An Important Source Not Known so far to Determine Casualties in the First World War: Recruiting Services and “Incoming Documents”

Abstract

An important problem related with the Ottoman State is the fact that the casualties during the First World War have not fully been determined yet. The numbers given for the casualties nearly in all fronts the Ottomans fought wars seem to be questionable. However, we think that more accurate data can be obtained as the related sources are assessed more carefully. There are substantial records about the activities both in and behind the fronts, logistic activities, and especially the situation of the personnel in “Sifra-i Mavrude Defterleri,” corresponding today’s incoming documents, kept by “Ahz-ı Asker Reyasatlari”, today’s local recruitment boards. In this resource, the historic value the Incoming Documents kept by Recruiting Main Stations has in determining logistic activities particularly the casualties regarding with martyrs, captives and missing soldiers is illustrated.