Sixth Army (Ottoman Empire)

The Sixth Army of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: Altıncı Ordu) was one of the field armies of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the middle 19th century during Ottoman military reforms.

Sixth Army
Sixth Army field HQ
ActiveSeptember 5, 1915[1]–February 9, 1919[2]
Country Ottoman Empire
TypeField Army
Garrison/HQBaghdad
PatronSultans of the Ottoman Empire
EngagementsMesopotamian campaign (World War I)
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Müşir Goltz Pasha (October 13, 1915[3]-April 19, 1916[4])
Mirliva Halil Pasha (April 19, 1916[4]-June 30, 1918[5])
Mirliva Ali İhsan Pasha (June 30, 1918[5]-February 9, 1919[2])

Formations

Order of Battle, 1877

In 1877, it was stationed in Baghdad. It was composed of:

Order of Battle, 1908

After the Young Turk Revolution and the establishment of the Second Constitutional Era on July 3, 1908, new government initiate a major military reform. Army headquarters were modernized. Its operational area was Mesopotamia. It commanded the following active divisions:[7] The Sixth Army also had inspectorate functions for four Redif (reserve) divisions:[8][9]

  • Sixth Army
    • 11th Infantry Division (On Birinci Fırka)
    • 12th Infantry Division (On İkinci Fırka)
    • 6th Infantry Division (Altıncı Fırka)
    • 15th Artillery Brigade (On Beşinci Topçu Tugayı)
  • Redif divisions of the Sixth Army (name of the division denotes its location)
    • 21st Baghdad Reserve Infantry Division (Yirmi Birinci Bağdad Redif Fırkası)
    • 22nd Basra Reserve Infantry Division (Yirmi İkinci Basra Redif Fırkası)
    • 23rd Kelkit Reserve Infantry Division (Yirmi Üçüncü Kelkit Redif Fırkası)
    • 24th Musul Reserve Infantry Division (Yirmi Dördüncü Musul Redif Fırkası)

World War I

Order of Battle, August 1914

In August 1914, the army was structured as follows:[10]

  • Sixth Army (Commander: Cavit Pasha)

Order of Battle, Late April 1915

In late April 1915, the army was structured as follows:[11]

  • Sixth Army
    • 35th Division
    • Provisional Infantry Division

Order of Battle, Late Summer 1915

In late Summer 1915, the army was structured as follows:[12]

Order of Battle, January 1916

In January 1916, the army was structured as follows:[13]

Order of Battle, August 1916

In August 1916, the army was structured as follows:[14]

Order of Battle, December 1916

In December 1916, the army was structured as follows:[15]

  • XIII Corps
    • 2nd Division, 4th Division, 6th Division
  • XVIII Corps
    • 45th Division, 51st Division, 52nd Infantry Division

Order of Battle, August 1917, January 1918, June 1918

In August 1917, January, June 1918, the army was structured as follows:[16]

  • XIII Corps
    • 2nd Division, 6th Division
  • XVIII Corps
    • 14th Division, 51st Division, 52nd Division
  • 46th Division

Order of Battle, September 1918

In September 1918, the army was structured as follows:[17]

After Mudros

Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the army was structured as follows:[18]

Sources
  1. 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. 14.
  2. Zekeriya Türkmen, Mütareke Döneminde Ordunun Durumu ve Yeniden Yapılanması (1918-1920), Türk Tarih Kurumu Basımevi, 2001, ISBN 975-16-1372-8, p. 44. (in Turkish)
  3. Orhan Avcı, Irak'ta Türk Ordusu (1914-1918), Vadi Yayınları, 2004, ISBN 975-6768-51-7, p. 29. (in Turkish)
  4. Orhan Avcı, Irak'ta Türk Ordusu (1914-1918), Vadi Yayınları, 2004, ISBN 975-6768-51-7, p. 30. (in Turkish)
  5. T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademelerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri, Genelkurmay Basım Evi, 1972, p. 145. (in Turkish)
  6. Ian Drury, Illustrated by Raffaele Ruggeri, The Russo-Turkish War 1877, Men-at-Arms 277, Ospray Publishing Ltd., Reprinted 1999, ISBN 1-85532-371-0, p. 35.
  7. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003, p. 17.
  8. Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 19.
  9. T.C. Genelkurmay Başkanlığı, Balkan Harbi, 1912-1913: Harbin Sebepleri, Askerî Hazırlıklar ve Osmanlı Devletinin Harbe Girişi, Genelkurmay Basımevi, 1970, pp. 87-90. (in Turkish)
  10. 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. 38.
  11. 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.
  12. 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.
  13. 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. 126.
  14. 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.
  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. 154.
  16. 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, 188.
  17. 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. 197.
  18. 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.
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