Balkan Wars - Eastern Army Order of Battle Sheet Ottoman Empire Military

Eastern Army Order of Battle Sheet Poster – Balkan Wars

Description:

This is an original Ottoman Turkish black-and-white sheet poster illustrating the organizational structure of the Eastern Army (Şark Ordusu), one of the Ottoman Empire’s principal field armies. The Eastern Army was formed during the mobilization phase of the First Balkan War and was deployed against Bulgarian forces on the Thracian front.

The sheet originates from the book titled 1328–1329 Balkan Harbi Trakya Seferi: 1. Cild; Harekat-ı Harbiyenin İbtidarına Kadar, published in 1340 (1924). The author is Mehmed Nihad, and it was printed in Istanbul by Matbaa-i Askeriye, the official Ottoman military printing house. As an official military publication, this sheet was intended for professional and instructional use rather than for the general public.

The poster presents the structure and status of the Eastern Army during the Balkan Wars period through three separate tables. These tables contain detailed and highly valuable military data, including the names of commanding pashas, the organization of military units, troop numbers, and the distribution and condition of regular (nizamiye) and reserve (redif) forces. Such information provides rare insight into Ottoman military planning, manpower, and command hierarchy at a critical moment in late Ottoman history.

With its large format and dense tabular data, this sheet is an exceptional primary source for researchers and collectors focused on Ottoman military organization and the Balkan Wars, offering a clear snapshot of the Eastern Army’s order of battle during wartime.

Key Features:

• Type: Ottoman military sheet poster

• Subject: Eastern Army (Şark Ordusu) organization and order of battle

• Historical Context: First Balkan War period

• Publication Date: 1340 (1924)

• Source Book: 1328–1329 Balkan Harbi Trakya Seferi, Volume I

• Author: Mehmed Nihad

• Publisher: Matbaa-i Askeriye, Istanbul

• Language: Ottoman Turkish (Arabic script)

• Color: Black and white

• Format: Single large sheet with tabular military data

• Content Details:
– Names of commanding pashas
– Military units and sub-units
– Troop numbers and force strength
– Status of regular (nizamiye) and reserve (redif) troops
– Organizational structure of the Eastern Army

• Tables: Three separate detailed tables on one sheet

• Dimensions: 82 × 57 cm

• Collecting Value: Significant primary source for Balkan Wars and Ottoman military history collections

• Condition: Please review images for overall condition and age-related wear, small wears