V Corps (Ottoman Empire) Explained
The V Corps of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: 5 nci Kolordu or Beşinci Kolordu) was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms.
Formation
Order of Battle, 1911
With further reorganizations of the Ottoman Army, to include the creation of corps level headquarters, by 1911 the V Corps was headquartered in Salonika. The Corps before the First Balkan War in 1911 was structured as such:[2]
- V Corps, Salonika
- 13th Infantry Division, Salonika
- 37th Infantry Regiment, Salonika
- 38th Infantry Regiment, Salonika
- 39th Infantry Regiment, Salonika
- 13th Rifle Battalion, Salonika
- 13th Field Artillery Regiment, Salonika
- 13th Division Band, Salonika
- 14th Infantry Division, Serez
- 40th Infantry Regiment, Serez
- 41st Infantry Regiment, Nevrekop
- 42nd Infantry Regiment, Cuma-i Bala
- 14th Rifle Battalion, Yemen
- 14th Field Artillery Regiment, Serez
- 14th Division Band, Serez
- 15th Infantry Division, Usturmaca
- 43rd Infantry Regiment, Usturmaca
- 44th Infantry Regiment, Petriç
- 45th Infantry Regiment, Petriç
- 15th Rifle Battalion, Gevgili
- 15th Field Artillery Regiment, Salonika
- 15th Division Band, Usturmaca
- Units of V Corps
- 5th Rifle Regiment, Salonika
- 6th Cavalry Brigade, Gevgili
- 14th Cavalry Regiment, Gevgili
- 25th Cavalry Regiment, Serez
- 26th Cavalry Regiment, Salonika
- 5th Mountain Artillery Battalion, Katerin
- 6th Mountain Artillery Battalion, Katerin
- 4th Field Howitzer Battalion, Demir Hisar
- 5th Engineer Battalion, Gevgili
- 5th Transport Battalion, Salonika
- Salonika Port Command, Salonika
- Heavy Artillery Battalion, Salonika
- Torpedo Detachment, Salonika
- Searchlight Detachment, Salonika
- Border Detachment
Balkan Wars
Order of Battle, October 19, 1912
On October 19, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[3]
Order of Battle, November 12, 1912
On November 12, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[4]
- V Corps (under the command of the Northern Group of the Vardar Army)
- 13th Division, 15th Division
- 5th Rifle Regiment, 26th Cavalry Regiment, 19th Artillery Regiment
Order of Battle, November 16, 1912
On November 16, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:[5]
- V Corps (under the command of Right Flank Defensive Corps of the Vardar Army)
- 13th Division, 15th Division, 18th Division
World War I
Order of Battle, August 1914
In August 1914, the corps was structured as follows:[6]
- V Corps (Anatolia)
- 13th Division, 14th Division, 15th Division
Order of Battle, November 1914, late April 1915
In November 1914, Late April 1915, the corps was structured as follows:[7]
- V Corps (Thrace)
- 13th Division, 14th Division, 15th Division
Order of Battle, late Summer 1915, January 1916
In late Summer 1915, January 1916, the corps was structured as follows:[8]
- V Corps (Gallipoli)
- 13th Division, 14th Division, 15th Division
Order of Battle, August 1916
In August 1916, the corps was structured as follows:[9]
Order of Battle, December 1916, August 1917
In December 1916, August 1917, the corps was structured as follows:[10]
Notes and References
- T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademelerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri, Genkurmay Başkanlığı Basımevi, Ankara, 1972, p. 54.
- Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, pp. 375-376.
- Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 170.
- Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 188.
- Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 191.
- Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001,, p. 38.
- Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001,, p. 43, 86.
- Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001,, p. 109, 126.
- Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001,, p. 134.
- Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001,, p. 154, 170.
