Right - Pictured in Tunca Orses. Necmettin Ozcelik. (2007) Dunya Savasi'nda Turk Askeri Kiyafetleri 1914-1918. Militärmuseum, Istanbul: 67, a first-year War Academy student, prior to WW1. Highlighted is a typical example of the Turkish 1876 buckle, for Artillery.
In 1914, upon mobilization, the Military Academy and Military Engineering Schools were closed [1].
“Cadets took basic officer training for 6-8 months and were sent to fronts with the rank of corporal” [3]. However, it stated in the eye-witness account in the ‘1916 Turkish Army Handbook’, that [4]:
According to regulations, unit commanders would decide to commission them officers or not after examining them for 6 months [5].
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[1] Mesut Uyar. Brothers in Arms: Turkish Officers in the Canakkale (Dardanelles) Campaign.
[2] British General Staff. (1995) 1916 Handbook of the Turkish Army. Battery Press, Nashville: 116.
[3] Mesut Uyar. Ibid.
[4] British General Staff. (1995) 1916 Handbook of the Turkish Army. Battery Press, Nashville: 116.
[5] Mesut Uyar. Ibid.
Mesut Uyar states the following about ‘NCOs’ [1]:
However, it should be noted that in actual fact, in the Ottoman period - only the ‘Onbasi’ (normally translated as Corporal - his origin was the Janissary Barrack Room Chief) whom held a rank in Army but was not regarded as a Junior Officer [2], in fact he was the only actual NCO in the whole Imperial Army, in this period. The KUCUK ZABITANI (Junior Officers), in the infantry were the:
These grades of Junior Officers, are more likely to be the ALAYH - officers who had risen from the ranks, as well as be regarded as the AGHA (those who had risen from the ranks - but could not read and write; whereas the EFENDI, was an officer who had passed his literacy exam). These officers were basically appointed by the battalion/regiment they belonged too, as well were educated with the unit [3] [4].
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[1] Mesut Uyar. Brothers in Arms: Turkish Officers in the Canakkale (Dardanelles) Campaign.
[2] Askeri Müze ve Kültür Sitesti Komutanligi. (1986) Osmanli askeri teskilat ve kiyafetleri: 1876-1908 [Ottoman military organization and uniforms] Yayinlari: 16.
[3] Mesut Uyar:
[4] British General Staff. (1995) 1916 Handbook of the Turkish Army. Battery Press, Nashville: 126: