm mountain Howitzers)

9th Division Assets

9th Division Engineer Coy

9th Division Field Hospital

4th Sqn 4th Cavalry Regiment

The initial deployment went as follows:

European Side

3rd Army Corps - composed of 62,077 combatants

7th Div - held in reserve outside the town of Gallipoli

9th Div - Deployed to the Helles area

19th Div Maidos, and along the Boghali road

Corps troops - the equivelent of a div in strength - deployed on the west coast of the peninsula

Not Belonging to any Army

5th Div - in reserve at Sharkeui on the sea of marmara

Independant Cav Bde - strung along the coast of saros from Examil to Enos

Asiastic Side

3rd and 11th Div's round Kum Kale and the village of Yeni Shehr.

for the 27th Regiment I have the following -

Commandant of the Regiment Col. Sefik (Aker) Bey, Regiments Orderly Officer Cevdet Efendi.

Commander of 1/27 Bn Maj Cemil Bey

Cammander of 2/27 Bn Captain Mustafa Efendi

Commander of 3/27 Bn Captian Faik Efendi,

Commander of MG Company Captain Hamdi Efendi,

Regards Andrew

[drewsart]

Concerning the 64th Regiment

I was again reviewing my OOB for Gallipoli and found it was an independent Regiment attached to the Corps troops - however it was later attached to the 14th Div in Jan 1916

The 64th Regiment consisted

1/64

2/64

3/64

+ 64th Regiment MG Coy

As a side bit of info the Independant Cav Bde consisted

1st Lancers + MG Coy

7th Cavalry Regt

13th Cavalry Regt + MG Coy

1 x Battery of Horse Artillery

1 x Engineers Section

1 x Field Hospital

Sorry for the confusion

Andrew

[drewsart]

Hi Krithia

Here is some more additional information

Commander 33rd Regt - (Lt.Col.) Ahmet Şevki Bey killed Gallipoli around 28-29th April

Artillery deployemnt between 25th and 27th was as foloows

On the morning of 25th April 0730 hours

1M9th Mountain Battery located on Plateau 400, 6 x 75mm Mountain Howitzers + the 2 x 120mm Guns from 4/8th Heavy Artillery Battery located on Gaba Tepe.

By 26th April 0930 hours the following additional batteries

1/8th Heavy Artillery Battery, Gaba Tepe, 2 x 150mm Guns - Fire Support from III Corps

1M39th Mountain Battery, Pluggers Plateau, 4 x 75mm Mountain Howitzers - Fire Support from 19thDiv

2M9th Mountain Battery, Pluggers Plateau, 6 x 75mm Mountain Howitzers - Fire Support from 9thDiv

Andrew

[Krithia]

Thanks Andrew, this is brilliant.

I have the 33rd Regiment commander as Yarbay Şevki Bey, as opposed to Ahmet Şevki Bey ... any ideas ?

[stevenbecker]

Mate,

They are the same man?

"Yarbay" is his rank (LtCol) in Turkish

"Bey" is an Honorary Title to an officer.

Many islamis had only one family name at that time and an islamic name but sometimes only used the one name, full names didn't come in untill Ataturk changed the rules.

Cheers

S.B

[The Plummed Goose]

Dear Steve x 2

There is somewere a thread on this forum in which Bill (Eceabat) give a good explanation.

If you find "Efendi" or "Bey" at the end : It is a form of address. Bey is higher than Efendi and I think it changes with the grade of Captain.

captain : yüzbasi (yüzbaşı)

major : binbasi (binbaşı)

lt-colonel : yarbay

colonel : albay

general : pasha (paşa)

eric

[The Plummed Goose]

ooop forget. !!

1. Sometimes people will have two first names and sometimes these are used to avoid confusion : Mustafa is a very common name so the commander of the 19th Division was called Mustafa Kemal.

2. sometimes they also used the city of origion to distinguish : Binbaşi Çırpanlı Ali Zeynel (Major Ali Zeynel from the city of Çırpan) (two first names AND city)

3. Sometimes you might find a family name because the source you are quoting is written in recent times and if the officer survived the author might have added his family name : Mehmet Şefik Aker (commander of the 27th Regiment)

eric

[Krithia]

1M39th Mountain Battery, Pluggers Plateau, 4 x 75mm Mountain Howitzers - Fire Support from 19thDiv

2M9th Mountain Battery, Pluggers Plateau, 6 x 75mm Mountain Howitzers - Fire Support from 9thDiv

Where was "Pluggers Plateau" ? It wouldn't be Plugges as that was inside the Anzac perimeter, so assume its somewhere behind the Third (Gun) Ridge ?

[McNamara]

hello

have a look at http://user.online.be/~snelders/thennow/thenplug.htm

regards

jhon

[drewsart]

Good Evening Krithia

sorry i havnt responded earlier that should read plateau 400, ..... ooopse typo

Andrew C