Abstract
The Tribal Cavalry Regiments, who were assigned to cover the Ottoman-Russian border and provide border security during World War I, joined battles as part of the Turkish Third Army. They provided important services during the war, such as gaining time for the Ottoman army by distracting the Russian forces, conducting reconnaissance and surveillance activities against enemy forces, and harassing the enemy by mounting sporadic raids and attacks.
In addition to these important contributions of the Tribal Cavalry Regiments to the army, these regiments that lacked all kinds of military equipment, especially in term of weapons and ammunition could not mount great resistance against the enemy equipped with heavy weapons and disbanded in a short time. These soldiers disbanded behind the front took part in activities such as extortion, robbery and banditry in the rural areas that disturbed the public order. This situation created a serious internal security weakness in the region.
This study discusses the activities of the Tribal Cavalry Regiments at and behind the fronts. Their duties at the fronts, their contributions to the army (and to what extent they were successful), and the reasons behind their successes and failures are examined. Activities of those regiments regarding the country’s internal security are also addressed.
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