The VI Corps of the Ottoman Empire (Turkish: 6. Kolordu or Altıncı Kolordu) was one of the corps of the Ottoman Army. It was formed in the early 20th century during Ottoman military reforms. It is most notable for its participation in the offensive phase of the 1916 Romanian Campaign of World War I, where it was involved in heavy action all throughout the five months, inflicting heavy casualties on the Russo-Romanians and breaking through the Allied lines in several key areas.Erickson 2001, p. 140-145 Additionally the VI Corps took 8,512 prisoners in Romania, including 6,512 Russians and 2,000 Romanians.Arslan, Nebahat Oran: Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nda Türkiye’de Rus Savaş Esirleri [Russian Prisoners of War in Turkey During World War One], Istanbul 2008, pp. 112–113.
Formation
Order of Battle, 1911 With further reorganizations of the Ottoman Army, to include the creation of corps level headquarters, by 1911 the VI Corps was headquartered in Salonika. The Corps before the First Balkan War in 1911 was structured as such:Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, pp. 376-377.
VI Corps, Monastir 16th Infantry Division, İştip 46th Infantry Regiment, İştip 47th Infantry Regiment, Koçana 48th Infantry Regiment, Köprülü 16th Rifle Battalion, İştip 16th Field Artillery Regiment, İştip 16th Division Band, İştip 17th Infantry Division, Monastir 49th Infantry Regiment, Monastir 50th Infantry Regiment, Monastir 51st Infantry Regiment, Monastir 17th Rifle Battalion, Resne 17th Field Artillery Regiment, Monastir 17th Division Band, Monastir 18th Infantry Division, Debre 52nd Infantry Regiment, Debre 53rd Infantry Regiment, Kırçova 54th Infantry Regiment, Elbasan 18th Rifle Battalion, Debre 18th Field Artillery Regiment, Monastir 18th Division Band, Debre Units of VI Corps 6th Rifle Regiment, Monastir 7th Cavalry Brigade, Monastir 6th Cavalry Regiment, Monastir 16th Cavalry Regiment, İştip 13th Horse Artillery Regiment, Pirlepe 3rd Horse Artillery Battalion, Monastir 2nd Mountain Artillery Battalion, Monastir 8th Mountain Artillery Battalion, Monastir 9th Mountain Artillery Battalion, Elbasan 5th Field Howitzer Battalion, Monastir 6th Engineer Battalion, Köprülü 6th Telegraph Battalion, Monastir 6th Transport Battalion, Monastir Border companies x 2
Balkan Wars
Order of Battle, October 19, 1912 On October 19, 1912, the corps was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, Defeat in Detail, The Ottoman Army in the Balkans, 1912–1913, Westport, Praeger, 2003, p. 170.
VI Corps (Serbian Front, under the command of the Vardar Army of the Western Army) 17th Division, 18th Division, 16th Division Manastir Redif Division, Drama Redif Division
Order of Battle, July 1913 VI Corps (Anatolia) 16th Division
World War I
Order of Battle, August 1914, November 1914 In August 1914, November 1914, the corps was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 38, 43.
VI Corps (Thrace) 16th Division, 26th Division
Order of Battle, Late April 1915, Late Summer 1915, January 1916 In Late April 1915, Late Summer 1915, January 1916, the corps was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 86, 109, 126.
VI Corps (Thrace) 16th Division, 24th Division, 26th Division
Order of Battle, August 1916 In August 1916, the corps was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 134.
VI Corps (Romania) 15th Division, 25th Division
Order of Battle, December 1916, August 1917 In December 1916, August 1917, the corps was structured as follows:Edward J. Erickson, Order to Die: A History of the Ottoman Army in the First World War, Greenwood Press, 2001, , p. 154, 170.
VI Corps (Romania) 15th Division, 25th Division, 26th Division
Order of Battle, June 1918 VI Corps (Caucasus) 3rd Division, 36th Infantry Division
Sources
See also Romania during World War I First Battle of Cobadin Second Battle of Cobadin