Sixth Army (Ottoman Empire)
# 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.

## Formations

### Order of Battle, 1877

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

* Infantry: Six line regiments and six rifle battalion.
* Cavalry: Two line regiments.
* Artillery: One line regiment (9 batteries).
* Engineer: One sapper company.

### 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: The Sixth Army also had inspectorate functions for four Redif (reserve) divisions:

* 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:

* Sixth Army (Commander: Cavit Pasha)
   * XII Corps
      * 35th Division, 36th Division
   * XIII Corps
      * 37th Division

### Order of Battle, Late April 1915

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

* Sixth Army
   * 35th Division
   * Provisional Infantry Division

### Order of Battle, Late Summer 1915

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

* Sixth Army
   * Iraq Area Command
      * XIII Corps
         * 35th Division, 38th Division
      * XVIII Corps
         * 45th Division

### Order of Battle, January 1916

In January 1916, the army was structured as follows:

* Sixth Army
   * Iraq Area Command
      * XIII Corps
         * 35th Division, 52nd Division
      * XVIII Corps
         * 45th Division, 51st Division

### Order of Battle, August 1916

In August 1916, the army was structured as follows:

* XIII Corps
   * 2nd Division, 4th Division, 6th Division
* XVIII Corps
   * 35th Division, 45th Division, 51st Division, 52nd Division

### Order of Battle, December 1916

In December 1916, the army was structured as follows:

* 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:

* 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:

* XIII Corps
   * 2nd Division, 6th Division
* XVIII Corps
   * 14th Division, 46th Division

## After Mudros

### Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the army was structured as follows:

* XIII Corps
   * 2nd Division, 6th Division

## Sources

* ↑ 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.
* 1 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)
* ↑ Orhan Avcı, Irak'ta Türk Ordusu (1914-1918), Vadi Yayınları, 2004, ISBN 975-6768-51-7, p. 29. (in Turkish)
* 1 2 Orhan Avcı, Irak'ta Türk Ordusu (1914-1918), Vadi Yayınları, 2004, ISBN 975-6768-51-7, p. 30. (in Turkish)
* 1 2 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)
* 1 2 3 4 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.
* ↑ Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003, p. 17.
* ↑ Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail: The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912-1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 19.
* ↑ 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)
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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. 126.
* ↑ 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, 188.
* ↑ 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.
* ↑ 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.
