Yildirim Army Group


The Yildirim Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire or Army Group F was an Army Group of the Ottoman Army during World War I. While being an Ottoman unit; it also contained the German Asia Corps.
Starting in June 1917, the Yildirim Army Group's first commander in chief was the former Prussian Minister of War and Chief of Staff Erich von Falkenhayn. Von Falkenhayn was replaced by General of the Cavalry Otto Liman von Sanders on 25 February 1918. After the Armistice of Mudros on 30 October 1918, Mustafa Kemal took command until the Group's dissolution a few days later.

Tactics

The army group included troops who used the latest Western-Front infiltration tactics; were equipped with close-combat gear, such as Stahlhelms and stick-grenades; and were supported by artillery and machine guns.

World War I

Order of Battle, August 1917

In August 1917, the army group was structured as follows:
with the
In January 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
In June 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
In September 1918, the army group was structured as follows:

Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
In April 1919, Şevket Turgut Pasha, Cevat Çobanlı and Fevzi Çakmak 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, 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 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: