The Fifth Army of the Ottoman Empire or Turkish Fifth Army was formed on March 24, 1915, and dissolved on November 21, 1918. It was assigned the responsibility of defending the Dardanelles straits in World War I. The original commander of the army was the German military advisor to the Ottoman Empire, General Otto Liman von Sanders. The command passed to Vehip Pasha who became responsible for the Helles front while von Sanders still wielded considerable influence.
| Fifth Army | |
|---|---|
 Headquarters personnel: front row, from right to left: Hüseyin Rauf Bey, Vehib Pasha, Sanders Pasha, Esat Pasha, Süleyman Pasha, Cevat Bey?, back row, from right to left: Unnamed, İsmet Bey, (from Second Army), Âsım Bey, Erich Prigge, Kâzım Bey, Şükrü Bey (from First Army), Refik Münir Bey (from Second Army) | |
| Active | March 25, 1915 – November 21, 1918[1] |
| Country |  Ottoman Empire |
| Type | Field Army |
| Engagements | Gallipoli campaign (World War I) Battle of Seray Mountain |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Otto Liman von Sanders (March 1915–24 February 1918) Mahmut Kamil (February 1918) |
Order of battle, April 1915
editIn late April 1915, the army was structured as follows:[2]
- III Corps (commanded by Esat Pasha)
- 7th Division, 9th Division, 19th Division (commanded by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)
- XV Corps (commanded by Colonel Hans Kannengiesser)
- Dardanelles Fortified Area Command
- One aircraft squadron
When the Allied campaign the Battle of Gallipoli, which aimed to seize the Dardanelles, commenced, the Fifth Army comprised two army Corps; the III Corps was defending the Gallipoli peninsula and the XV Corps was defending the Asian shore. The XV. Corps, also known as the "Asian Group." In addition, the 5th Division was positioned north of the peninsula under the command of First Army.
World War I
editOrder of Battle, Late Summer 1915
edit
The number of divisions involved in the defence of the peninsula expanded to ten and an unattached infantry regiment and a brigade of cavalry before the August Offensive. In late Summer 1915, the army was structured as follows:[3]
- I Corps
- II Corps
- III Corps
- IV Corps
- V Corps
- Dardanelles Fortified Area Command
- One aircraft squadron
A further three divisions arranged in the "Asian Group." The four divisions at Anzac made up the III Corps. (6 at Helles, 4 at Anzac) plus additional[citation needed].
Order of Battle, August 1916
editIn August 1916, the army was structured as follows:[4]
Order of Battle, December 1916
editIn December 1916, the army was structured as follows:[5]
Order of Battle, August 1917, January 1918
editIn August 1917, January 1918, the army was structured as follows:[6]
Order of Battle, June, September 1918
editIn June, September 1918, the army was structured as follows:[7]
After Mudros
editOrder of Battle, November 1918
editIn November 1918, the army was structured as follows:[8]
Sources
edit- ^ David Nicolle, colour plates by Rafaelle Ruggeri, The Ottoman Army 1914–18, Men-at-Arms 269, Ospray Publishing Ltd., 1994, ISBN 1-85532-412-1, p. 15.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 86.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 109.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 134.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 154.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 170, 181.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 188, 197.
- ^ Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, ISBN 0-313-31516-7, p. 202.