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    Officer Rank Insignia used in the Turkish Army 1909 - 2012


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    Posted

    It has always been generally medals, but I thought learning the Officer Rank Insignia used in the Turkish Army starting from 1909 may be interesting to some of our friends. With the permission of the writer Teacher-Instructor Colonel Türker GEÇER, I edited his article which he published in the Military Journal. (Silahli; Kuvvetler Dergisi (Journal of the Turkish Armed Forces) Ocak (January) 2012, ANKARA,TURKEY, Sayi; (Issue No): 411, Pages 68-85)

    I will post this edited article in several threads because of the picture limitation) I also will post this to "files" in GMIC.

    Ottoman Army / Turkish Republic Army / English

    Musir / Maresal / Field Marshal

    - ----- / Orgeneral / General 4-star

    Birinci Ferik / Korgeneneral / Lieutenant General 3-star

    Ferik / Tümgeneral / Major General 2-star

    Mirliva / Tuggeneral / Brigadier General 1-star

    Miralay / Albay / Colonel

    Kaymakam / Yarbay / Lieutenant colonel

    Binbasi / Binbasi / Major

    Kolagasi / ---- / Senior Captain

    Yuzbasi / Yuzbasi / Captain

    Mulazimi Evvel / Ustegmen 2-star / First Lieutenant

    Mulazimi; Sâni / Tegmen 1-star / Lieutenant

    Zabit Vekili / Astegmen 1 stripe / Lieutenant NATO code OF-D

    Zabit Vekili / Military School Graduates for the first 6 months

    Zabit Namzedi ( The student of the Military school who has been sent to the front before the graduation)

    Nefer / Er / Private

    Officer Rank Insignia used in the Turkish Army

    1909 - 2012

    By : Instructor Col. Kadir Türker GEÇER

    Silahli; Kuvvetler Dergisi (Journal of the Turkish Armed Forces) Ocak (January) 2012,

    ANKARA,TURKEY

    Sayi (Issue No): 411

    Pages: 68-85

    Edited by: Demir Erman

    According to the Military Uniform Regulation 5 June 1325 (18 June 1909) only shoulder straps were going to be applied to the Miltary Uniforms. (Picture 15)

    Posted

    While the uniform system of 1909 has still been used by the Istanbul Government, the Army of the Government of Grand National Assembly in Ankara adopted a different rank insignia system and instead of shoulder straps, collar straps have been enforced starting from 1920. Pallelogram collar straps have been used by the ranks from Mirliva to Musir (Brigadier to Field Marshal) and equilateral triangle colar stripes have been used by the ranks Zabit Namzedi ( The student of the Military school who has been sent to the front before the graduation) upto Mirliva (Colonel). (Picture 16)

    Posted

    After the foundation of the Turkish Republic, with the Military Uniforms Decree of 10 May 1924 the rank insignia system have been reorganized. Although,in the 1924 Regulation the rank straps were still on the collars, they all were 5x7 cm parellelogram shape, but this time and stripes were added under the stars. They were placed on a broadcloth base which carries the color of the unit. (Picture 17)

    Posted

    With the Decree dated 23 May 1933, the shapes of the ranks have been kept but they were applied to the shoulder straps. Also another rank was established Orgeneral (General – now 4 star). Only Maresal insignia (Field Marshal) was kept on the collar. (Picture 18)

    Posted

    With the May 17, 1947 Army Uniform Decree, which came in to force on 28 October 1947, radical changes have been made and the stripes which have been used since 1933 been removed. (picture 19)

    Posted

    Minor changes have also been made in 1964 (Picture 21).

    1964 Uniform Code is still in use, but minor changes have been made in 2008 and sharper and smaller stars were used.

    Regards

    Demir

    Posted

    I've already loved this topic. Verry informative, hope it helps to Turkish collectors.

    I would love to add that there were some variations in the big stars that were used post 1947. The drawings are not enough to tell the difference, so I will add some pics below (sorry for the watermarks).

    The stars which were first introduced after 1947 were different (flatter) than the ones used between 1933-1947.

    1933-1947:

    img3881eb.jpg

    M1947

    m1947img7095.jpg

    After some time the stars were changed into the ones that look similar to the 1933-1947 type:

    img3887mc.jpg

    Here is an unusual use of the star which was used between 1920-1933, on a post 1947 epaulet.

    img3883r.jpg

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