Fahrettin Altay

Fahrettin Altay 1315-P. 1[1]
Born	20 January 1880 İşkodra, Scutari Vilayet, Ottoman Empire
Died	25 October 1974 (aged 94) Istanbul, Turkey
Buried at	Turkish State Cemetery
Allegiance	Ottoman Empire (1902–1920)  Turkey (1920–1945)
Service/branch	Ottoman Army  Turkish Army
Years of service	1902–1945
Rank	Orgeneral
Commands held	Chief of Staff of the III Corps, Deputy undersecretary of the Ministry of War, 6th Division, 26th Division, XV Corps (deputy), 26th Division, XII Corps, III Corps XII Corps, V Cavalry Group, V Cavalry Corps, First Army (deputy), V Corps, Second Army, First Army, member of the Supreme Military Council
Battles/wars	Balkan Wars World War I Turkish War of Independence
Other work	Member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) from Mersin

Fahrettin Altay (12 January 1880 – 25 October 1974) was an Ottoman military officer and Turkish general.

He was born to Ismail Bey and Hayriye Hanım in İşkodra (present day: Shkodër) in Scutari Vilayet.

He was known as the commander of V Cavalry Corps that participated in various battles of the Turkish War of Independence. His most valued and priced action was the role of V Cavalry Corps during the famous Battle of Dumlupınar, where the V Cavalry Corps passed behind the Greek lines in the beginning of the battle. His cavalry cut Greek supply and communication. They raised havoc among the retreating Greek Corps and also captured General Nikolaos Trikoupis, CO of Greek forces in Anatolia. In Great Smyrna Offensive, V Cavalry Corps was one of the vanguards of the Turkish Army.

According to Altay Spor Tarihi ("The History of Altay Sports Club"), in 1966 when Fahrettin Altay visited the Altay Sports Club at Izmir, he explained to Erdoğan Tözge how his surname was given. According to Erdoğan Tözge, he presented a gold fountain pen to Fahrettin Altay, and asked him how he chose Altay as his surname. Fahrettin Altay replied, When we visited Izmir with Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha during the years of armistice, the Altay club played football against a mixed team consisted of Royal Navy personnel. We watched the game together. Altay club played very nice and when they won against the British, Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha was affected, honored and expressed his appreciation. After a long time had passed and Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha sent me to Tabriz to settle border dispute with Iran. During my staying at Tabriz, the Surname Law was adopted in the Grand National Assembly, and the Assembly gave the name Atatürk to Gazi Mustafa Kemal Pasha unanimously. All country congratulated him because of his new surname. I also sent a telegraph and celebrated.^[2] Atatürk's response that he received the next day, was:^[3]

Dear Fahrettin Altay Pasha, I also congratulate you and wish you honorable and glorious days as Altay.

— Turkish original, Sayın Fahrettin Altay Paşa, Ben de seni tebrik eder Altay gibi şanlı şerefli günler dilerim.

Afterwards, Fahrettin said, "My eyes were full when I received the telegram. Atatürk deemed me worthy of surname Altay for the memory of the football match of Altay that we had watched together and he had been affected."^[2]

The main battle tank Altay is named in honor of him.^[4]

See also

• List of high-ranking commanders of the Turkish War of Independence
• List of Commanders of the First Army of Turkey
• Altay S.K.
• Altay (tank)

Sources

1. T.C. Genelkurmay Harp Tarihi Başkanlığı Yayınları, Türk İstiklâl Harbine Katılan Tümen ve Daha Üst Kademlerdeki Komutanların Biyografileri, Genkurmay Başkanlığı Basımevi, Ankara, 1972, p. 102. (Turkish)
2. Ç. Esen Kaftan, Aydın Sevgel, Günay Şimşek, Mehmet Ali Hesertürk, Altay Spor Tarihi, Altay Spor Kulübü, c. 1975. (Turkish)
3. Atatürk'ün Bütün Eserleri, Cilt 27, Kaynak Yayınları, 1998, ISBN 978-975-343-235-1, p. 81.
4. Tolga Anıker, "Milli tank 'altay' için yola çıkıldı", Radikal, 30 July 2008. (Turkish)