The Yildirim Army Group or Thunderbolt Army Group of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: Yıldırım Ordular Grubu) or Army Group F (German: Heeresgruppe F) was one of the army groups of the Ottoman Army. It was formed during World War I.
The army group included troops who used the latest Western-Front infiltration tactics; were equipped with close-combat gear, such as Stahlhelms and stick-grenades; and were supported by artillery and machine guns.
In August 1917, the army group was structured as follows:
Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Erich von Falkenhayn)
Seventh Army, Syria (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)
III Corps
24th Division
50th Division
XV Corps
19th Division
20th Division
German Asia Corps
Sixth Army, Mesopotamia (Mirliva Halil Kut)
XIII Corps
2nd Division
6th Division
XVIII Corps
14th Division
51st Division
52nd Division
46th Division
with the
42nd Division
48th Division
59th DivisionXX Corps at Huj
16th Division
54th Division
178th Infantry Regiment
3rd Cavalry Division
XXII Corps at Gaza
3rd Division
7th Division
53rd Division
In January 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Erich von Falkenhayn)
Seventh Army (Mirliva Fevzi Çakmak)
III Corps
1st Division, 19th Division, 24th Division
XV Corps
26th Division, 53rd Division
3rd Cavalry Division
German Asia Corps
Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)
XXII Corps
3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division
16th Division, 54th Division, 2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division
In June 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Otto Liman von Sanders)
Seventh Army (Mirliva Fevzi Çakmak)
III Corps
1st Division, 24th Division, 3rd Cavalry Division
XV Corps
26th Division, 53rd Division, 19th Division
German Asia Corps
Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)
XXII Corps
3rd Division, 7th Division, 20th Division
16th Division
54th Division
2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division
In September 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
Yildirim Army Group (Müşir Otto Liman von Sanders)
Fourth Army (Mirliva Cemal Mersinli)
II Corps (Miralay Galatalı Şevket Bey)
62nd Division, Provisional Division x 3
Jordan Group
24th Division, 3rd Cavalry Division
VIII Corps (Miralay Yasin Hilmi Bey)
48th Division, Umman Provisional Division
Seventh Army (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)
III Corps (Miralay İsmet İnönü)
1st Division, 11th Division
XV Corps (Miralay Ali Fuat Cebesoy)
26th Division, 53rd Division
Eighth Army (Ferik Cevat Çobanlı)
XXII Corps (Miralay Refet Bele)
7th Division, 20th Division
Left Wing Corps (Oberst Gustav von Oppen)
16th Division, 19th Division
German Asia Corps
2nd Caucasian Cavalry Division
In November 1918, the army group was structured as follows:
Yildirim Army Group (Mirliva Mustafa Kemal Atatürk)
Second Army (Mirliva Nihat Anılmış)
XII Corps
23rd Division
XV Corps
41st Division, 44th Division
Seventh Army (Mirliva Ali Fuat Cebesoy, deputy)
III Corps
11th Division, 24th Division
XX Corps
1st Division, 43rd Division
In April 1919, Şevket Turgut Pasha, Cevat Çobanlı and Fevzi Çakmak hold a secret meeting in Constantinople. They prepared a report called "Trio Oath" (Üçler Misâkı) and decided to establish army inspectorate for the defense of homeland. In late April, Fevzi Çakmak submitted this report to the Minister of War Şakir Pasha. On April 30, 1919, the War Ministry and Sultan Mehmed VI ratified the decision about the establishing of army inspectorates that had been accepted by the Chief of General Staff And then the First Army Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Constantinople, Fevzi Çakmak), the Yildirim Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Konya, Cemal Mersinli, later Second Army Inspectorate) Inspectorate, the Ninth Army Troops Inspectorate (stationed in Erzurum, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, later Third Army Inspectorate) was formed. Additionally, the Rumeli Military Troops Inspectorate (Nureddin Pasha) would be established and the XIII Corps would be under the direction of the Ministry of War. In May 1919, the army inspectorate was structured as follows:
Yildirim Troops Inspectorate (Yıldırım Kıt'aatı Müfettişliği, Konya, Inspector: Ferik Cemal Mersinli)
XII Corps (Niğde, Miralay Selâhaddin Bey)
11th Division
41st Division
7th Cavalry Regiment
20th Cavalry Regiment
XX Corps (Ankara, Mirliva Ali Fuat Cebesoy)
23rd Division
24th Division
XVII Corps (Smyrna, Mirliva Ali Nadir Pasha, transferred from the First Army Troops Inspectorate after the Occupation of Smyrna)
56th Division
57th Division
