- from ‘the War Illustrated Deluxe’ vol. V page 1586
- 'Russia's Hammer Stroke at Erzerum'
The Great Episodes of the War
an illustration of Russian troops attacking one of the forts at Erzereum - by Frederic d'Haenen
Since January, 1915, when the Russians shattered the whole of the Ninth and Eleventh Turkish Army Corps at Sarykamish, so little was heard from this remote, almost mysterious, area of the world-war that it had practically lapsed from public memory. Both belligerents were undoubtedly at a standstill for nearly a year, until the moment when the Grand Duke Nicholas became Viceroy of the Caucasus, and took over the supreme command of the Russian armies combating the Turks. Aided by General Januskevitch, his Chief of Staff, he evolved a brilliant plan of campaign, which was carried out to the letter by General Judenich, culminating, with dramatic suddenness, in the fall of Erzerum, the old-world capital of Turkish Asia Minor.
The Grand Duke's Plans
Erzerum, like every other fortress involved in the Great War, was considered impregnable, and certainly if any place was naturally strongly situated it was this ancient city of Armenia. It is regarded as the key to Eastern Asia Minor, and as such the Germans in 1910 improved its fortifications on behalf of the Turks.
Erzerum lies in a hollow of an elevated plateau fringed with snow-covered peaks. The nearest important coast town to Erzerum is Trebizond, on the Black Sea, about two hundred miles away by the main road. The possession of this fortress city, therefore, practically cuts the Turks off from communication, Trebizond being one of the principal ports of Asia Minor, on the shore of the inland sea.
The Grand Duke divided his legions into three separate columns, operating independently towards the stronghold, the northern flank, via Olty, across a plateau of ice and snow, where the cold was fifty degrees below zero, the eastern flank taking the direct and obvious route to the fortress of Erzerum, via Kars and Sarykamish, and the south-eastern wing working its way up via Melasghert and Khnyss Kale. Thus the fortress was all but enveloped. But the Grand Duke realised that, under such climatic conditions, a length}- siege six thousand feet above the sea-level in midwinter would be suicidal to any army. Even the iron-constituted Caucasians and Siberians could not endure the frightful cold for any great time, and he therefore resolved upon a lightning offensive, with the object of shattering the Turkish armies piecemeal.
Lightning Execution
With wonderful dash, which recalls the strategy of Napoleon's early triumphs, the south-eastern column fell upon the Ottomans, already half-demoralised by the cold and the supreme confidence of their adversaries, driving them out of Melasghert to Mush. This onslaught, violent and successful as it turned out to be, was in reality only a feint, the principal staggering and altogether unexpected attacks coming from the north across the Dumlu Dagh ridges, intersecting the plateau of eternal snow, while the other advance was made along the Kars road, leading dead on to the most formidable defences of the city facing east.
Enver Pasha, capable leader and accomplished assassin though he has proved himself so far to be, was completely deceived. Knowing the country north of Erzerum, the endless miles of untrodden snow, the Arctic cold, the rugged ridges rising high above the elevated plateau, the lack of roads for transport, he counted that way impassable. Surely the Caucasians would never attempt to descend on Erzerum across this fearsome white plain of desolation which was, moreover, commanded by a chain of forts.
Avalanche and Blizzard
To the east of Erzerum, Hasankala and Koprikeui had been already captured by the Russians, facilitating the direct attack on the Deve Boyun forts, and on February 14th, 1915. after heavy bombardment, the first of these strongholds fell into our ally's hands.
Meanwhile, with a physical endurance which would have done credit to the Eskimos, the Siberian and Turkestan regiments, in their picturesque Astrakhan headgear and long flowing redingotes, so reminiscent of the equipment worn in the Spanish Peninsular War, advanced slowly over the Dumlu Dagh ridges, an avalanche of men swallowed up in an incessant blizzard. During this amazing march the whole army was lost sight of for some time, and, fearing unprecedented disaster, the commander rapidly sent reinforcements up from Olty.
By no means disheartened by their terrible ordeal, these regiments eventually loomed up before the northern forts of Erzerum, black spectres in a winding-sheet of driven snow. It was but a question of getting the heavy guns into position against the Turkish defences protecting the Dumlu Dagh stretches. How this herculean task was accomplished will make one of the finest stories in military history. From that moment the Turkish Armenian stronghold was doomed. Once having silenced the forts on the north side of the city, the more formidable Deve Boyun strongholds could be shelled from behind. These were already being bombarded by frontal attack along the Kars road.
So impetuous were the hardy Siberians that, instead of waiting for the various forts to be completely reduced, they charged down in a tempest of steel, and completed the work of the artillery in a very determined and sanguinary fashion.
Like a Pack of Cards
The conflict from the moment of the attack on Melasghert lasted only five days. It was estimated that there were 100,000 men, with 467 guns, some of them of old calibre, in the advanced forts, 374 guns in the central forts, and about 200 field guns. One by one the strongholds fell before the Russian bombardment and bayonets, till the last day of the onslaught, February 16th, when no fewer than seven hitherto considered impregnable positions capitulated.
The exact number of guns and prisoners captured in the debacle may be calculated in thousands. Suffice it that this master-stroke of the Grand Duke Nicholas was the greatest blow inflicted on the Osman dynasty since the war began. Even the fall of Bagdad, city of the Caliphs, could not have had a more disconcerting effect on the Turks than this signal triumph.
The outstanding feature of the whole affair was the speed with which the plans of the General Staff were put into execution. Even under the very best climatic conditions the Russians could not have shown more enthusiasm and power in attack. One corps alone is said to have captured something like 250 guns; and before a week was completed the Russian left column had forced its way down as far as Mush and Akhlat, carrying both places by assault, the former town being 75 miles south of Erzerum. Undoubtedly great credit for the success of the operation devolves upon General Judenich, Chief, under the Grand Duke, of the Caucasian Army.
The vigorous offensive of the Grand Duke, following up his success as far as the shore of Lake Van, diverted Turkish forces from Mesopotamia, thereby relieving pressure on the British armies there, and disorganised other Teuton-Turkish nlnns in the Fast.
