15th Division from Dagestan to Batumi began in early
October 1918, but, based on the exigencies of the
battlefield, IAC Commander Nuri Paşa and NCC chief
Yusur İzzet Paşa decided to keep the 15th Division in
Dagestan for an assault on Petrovsk.
At the same time, the IAC Commanders conferred with
the leaders of the nascent Northern Caucasus Government,
which issued an ultimatum to Bicherekhov to vacate the
area. The IAC captured Petrovsk on 7 November, a week
after the Great War had officially ended.//
Based on the telegram of 4/5 October from the Eastern Armies Group
Command, which included some of what was presented above, it was
essential that the 15th Division’s transport to Batumi begin immediately.
In this regard, the Islam Army ordered the Division’s movement to
Batumi on 6 October, in accordance with the following sequence:
(all departures from Bilecari, near Baku)
2nd and 3rd heavy provision wings and 52nd mobile hospital;
1st heavy provisions wing, bakers wing, Ye15’s ‘kudretli’ battery,
health company;
Ye38 ‘kudretli’ mountain battery.
Ye56 from Yalama (the 3rd Battalion at Ganja was to be transported
via the regiment’s train.) The troops proceeding from Bilecari would
be disembarked at Yalama and transported following the assembly of
the Derbent Detachment in the north of Derbent.
The Derbent Detachment was comprised of a battalion from Ye107, 2K
cavalry and two Krupp guns. The remaining elements of the Krupp
battalion would be removed from Derbent and given over to the
command of the 5th Division.
It was understood that enemy attacks on the 15th Division’s position
north of Derbent could not be repulsed by a weak detachment.
Consequently, it was decided that the detachment would be made up
of the entire 107th Regiment, a battalion from the 13th Regiment
(for a total of 4 battalions), 42K cavalry and the entire Krupp
mountain artillery battalion.
Three provisions wings of the Division, the health company, the
mobile hospital and one ‘kudretli’ battery were sent to
Batumi from Bilecari and a portion from Yalama by 12 October ,
while Ye56 T3 went by means of seven trains to Batumi from
Ganja on 17 October. After the position north of Derbent was
taken over by the Derbent Detachment, the remaining troops of
the 15th Division were moved out from Yalama.
With the arrival of Ye107 on the morning of 12 October and the
arrival of Ye13’s T46 on the morning of 13 October, the 38th and
56th Regiments were completely replaced and command of the
front was turned over to the Ye107 Commander.
Following the seizure of Derbent, Northern Caucasus Commander
Yusuf İzzet Paşa and President Mecid Chermeyuf came to Derbent.
Islam Army Commander Nuri Paşa departed from Baku on the
evening of 11 October to come to Derbent for discussions with
İzzet Paşa about impending operations. At 10 o’clock on the
morning of 13 October, a ceremony was held in front of the
Derbent municipal building to mark the establishment of the North
Caucasus Government, amid the sound of cannon fire on the front,
and the new government’s flag began to wave over the city.
In the discussions between Yusuf İzzet Paşa, Nuri Paşa and Mecid
Chermeyuf, it was decided that the location of the front just 3-4
kilometers from Derbent constituted a great danger for the North
Caucasus Government and, consequently, if the enemy force could
not be defeated it must at least be dragged further north. But since
it was thought that the Derbent Detachment could not accomplish
this duty alone, before moving out to Batumi the 15th Division
would combine with the Derbent Detachment for an attack on the
enemy . Also included in the leaders’ discussion, was the element
of Bicherekhov being given an ultimatum by the President to vacate
land belonging to the North Caucasus Government, prior to the
attack. Before leaving Derbent, Nuri Paşa wrote the following
memorandum to Yusuf İzzet Paşa and then left the same day to
return to Baku:
To the Northern Caucasus Command
Derbent
13 October 1918
1. The 15th Division is given over to your command until its
departure from here.
2. I request that with regard to the Division’s transport to Batumi,
since there will likely be another order coming about a speedy
transport, the envisioned movement occur as early as possible and
that the remaining troops of the Division be ready to move.
IAC Commander Nuri Paşa
Caucasus Islam Army Commander
Ferik (Division General)
Nuri
Based on this memorandum, Yusuf İzzet Paşa verbally ordered the
15th Division’s Commander to shelve the Division’s transport to
Batumi, assume command of the Derbent Detachment and continue
the attack operation against Petrovsk.
During the operation from Derbent to Petrovsk, Yusuf İzzet Paşa was
asked 3 times – on 17, 25 and 28 October - by the Eastern Armies
Group when the Islam Army’s 15th Division would begin it urgent
transport to Batumi, as previously ordered. Although it is not known
when the 17 and 25 October telegrams reached Yusuf İzzet Paşa, it is
more than likely that these telegrams were late in reaching him because
the Division and the Army Command were continually on the move
at the time. Only the telegram of 28 October was replied to – on 1
November from Demirhan Şura: “I sent an enciphered message to the
General Staff on 26 October about certain important matters related to
the 15th Division and Ye107. A proposal was also included with
regard to the enemy forces crammed into Petrovsk. While waiting
for replies, it is currently impossible to spare even one man from the
Northern Caucasus forces but I hope that in a week units in question
will be free to leave.”
Under the conditions and situation described below, the 15th Division
reached Petrovsk with furious speed to continue the attack, following
the seizure of Derbent, and on 7 November the city of Petrovsk was
taken.
The battles and operations conducted between Derbent and Petrovsk
are presented in detail below.
Derbent and Makhachkala (Petrovsk), at right on the Caspian
Sea coast.
//End Part VI//
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