Eskişehir clashes

Eskişehir clashes
Part of the Anglo-Turkish War
Date 17 March-20 March 1920 Location Eskişehir Result Turkish victory British troops abandon Eskişehir
Belligerents
Ankara Government	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Ali Fuat Pasha	unknown
Units involved
143rd regiment of Turkey
Strength
1 Regiment	520 British forces who came from Kütahya
Casualties and losses
unknown	5 dead and 6 wounded Unknown PoW

Background

The Armistice of Mudros, which signed on 30 October 1918, included the decision that the Allied Powers could occupy important points within the borders of the Ottoman Empire for security reasons. British forces landed in Istanbul on November 13, 1918, and began to occupy places they considered important on the Istanbul - Baghdad railway line. At the end of January 1919, Eskişehir also occupied by British forces, and a British contingent of 520 soldier established its headquarters around Eskişehir train Station.

The Occupation of İzmir received a great reaction in Eskişehir, and Eskişehir residents protested the occupation of İzmir with a rally they held in Odunpazarı on 17 May 1919. Before the demonstrations, the declaration prepared by the organizing committee of the demonstrations was read to the public, and after the demonstrations, the decisions taken were notified by telegram to the Grand Vizierate and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Internal Affairs. After the demonstrations, shops were closed for 24 hours as a sign of mourning, and many protest telegrams were sent. After the rally, shops were closed for 24 hours as a sign of mourning, and many protest telegrams were sent.

Leon Rouillon describes this protest in his work, Pour La Turquie, as follows:

There are weapons everywhere, and soon there will inevitably be an uprising. We observe that the people are armed and that the policy of the allies is meaningless or one-sided for the Turks. The Greeks' landing in Izmir, in clear violation of the armistice, was supported by the allies. After all, they did unbearable, disgusting things there. Violent demonstrations took place throughout the day in Eskişehir. Stores were closed. Volunteer units were formed...

After this protest, the resistance against the occupation became more organized and stronger.

Following the resignation of Damat Ferit Pasha's government on October 1, 1919, a new government was established and Ali Rıza Bey became the head of the government. Meanwhile, Çolakoğlu Sabri Bey, supported the Turkish National Movement, was appointed as the governor of Eskişehir, instead of Hilmi Bey, who was against the Turkish National Movement. Mutasarrıf Hilmi was assassined as a result of an attack on his way home for lunch on October 4, 1919.

During these events, British soldiers was getting ready to raid the Kuva-yi Milliye bases.

Ali Fuat Pasha moved from Ankara to Sivrihisar on September 13, 1919, and on September 20, he published a declaration as the Commander of the Western Anatolian Forces and asked the local administrators in Eskişehir not to listen to the orders of the Istanbul Government. Meanwhile, he made a call to the British forces and asked them not to be a party to this operation launched against the Istanbul Government. At that time, there was a British occupation force in Kütahya. A detachment under the command of İsmail Hakkı Bey went to Kütahya and enabled the British forces to retreat towards Eskişehir. After the British forces in Kütahya withdrew to Eskişehir, Turkish troops destroyed the Alayunt bridge on the Eskişehir - Kütahya Railway and prevented the British from coming to Kütahya again. This disturbed the supporters of the Freedom and Entente Government in Eskişehir, and Mutasarrıf Hilmi Bey asked for help from the British, but the British did not support Mutasarrıf Hilmi, stating that these conflicts were an internal problem of the Ottoman Empire.

Battle

Upon the instructions from Mustafa Kemal Pasha while the Sivas Congress was in session after the British cooperated with the Armenians, oppressed the people, and arrested Turkish officers, the 20th Corps Commander in Ankara, Ali Fuad Pasha, started the Eskişehir operation.

One way to secure Ankara and the works in Ankara was to recapture the railway that was under British occupation and control, Ali Fuat Pasha 17 March In 1920, he set out with the 143rd Regiment and recaptured the railway between Ankara and Eskişehir and ensured its control. British soldiers and officers who resisted were also arrested. On March 20, 1920, Mahmut Bey, the deputy commander of the 20th Corps, who was commanding the National Regiment, issued a warning to the occupation forces in Eskişehir and asked them to leave Eskişehir within an hour. On the same day, the British forces, whose requests for an extension were rejected, left Eskişehir, leaving behind a large amount of equipment and ammunition. Although the British forces suffered a small number of dead and wounded, they lost a large number of weapons and equipment.

Sources

• Meydan, Sinan (2020). "Türk-İngiliz Savaşı". sozcu.com.