Yildirim Army Group
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The Yildirim Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: Yıldırım Ordular Grubu) or Army Group F (German: Heeresgruppe F) was one of the army groups of the Ottoman Army. It was formed during World War I. In August 1917, the army group was structured as follows:[6...
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Yildirim Army GroupActive July 1917[1] - November 7, 1918[2][3]Country Ottoman EmpireType Army groupSize 150,000Patron Sultans of the Ottoman EmpireEngagements Sinai and Palestine Campaign (World War I)

Battle of MegiddoCommandersNotable

commanders Erich von Falkenhayn (July 1917[1] - February 6, 1918[4])

Otto Liman von Sanders (February 24[5] - October 30, 1918)

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk (October 31 - November 7, 1918[2])

See also: Army Group F

The Yildirim Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: Yıldırım Ordular Grubu) or Army Group F (German: Heeresgruppe F) was one of the army groups of the Ottoman Army. It was formed during World War I.

World War I[]

Order of Battle, August 1917[]

In August 1917, the army group was structured as follows:[6]

Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Erich von Falkenhayn)

Seventh Army, Syria (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)

III Corps

24th Division

50th Division

XV Corps

19th Division

20th Division

German Asia Corps

Sixth Army, Mesopotamia (Mirliva Halil Kut)

XIII Corps

2nd Division

6th Division

XVIII Corps

14th Division

51st Division

52nd Division

46th Division

with the

42nd Division

48th Division

59th Division[7]

XX Corps at Huj

16th Division

54th Division

178th Infantry Regiment

3rd Cavalry Division

XXII Corps at Gaza

3rd Division

7th Division

53rd Division[8][9]

Order of Battle, January 1918[]

In January 1918, the army group was structured as follows:[10]

Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Erich von Falkenhayn)

Seventh Army (Mirliva Fevzi Çakmak)

III Corps

1st Division, 19th Division, 24th Division

XV Corps

26th Division, 53rd Division

3rd Cavalry Division

German Asia Corps

Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)

XXII Corps

3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division

16th Division, 54th Division, 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

Order of Battle, June 1918[]

In June 1918, the army group was structured as follows:[11]

Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Otto Liman von Sanders)

Seventh Army (Mirliva Fevzi Çakmak)

III Corps

1st Division, 24th Division, 3rd Cavalry Division

XV Corps

26th Division, 53rd Division, 19th Division

German Asia Corps

Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)

XXII Corps

3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division

16th Division

54th Division

2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

Order of Battle, September 1918[]

In September 1918, the army group was structured as follows:[12]

Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Otto Liman von Sanders)

Fourth Army (Mirliva Cemal Mersinli)

II Corps (Miralay Galatalı Şevket Bey)

62nd Division, Provisional Division x 3

Jordan Group

24th Division, 3rd Cavalry Division

VIII Corps (Miralay Yasin Hilmi Bey)

48th Division, Umman Provisional Division

Seventh Army (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)

III Corps (Miralay İsmet İnönü)

1st Division, 11th Division

XV Corps (Miralay Ali Fuat Cebesoy)

26th Division, 53rd Division

Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)

XXII Corps (Miralay Refet Bele)

7th Division, 20th Division

Left Wing Corps (Oberst Gustav von Oppen)

16th Division, 19th Division

German Asia Corps

2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

After Mudros[]

Order of Battle, November 1918[]

In November 1918, the army group was structured as follows:[13]

Yildirim Army Group (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)

Second Army (Mirliva Nihat Anılmış)

XII Corps

23rd Division

XV Corps

41st Division, 44th Division

Seventh Army (Mirliva Ali Fuat Cebesoy, deputy)

III Corps

11th Division, 24th Division

XX Corps

1st Division, 43rd Division

Yildirim Troops Inspectorate, May 1919[]

In April 1919, Şevket Turgut Pasha, Cevat Çobanlı and Fevzi Çakmak hold a secret meeting in Constantinople. They prepared a report called "Trio Oath" (Üçler Misâkı) and decided to establish army inspectorate for the defense of homeland. In late April, Fevzi Çakmak submitted this report to the Minister of War Şakir Pasha. On April 30, 1919, the War Ministry and Sultan Mehmed VI ratified the decision about the establishing of army inspectorates that had been accepted by the Chief of General Staff[14] And then the First Army Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Constantinople, Fevzi Çakmak), the Yildirim Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Konya, Cemal Mersinli, later Second Army Inspectorate) Inspectorate, the Ninth Army Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Erzurum, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, later Third Army Inspectorate) was formed. Additionally, the Rumeli Military Troops Inspectorate (Nureddin Pasha) would be established and the XIII Corps would be under the direction of the Ministry of War.[15] In May 1919, the army inspectorate was structured as follows:[16][17]

Yildirim Troops Inspectorate (Yıldırım Kıt'aatı Müfettişliği, Konya, Inspector: Ferik Cemal Mersinli)

XII Corps (Niğde, Miralay Selâhaddin Bey)

11th Division

41st Division

7th Cavalry Regiment

20th Cavalry Regiment

XX Corps (Ankara, Mirliva Ali Fuat Cebesoy)

23rd Division

24th Division

XVII Corps (Smyrna, Mirliva Ali Nadir Pasha, transferred from the First Army Troops Inspectorate after the Occupation of Smyrna)

56th Division

57th Division

Sources[]