Reserve Officers' Mutual Aid Society

Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid, established at the end of 1918 in Istanbul, emerged in response to the economic and social hardships faced by reserve officers discharged after the Armistice of Mudros. The society aimed to defend its members’ legal rights, publicize their educational and employment demands, and generate public opinion through organized solidarity.

The Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid was initiated by reserve officers who returned to Istanbul after being discharged from the army in accordance with the Armistice of Mudros following the First World War. The majority of these young men were students at Darülfünun and found themselves confronting severe economic, social, and professional challenges after the occupation of Istanbul. Initially seeking to make their voices heard, the group launched a periodical titled İhtiyat Zabitleri Postası on 30 December 1918. Soon after, they felt the need to establish an organized structure and formally founded the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid in November 1918, with official registration occurring on 11 January 1919.

The primary objective of the society’s founding was to defend the legal rights of second-class reserve officers discharged after the war, ensure the continuation of their education, demand their employment in public service, and secure their future. This purpose was explicitly stated in Article 2 of the society’s bylaws as “the protection of the legal status and material and moral advancement of all second-class reserve officers and the guaranteeing of their futures.” To achieve these goals, the society organized various meetings, presented its demands to the government, and sought solutions for reserve officers left unemployed in Istanbul.

Shortly after its founding, the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid adopted a formal institutional structure and drafted a bylaw to define its internal operations. The society’s governance consisted of three main bodies: the Executive Committee, the General Assembly, and the Disciplinary Committee. The Executive Committee, responsible for daily affairs, comprised a president and four members, one of whom served as secretary, another as representative, and a third as accountant.

The accountant was also tasked with managing relations with the government and external affairs. The General Assembly functioned as the society’s general meeting and convened every three months to make decisions. The Disciplinary Committee was responsible for internal security and order. This structure ensured both effective management of the society and regular communication among its members.

Membership was divided into two categories: regular members and honorary members. Regular members consisted exclusively of second-class reserve officers. Honorary membership was granted to individuals offering symbolic support; in this capacity, Prince Abdurrahim Efendi accepted the position of honorary president.

In the early months of its founding, over 400 individuals registered as members. Over time, changes occurred in the society’s leadership, with new names appointed to the presidency and executive committee. Additionally, Cemil Reşit Bey, a member of the Disciplinary Committee, became the owner and editor of the society’s official publication, İhtiyat Zabitleri Postası.

Even before its formal establishment, the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid began demonstrating its presence through various activities initiated by reserve officers returning to Istanbul. Faced with social and economic hardships after their discharge, these young men were driven to organize collectively. Their first step was the publication of the newspaper İhtiyat Zabitleri Postası on 30 December 1918, which became a vital instrument for internal communication and for publicizing their demands to public opinion.

The society’s first meetings were held immediately after its practical founding in November 1918. At these gatherings, members brought attention to the hardships they endured after the war. Among the society’s prominent demands were:

1. The state’s employment of its members in public service,

2. The right of those whose education had been interrupted to continue their studies,

3. Direct appointment of those qualified to serve as teachers,

4. The utilization of young men who had served in the military in various public services (in sectors such as land, mining, transportation, and logistics).

These demands were consolidated into a nine-point statement and incorporated into the society’s bylaws. Additionally, a proposal was raised to erect a monument in memory of reserve officers who lost their lives in the war, with members collecting funds to create a tangible memorial.

The society utilized the press both as a tool for organization and for advocacy. Through articles published in prominent publications such as Türk Genci, Hadisat, Tasvir-i Efkar, and Alemdar, it succeeded in capturing public attention. These publications emphasized the patriotism and sacrifices of reserve officers during the war while simultaneously justifying their demands to the state.

The most significant institutional support for the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid during its founding came from Türk Ocağı. The society’s initial meetings were held at Türk Ocağı’s headquarters in Beyazıt, where material and moral support was provided to the officers. This close relationship strengthened the society’s nationalist identity and drew public attention. However, this association was interpreted differently by political circles; the society began to be viewed as an oppositional force to the ruling authorities of the time.

Among the society’s members were many young men who actively supported the emerging national resistance following the occupation of Istanbul. These members sought to transform the society from a mere relief organization into a representative of a national stance. This posture quickly attracted the attention of the Istanbul Government, and official authorities began monitoring its activities.

The Ministry of War considered it problematic for reserve officers who had not yet formally severed their military ties to engage in political activities under the society’s umbrella. It reminded officers that participation in political societies and meetings could result in imprisonment under the Military Penal Code. Meanwhile, Esat Bey, the Istanbul Police Chief, summoned certain society members and demanded they surrender their firearms. Nahit Bey, one of the members, declared that such a demand was unacceptable under the prevailing insecure conditions. Esat Bey’s reply — “I am speaking on behalf of the government” — clearly indicated an attempt to exert indirect pressure on the society.

The society’s association with Türk Ocağı was viewed with suspicion by political parties of the era, particularly the Freedom and Accord Party. Accusations surfaced that the society was aligned with the Committee of Union and Progress. Through certain newspapers, smear campaigns were launched against it in public opinion. According to İsmail Hakkı Sunata, a contemporary witness, in his memoirs, the society’s use of Türk Ocağı as its center was met with hostility by the ruling party, leading to increased pressure.

Going beyond its founding purpose, the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid actively participated in national resistance against the occupations of Istanbul and Anatolia. The Greek occupation of İzmir on 15 May 1919 marked a turning point for the society’s members, who immediately assumed leading roles in the protests that followed.

On 17 May 1919, society members participated in a student meeting at Darülfünun, during which some members proposed expelling students of Greek origin from the hall — a move that sparked intense debate. Following the meeting, reserve officers and students resolved to boycott classes in protest against the occupation of İzmir.

At a second meeting held on 18 May in the Conference Hall of Darülfünun, after speeches by figures such as Dr. Besim Ömer (Akalın) and Akil Muhtar (Özden), it was decided to send a telegram of protest to the Allied Powers. A representative speaking on behalf of the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid declared: “The military personnel who remain undismayed in the face of officers left destitute, crippled, blind, and lame are ready to die for their homeland.”^【1】

The Fatih Meeting on 19 May 1919 clearly demonstrated the society’s influence in organizing mass resistance. Society members participated in the preparation of the meeting, distributed flyers to mobilize the public, and collaborated with Türk Ocağı to organize the event. On the day of the meeting, the society’s direction played a decisive role in gathering the crowd at Saraçhane.

From its inception, the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid functioned not merely as a mutual aid organization but as a nationalist movement opposing the occupation of Istanbul. Following its active participation in protests after the occupation of İzmir and the demonstrations in Istanbul, many of its members began to provide direct support to the emerging National Struggle in Anatolia.

Increasing pressure in Istanbul during the premiership of Damat Ferit Paşa and the Allied Powers’ surveillance of the society pushed its members to take more concrete steps. During this period, members began using clandestine channels to travel to Anatolia and dispersed to various regions. These movements attracted the attention of the government and were placed under surveillance by the Ministry of Interior.

Although the society as an institution was not formally relocated to Anatolia, many of its members joined the National Struggle, serving in regional resistance organizations or within the regular army. In this sense, the Society of Reserve Officers’ Mutual Aid can be regarded as a vital source of a nationalist youth movement that originated in Istanbul and effectively continued its existence in Anatolia.