Mehmet Arif Şenerim (1877–1951) was a Turkish military leader active during the
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans, Balkan states in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan states of Kingdom of Greece (Glücksburg), Greece, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Montenegro, M ...
, the
First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, and the
Turkish War of Independence
, strength1 = May 1919: 35,000November 1920: 86,000Turkish General Staff, ''Türk İstiklal Harbinde Batı Cephesi'', Edition II, Part 2, Ankara 1999, p. 225August 1922: 271,000Celâl Erikan, Rıdvan Akın: ''Kurtuluş Savaşı tarih ...
.
Mehmet Arif Şenerim was born in Boyabat in 1877, of the Çiloğullari family. His father was Çiloğlu İlyas and mother was Sara (Sahure). After completing his primary education in the Eyüp Military Primary School (1887–1891), in 1891 he enrolled with the Istanbul Soğuksu Military Junior High (1891–1894), then Kuleli Military High School in
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. After graduating from Kuleli, he was admitted in 1894 to the Ottoman Military Academy in Istanbul, and graduated from this distinguished institution as a young infantry second lieutenant in on 5 January 1899.
After his graduation, he was stationed in
Merzifon
Merzifon is a town in Amasya Province in the central Black Sea region of Turkey. It is the seat of Merzifon District.
with the Fourth Army 75th Reg. 4th Batt. 1st Comp. In 1907 he was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant and was posted with the Alaşehir Reg. 2nd Batt. 4th Comp., then with the 72nd Reg. 3rd Batt.2nd Comp. which was stationed in Pirepol,
Bulgaria
Bulgaria, officially the Republic of Bulgaria, is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern portion of the Balkans directly south of the Danube river and west of the Black Sea. Bulgaria is bordered by Greece and Turkey t ...
. On 1 March 1910, he was promoted to the rank of captain and was posted with 66th Reg. 2nd Batt. 7th Comp. In 1911, he was stationed with 42nd Reg. 2nd Batt. 7th Comp.
First Balkan War
At the outset of the
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War lasted from October 1912 to May 1913 and involved actions of the Balkan League (the Kingdoms of Kingdom of Bulgaria, Bulgaria, Kingdom of Serbia, Serbia, Kingdom of Greece, Greece and Kingdom of Montenegro, Montenegro) agai ...
, he was sent to the Greek front in Macedonia. He was the commander of 7th Company with 42nd Reg. 2nd Batt. in the Battles of Kiresne Yenicesi when he was taken as a prisoner of war by the Greeks in 1912. After being held captive for nine months in the town of Amolyas in the north of
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki (; ), also known as Thessalonica (), Saloniki, Salonika, or Salonica (), is the second-largest city in Greece (with slightly over one million inhabitants in its Thessaloniki metropolitan area, metropolitan area) and the capital cit ...
, he escaped to join the 2nd Corps 13th Reg. 1st Batt. 1st Comp. as the commander of the company in , near
Kırklareli
Kırklareli () is a city in the East Thrace, European part of Turkey. It is the seat of Kırklareli Province and Kırklareli District.First World War
World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, he was sent to the Gallipoli front to join the 5th Army under Marshall
Otto Liman von Sanders
Otto Viktor Karl Liman von Sanders (; 17 February 1855 – 22 August 1929) was an Imperial German Army general who served as a military adviser to the Ottoman Army during the First World War. He was born to Jewish noble family and like many o ...
. He was first stationed with 5th Division 15th Reg. 3rd. Batt. in
Kadıköy
Kadıköy () is a municipality and Districts of Turkey, district on the Asian side of Istanbul Province, Istanbul Province, Turkey. Its area is 25 km2, and its population is 467,919 (2023). It is a large and populous area in the Asian si ...
, near
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli Peninsula (; ; ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles strait to the east.
Gallipoli is the Italian form of the Greek name (), meaning ' ...
in April 1915. He was the commander of the 9th Company of the 3rd. Batt. 15th Reg., together with 13th and 14th Reg., was ordered to reach Ariburnu front until 1 May and serve under Lt. Colonel Mustafa Kemal's 19th Division.
On 18 March 1915, when the English and French navies in an attempt to force their way up the Çanakkale Strait gave heavy losses, they decided to put units on land at Gallipoli Peninsula. The
ANZAC
The Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) was originally a First World War army corps of the British Empire under the command of the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force. It was formed in Egypt in December 1914, and operated during the ...
forces which landed at Arıburnu on 25 April 1915 were stopped by the 19th Division under Mustafa Kemal's command at Conkbayırı. On 1 May 1915, the Kabatepe Battle (the 3rd Aribunu Battle) took place. Assault was ordered on ANZAC Corps under General Birdwood (and was formed with 1st Australian Division, 2nd Australian and New Zealand Division, Ceylon Battalion and Indian Battalion) at 5:00 a.m. Captain Mehmet Arif was with 15th Reg. that attacked from Merkeztepe and that formed the Center Arm. He was tasked to fortify the trenches and it was completed under the heavy fire of the ANZAC Corps. Another assault was ordered for the regiments in the center at 2:00 a.m. on 2 May 1915. The losses of 15th Regt that day and night were heavy: 12 officers and 920 privates. The commander of the 3rd Battalion died and Captain Mehmed Arif took command of the battalion. On the assault on 19 May 1915 he served under 5th Division of Hasan Basri. Without any gains, assaults turned into trench wars and continued on. Mehmet Arif served under 16th and 12th Divisions of Rüştü Bey, Abdülrezzak Bey and Refet Bey. He was wounded in the groin and taken to Moda hospital in
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
. He was discharged two and a half months later and joined his battalion. He was on the Left Arm with his 3rd Battalion during the Arıburnu Battles. He was honoured with the Silver War Medal and Merit Medal by Colonel Abdülrezzak Bey, Commander of the Ariburnu Front. Until the end of August 1915 he served in the trench wars on the Arıburnu front at Gallipoli.
In 1915 he was promoted to the rank of "Kolağası" (senior major) and was posted with the 14th Regt, which was stationed in
Bitlis
Bitlis ( or ; ) is a city in southeastern Turkey. It is the seat of Bitlis District and Bitlis Province.Ahlat
Ahlat (; ) is a town in Turkey's Bitlis Province in Eastern Anatolia Region. It is the seat of Ahlat District.Erciş, Adilcevaz, Pehmas and Rumya took place as guerilla wars. As Armenians captured many locations with small forces, there was no hinterland specified for any forces, so the regiments were mainly located together. At the Eastern Front (Bitlis Front) he served under Refet Bey, Alaettin Bey, Ali Fuat Bey, Sıtkı Bey, Mustafa Bey, again Sıtkı Bey and finally Kenan Bey.
At the Truce, 30 Oct 1918, he was honoured with the Merit Medal by Brigadier General Ali İhsan Pahsa. When the First World War ended, he was a prisoner of war. On his release he delegated to the command of the 24th Regiment which was stationed in
Nusaybin
Nusaybin () is a municipality and district of Mardin Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,079 km2, and its population is 115,586 (2022). The city is populated by Kurds of different tribal affiliation.
Nusaybin is separated from the larger Kurd ...
on 1 June 1919, then he delegated to the command of the 14th Regiment which was stationed in Mardin on 1 December 1919. He intervened in the Rebellion of Nusaybin Ali Batı and
Midyat
Midyat (, , , ) is a municipality and district of Mardin Province, Turkey. Its area is 1,241 km2, and its population is 120,069 (2022).
In the modern era, the town is populated by Kurds, Mhallami Arabs and Assyrians. The old Estel neighborho ...
to keep order.
Turkish War of Independence
During the Turkish War of Independence, he served on the western front. He joined the Battles of Eskişehir, Karköy, Razancı, Mudanya and Bandırma with the Porsuk Platoon against the Greek armies. Turkish armies were victorious and the towns in the western
Anatolia
Anatolia (), also known as Asia Minor, is a peninsula in West Asia that makes up the majority of the land area of Turkey. It is the westernmost protrusion of Asia and is geographically bounded by the Mediterranean Sea to the south, the Aegean ...
were liberated one by one. After the victory, he was honoured with Testimonial in 1923 when he was a major, and the same year he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel. In 1925 he was honoured with the Medal of Independence. He built the first Army Guesthouse (Orduevi) in Konya. He retired in 1930 and settled in Konya.
Personal life and death
He married twice. His first wife was Ayşe Hanım, who was the mother of Colonel Behzat Balkış, Pertev Çandar and Muzeyyen Hanim. Ayşe Hanım died in Nevrekop at age 30. His second wife was Zehra Hanım of Nevrokop, who is the mother of teacher Nergis Şenerim.
Elder son of Mehmet Arif Şenerim, Colonel Behzat Balkış and his wife Mihriban Balkış had two sons—Orhan Balkış, who was a judge, died at the age of 44 and Alev Balkış. Orhan Balkış had two daughters named Nurdan Balkış and Melda Balkış Güner.
Mehmet Arif Şenerim's second son Pertev Çandar had two sons named Güchan and Sühan Çandar.
Mehmet Arif Şenerim's daughter Müzeyyen Hanım had two daughters named Nurtop and Aytop Yurdakul. Aytop Hanım married Colonel Hilmi Yurdakul and they had a son Dr. Süreyya Yurdakul and two daughters, Yasemin and Gül.
Mehmet Arif Şenerim died in Konya aged 74 and was buried at the Üçler Graveyard behind the Mevlana Museum.