Source: File:
Turkish gun (15 cm Ringkanone L/26 Krupp) captured by the Russian Army,
Erzurum, 1916.jpg. [online]
Available at: <https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Gun-erzurum-niva-1916-11.jpg> [Accessed: 18 February 2016]
Bleak days of
Erzurum, the east
Turkish city, whose
involvement
had acted in
Armenian Genocide,
As a main centre
of deportation.
With milder
spring days came
The detainment of
prominent
Armenians - held in
April1915
By early May 450
were killed.
Before the year
1914 Erzurum
Had a strength of
an Armenian
Community to
number 20,000 -
In 1916 barely
100 were alive.
Months later this
silent front
Stirred, with
Russians to open
Caucasus front;
the campaign
For Erzurum
proved difficult.
Facing the Caucasus
Russian
Army were
mountainous forts,
To protect the
main fortress
Of Erzurum -
winter soon fell.
Depths of January
could see
Up to four feet
of snow - each
Bitter day would
be a third
Enemy - to halt real
progress.
Yet Russia equalled
in such
Hardships, bred a
hardy type
Of man and 10 January
saw
First fights for
Azkani village.
Mainly Ottoman
complacency
First saw their
XI corps broken
By the Russian
forces, to gain
Mountain crest of
Kara Urgan.
Turks small numbers
advantaged
The Russians to
cut in weakest
Parts of the line
- giving surprise
In Koprukoy's
fight for Erzurum.
Knowing their
lack of reserves,
With poor Ottoman
defences
The Russian
pushed out towards
Cakir-baba ridge
in bad weather.
Siberian Cossacks,
the hardiest
Russian troops,
sent by General
Yudenich - yet
the Ottomans fell
Back to west
Erzurum fortress.
On day 18 January
the Russians
Were only 25
miles from Erzurum.
On reaching the town
Hasankale,
Then the Turkish
began to worry.
Ottoman General
of the 3rd army,
Mahmut Kamil Paşa,
attempted
To strengthen
lines of defence,
As Russian won
battle of Mush.
Into days of
February, Mahmut
Kamil believed
Kargapazar ridge
Was impassable -
yet just here
The Russian
columns marched.
Turkish X Corps
and Deve-Boyun
Ridge divisions
could not halt
Russian
determination - Erzurum
Was under north
and east threats.
Under each
Russian success,
Approaches to
Erzurum opened -
Ranked the second
best defended
Town of the
Ottoman Empire.
The Erzurum
fortifications formed
Two ringed arcs
to number eleven
Forts at its
centre - artillery made
From 235
strengthened elements.
11 February,
Russian shells rained
Down on the Erzurum
fortifications -
Ottoman's
outnumbered by Russian
Battalions in a desperate defence.
Russian against
Ottoman - onward
And backwards as
Turkish saw
Russians gain
heights of Erzurum
Plains - the
Turks started to retreat.
12 February Fort
Kara Gobek fell -
14 February Fort
Tafet was taken;
The city’s rings
were penetrated -
15 February saw
other forts fall.
When dawn lifted
16 February '16,
Russian Cossacks
rode into city
Of Erzurum - their
armies success
Soured any
Turkish Gallipoli victory.
News travelled on
the same day
Via Constantinople
and Amsterdam
To tell on
Wednesday 16 February,
Of Russian held
Erzurum fortress.
Optimism held
high, how Turks
Became depleted
of 3 army corps;
9th 10th and 11th - in allied belief
For entire loss of
a Caucasus army.
Achievements were
high, to see
In only five days
of Russian
Action - to storm
an seemingly
Impregnable
Erzurum fortress.
Gains would
likely include booty
Of Erzurum's
gunnery - possibly
1000 pieces of
varied calibre -
Both Turkish and
German types.
While success
celebrated by
The west, what
might be likely
Reactions of
Ottoman minister
Of war, Ismail
Enver Pasha?
Along with German
allies
They would be
bound to play
Down their
failures, to keep
Truth from public
and army.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. The
Russians at Erzerum - Enormous Booty - 1,000 Guns In The Fort - Enemy's Plight. The Daily
Telegraph, [online] 18 February
1916. P.9. Col.4. Available
at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12161940/Daily-Telegraph-February-18-1916.html
[Accessed: 18 February 2016].
Source: File:
Erzurum Offensive. Online. Available at:
<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erzurum_Offensive> [Accessed 18 January 2016]
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