First Army (Ottoman Empire)


The First Army or First Guards Army of the Ottoman Empire was one of the field armies of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the middle 19th century during Ottoman military reforms.

Formations

Order of Battle, 1877

In 1877, it was stationed in Selimiye. It was composed of:
  • Infantry: Seven line regiments and seven rifle battalion.
  • *1st Regular Infantry Division
  • *2nd Regular Infantry Division
  • Cavalry: Five line regiments and one Cossack brigade.
  • *Cavalry Division
  • Artillery: Nine field and three horse batteries, one İhtiyat regiment.
  • *Artillery Division
  • Engineer: One sapper company, eight companies of engineers, one company of artificers.
  • *Engineer regiment x 2

Order of Battle, 1908

After the Young Turk Revolution and the establishment of the Second Constitutional Era on July 3, 1908, the new government initiated a major military reform. Army headquarters were modernized. Its operational area was Constantinople and the Bosporus, and it had units in Europe and Asia Minor. It commanded the following active divisions: The First Army also had inspectorate functions for four Redif divisions:
  • First Army Headquarters:
  • *1st Infantry Division
  • *2nd Infantry Division
  • *1st Cavalry Division
  • *1st Artillery Division
  • *Chataldja Fortified Area Command
  • Redif divisions of the First Army
  • *1st Bursa Reserve Infantry Division
  • *2nd Kastamonu Reserve Infantry Division
  • *3rd Ankara Reserve Infantry Division
  • *4th Kayseri Reserve Infantry Division

Order of Battle, 1911

With further reorganizations of the Ottoman Army, to include the creation of corps level headquarters, by 1911 the Army was headquartered in Harbiye. The Army before the First Balkan War in 1911 was structured as such:

World War I

Commanders

Order of Battle, August 1914

In August 1914, the army was structured as follows:

Order of Battle, November 1914

In November 1914, the army was structured as follows:

Order of Battle, Late April 1915

In late April 1915, the army was structured as follows:
  • I Corps
  • *1st Division, 2nd Division
  • II Corps
  • *4th Division, 5th Division, 6th Division
  • IV Corps
  • *10th Division, 12th Division
  • 20th Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade

Order of Battle, Late Summer 1915, January 1916

In late Summer 1915, January 1916, the army was structured as follows:
  • 1st Division
  • 20th Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade

Order of Battle, August 1916

In August 1916, the army was structured as follows:
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade
  • 49th Division

Order of Battle, December 1916

In December 1916, the army was structured as follows:
  • I Corps
  • *14th Division, 16th Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade

Order of Battle, August 1917

In August 1917, the army was structured as follows:
  • I Corps
  • *42nd Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade

Order of Battle, January 1918

In January 1918, the army was structured as follows:

Order of Battle, June 1918

In June 1918, the army was structured as follows:
  • I Corps
  • *42nd Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade
  • 25th Division

Order of Battle, September 1918

In September 1918, the army was structured as follows:
  • I Corps
  • *42nd Division
  • 1st Cavalry Brigade

After Mudros

First Army Troops Inspectorate, May 1919

In April 1919, Şevket Turgut Pasha, Cevat Pasha and Kavaklı Mustafa Fevzi Pasha hold a secret meeting in Constantinople. They prepared a report called "Trio Oath" and decided to establish army inspectorate for the defense of homeland. In late April, Kavaklı Mustafa Fevzi Pasha 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 And then the First Army Troops Inspectorate, the Yildirim Troops Inspectorate Inspectorate, the Ninth Army Troops Inspectorate was formed. Additionally, the Rumeli Military Troops Inspectorate would be established and the XIII Corps would be under the direction of the Ministry of War. In May 1919, the army inspectorate was structured as follows:
  • First Army Troops Inspectorate
  • *I Corps
  • **49th Division
  • **60th Division
  • *XIV Corps
  • **55th Division
  • **61st Division
  • *XVII Corps
  • **56th Division
  • **57th Division
  • *XXV Corps
  • **1st Division
  • **10th Caucasian Division

Commanders