The Eighth Army of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

(

Turkish Turkish may refer to: * Something related to Turkey ** Turkish language *** Turkish alphabet ** Turkish people, a Turkic ethnic group and nation *** Turkish citizen, a citizen of Turkey *** Turkish communities in the former Ottoman Empire * The w ...

: ''Sekizinci Ordu'') was one of the

field armies A field army (also known as numbered army or simply army) is a military formation in many armed forces, composed of two or more corps. It may be subordinate to an army group. Air armies are the equivalent formations in air forces, and fleets ...

of the

Ottoman Army The Military of the Ottoman Empire () was the armed forces of the Ottoman Empire. It was founded in 1299 and dissolved in 1922. Army The Military of the Ottoman Empire can be divided in five main periods. The foundation era covers the years ...

. It was established during

World War I 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 ...

World War I

In June 1917, Enver Paşa activated the

Yildirim Army Group The Yıldırım Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire or Army Group F (German: ''Heeresgruppe F'') was an Army Group of the Ottoman Army during World War I. While being an Ottoman unit, it also contained the German Asia Cor ...

(also known as Thunderbolt Army Group) commanded by the

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General

Erich von Falkenhayn Erich Georg Sebastian Anton von Falkenhayn (11 September 1861 – 8 April 1922) was a German general and Ottoman Field Marshal who served as Prussian Minister of War and Chief of the German General Staff during the First World War. Falkenha ...

, and reinforced it with surplus Ottoman units transferred from Galicia,

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, and

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.Erickson ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , pp. 159, 171, ''Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: a comparative study'' Routledge Press, 2007, p. 115 Following the formation of the Yildirim Army Group substantial forces were deployed to Syria and Palestine, where they continued to hold the Fourth Army defenses. Already in Palestine were the 3rd, 7th, 16th, and 54th Infantry Divisions while the 26th 27th, and 53rd Infantry Divisions arrived during the summer. The 3rd, 7th 16th, and 26th Infantry Divisions had fought in the Gallipoli campaign and the 3rd Cavalry Division had fought in the Caucasian Campaigns.Erickson ''Ottoman Army Effectiveness in World War I: a comparative study'' Routledge Press, 2007, p. 102Erickson ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 172 On 2 October 1917, he activated the new Eighth Army, commanded by Kress von Kressenstein, and deployed it along with the Seventh Army, commanded by

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to the Yildirim Army Group.Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 171. Seven infantry division and one cavalry division already serving in the region, formed the recently activated Ottoman Eighth Army. They were the 3rd, 7th, 16th, 26th, 27th, 53rd and 54th Infantry Divisions and the 3rd Cavalry Division.

Order of Battle, January 1918

In January 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 181. *Eighth Army, ( Ferik

Cevat Pasha Cevat is a given name. Notable people with the name include: *Cevat Rıfat Atilhan (1892–1967), Turkish career officer, antisemitic writer, initiator of the 1934 Thrace pogroms *Cevat Çobanlı Cevat Çobanlı (14 September 1870Mesut Aydı ...

) ** XXII Corps *** 3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division ** 16th Division ** 54th Division ** 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

Order of Battle, September 1918

In September 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 197. *Eighth Army, (Ferik Cevat Pasha) **XXII Corps ***7th Division, 20th Division **Left Wing Group (Colonel

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) ***16th Division, 19th Division *** German Asia Corps **2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division

After Mudros

Order of Battle, November 1918

In November 1918, the army was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, ''Ordered to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War'', Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 202. *Eighth Army, (

Smyrna Smyrna ( ; , or ) was an Ancient Greece, Ancient Greek city located at a strategic point on the Aegean Sea, Aegean coast of Anatolia, Turkey. Due to its advantageous port conditions, its ease of defence, and its good inland connections, Smyrna ...

) ** XVII Corps ***58th Division ** XXI Corps ***57th Division

Sources

External links

{{Ottoman Forces during World War I Field armies of the Ottoman Empire Military units and formations of the Ottoman Empire in World War I Capture of Damascus