Red Cross postcard of Turkish cavalry routing a Russian patrol in the Caucasus. 1914 illustration.
Türkische Kavallerie schlägt eine russische Patrouille im Kaukasus in die FluchtTurkish cavalry routs a Russian patrol in the Caucasus putting it to flightReverse:Offizielle Karte für Rotes Kreuz, Kriegsfürsorgeamt, Kriegshilfsbüro No. 65Official card for the Red Cross, war welfare office, war aid office no. 65
"The Russians have just inflicted a defeat on the Turks near Sarykamish, on the Kars-Erzerum road.This success is a particularly fine piece of work as our Ally's offensive is in a region of mountains as high as the Alps, intersected by precipices and with passes often over 2,500 metres in height. It is appalling cold at this season of the year, and there are incessant snowstorms. No roads and the whole region laid waste. The army of the Caucasus is performing prodigies of valour every day."
Entry from the memoirs of Maurice Paléologue, French Ambassador to Russia, for Wednesday, January 6, 1915. Turkish War Minister Ismail Enver Pasha planned and took command of a winter invasion of Russia in the mountains of the Turkish/Russian border. From December 27, the Russians held off repeated Turkish attacks until counter-attacking on January 2. In the follow two weeks, the Russians destroyed much of what was left of the Turkish army, the remnants of which retreated to Erzerum. Estimates of Turkish casualties in the Battle of Sarikamish vary widely, from 30,000 to 90,000 dead, and from 7,000 to many times that taken prisoner. Kars was the great Russian fortress on the Russo-Turkish border, Erzerum the Turkish.
An Ambassador's Memoirs Vol. I by Maurice Paléologue, pp. 237, 238, publisher: George H. Doran Company, publication date: 1925
1915-01-06, January, 1915, Sarikamish, Battle of Sarikamish
