Ahmet Hulki Saral
Encyclopedia
Ahmet Hulki Saral was a Turkish Army
general and a military historian.
He was born 1905 in Sofoular village (present day Kapnochori) of Kozana (present day Kozani
, Greece
). Before the Balkan Wars
, Kozana was a town in the Serfiçe Sanjak
of the Monastir Vilayet within the Ottoman Empire
. His father was Hodja Ismail Hakki Efendi, a military imam
at the 97th Regiment of the Ottoman Army.
Ahmet Hulki Saral graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1924 as an infantry officer. In 1933, he completed his education as a staff Second Lieutenant
and served in various military units as a staff officer. Between 1948-1950, he was chief of staff at the Dardanelles Fortified Area Command
. Then, he commanded the 42nd Infantry Regiment and later, promoted to the rank of a general, the 4th Infantry Division in Gallipoli
.
In 1957, he was tasked with the reorganization of the Military Museum
in Istanbul
and the renowned historical Ottoman military band
"Mehter". During the years 1958-1960, he served as the chief of the Turkish Military History Department at the Turkish General Staff. He retired in 1960.
He married to Hacer Cenan Saral from Fethiye
. The couple had two sons, İsmail Tosun Saral (1941) and Osman Yavuz Saral (1947–1982).
Ahmet Hulki Saral died 1982 in Ankara
.
Turkish Army
The Turkish Army or Turkish Land Forces is the main branch of the Turkish Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. The modern history of the army began with its formation after the collapse of the Ottoman Empire...
general and a military historian.
He was born 1905 in Sofoular village (present day Kapnochori) of Kozana (present day Kozani
Kozani
Kozani is a city in northern Greece, capital of Kozani regional unit and of West Macedonia region. It is located in the western part of Macedonia, in the northern part of the Aliakmonas river valley...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
). Before the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
, Kozana was a town in the Serfiçe Sanjak
Sanjak
Sanjaks were administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. Sanjak, and the variant spellings sandjak, sanjaq, and sinjaq, are English transliterations of the Turkish word sancak, meaning district, banner, or flag...
of the Monastir Vilayet within the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
. His father was Hodja Ismail Hakki Efendi, a military imam
Imam
An imam is an Islamic leadership position, often the worship leader of a mosque and the Muslim community. Similar to spiritual leaders, the imam is the one who leads Islamic worship services. More often, the community turns to the mosque imam if they have a religious question...
at the 97th Regiment of the Ottoman Army.
Ahmet Hulki Saral graduated from the Turkish Military Academy in 1924 as an infantry officer. In 1933, he completed his education as a staff Second Lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
and served in various military units as a staff officer. Between 1948-1950, he was chief of staff at the Dardanelles Fortified Area Command
Dardanelles Fortified Area Command
The Dardanelles Fortified Area Command or Mediterranean Strait Fortified Area Command or Çanakkale Fortified Area Command was the Ottoman fortified area...
. Then, he commanded the 42nd Infantry Regiment and later, promoted to the rank of a general, the 4th Infantry Division in Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
.
In 1957, he was tasked with the reorganization of the Military Museum
Istanbul Military Museum
Istanbul Military Museum is dedicated to one thousand years of Turkish military history. It is one of the leading museums of its kind in the world. The museum is open to the public everyday except Mondays and Tuesdays....
in Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and the renowned historical Ottoman military band
Ottoman military band
Ottoman military bands are thought to be the oldest variety of military marching band in the world. Though they are often known by the Persian-derived word mahtar in the West, that word, properly speaking, refers only to a single musician in the band...
"Mehter". During the years 1958-1960, he served as the chief of the Turkish Military History Department at the Turkish General Staff. He retired in 1960.
He married to Hacer Cenan Saral from Fethiye
Fethiye
Fethiye is a city and district of Muğla Province in the Aegean region of Turkey with about 68,000 inhabitants .-History:...
. The couple had two sons, İsmail Tosun Saral (1941) and Osman Yavuz Saral (1947–1982).
Ahmet Hulki Saral died 1982 in Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
.