MoD | TR Ministry of National Defence

Korgeneral Ali Hikmet AYERDEM 1876 yılında Bursa’da doğdu. Harp Okulundan 1898 yılında teğmen, devam ettiği Harp Akademisinden 1902 yılında kurmay yüzbaşı olarak mezun oldu. 3 Mart 1904’te kurmay kıdemli yüzbaşılığa, 9 Aralık 1907’de kurmay binbaşılığa terfi etti. 1912 yılına kadar ordunun çeşitli kademelerinde görev aldı. 29 Eylül 1912’de Çatalca Ordusu Menzil Müfettişliği kurmay başkanı olarak atandı ve bu görevle Balkan Savaşı’na katıldı. 8 Ocak 1914’te 5’inci Kolordu kurmay başkanı olarak atandı ve Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na bu göreviyle başladı. 29 Kasım 1914’te kurmay yarbaylığa terfi etti ve aynı gün 4’üncü Kolordu kurmay başkanı olarak atandı. 2 Eylül 1915’te 49’uncu Tümen komutanı oldu. Bu görevindeyken Kafkas Cephesi’ndeki muharebelere katıldı. 12 Mart 1917’de İzmir Demir Yolları işletme müdürü olarak atandı. 28 Ağustos 1918’de kurmay albaylığa terfi etti. 28 Ocak 1921’de İnebolu üzerinden Anadolu’ya geçti ve Millî Mücadele’ye katıldı; müteakiben Garp Cephesi emrine verildi. 10 Mart 1921’de 11’inci Tümen komutanı, 4 Mayıs 1921’de Kolordu komutanı yetkisiyle Millî Müdafaa Vekâleti (MSB) müsteşarı; 6 Kasım 1921’de 2’nci Kolordu komutanı olarak atandı. 31 Ağustos 1922’de tümgeneralliğe yükseldi. 19 Ocak 1923’te Bursa milletvekili seçildi. 30 Ağustos 1926’da korgeneral olan AYERDEM, 10 Mayıs 1934’te 6’ncı Kolordu komutanı oldu. 30 Mayıs 1935’te kendi isteği üzerine emekliye ayrıldı. II. Dönem Bursa milletvekili, V. Dönem Gaziantep milletvekili olarak görev yaptı. Osmanlı Devleti ve Avusturya-Macaristan İmparatorluğu tarafından verilen çeşitli nişan ve madalyalar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Korgeneral Ali Hikmet AYERDEM, 21 Mart 1939’da vefat etmiştir.

Lieutenant General Ali Hikmet AYERDEM was born in Bursa in 1876. He graduated from the Military Academy as a lieutenant in 1898, and from the War College as a staff captain in 1902. He was promoted to the rank of staff lieutenant commander on March 3, 1904, staff major on December 9, 1907. He served in varied positions in the army until 1912. He was appointed as chief of staff of Catalca Army Range Inspectorate and participated in Balkan War with this duty. He was appointed as the chief of staff of the 5th Corps on January 8, 1914, while on this duty the First World War began. He was promoted to staff lieutenant colonel on November 29, 1914 and appointed as the chief of staff of 4th Corps on the same day. He became the commander of the 49th Division on September 2, 1915. He participated in the battles in Caucasus Front on this duty. He was appointed as the operating director of İzmir Railways on March 12, 1917. He was promoted to the rank of staff colonel on August 28, 1918. He passed to Anatolia crossing over Inebolu and participated the War of Independence, afterwards he was placed under the command of the Western Front. He was appointed as the commander of the 11th Division on March 10, 1921; as the undersecretary of Deputation of National Defence (Ministry of National Defence: MND) in his capacity of corps commander on May 4, 1921; as the commander of the 2nd Corps on November 6, 1921. He was promoted to the rank of major general on August 31, 1922. He was elected as deputy for Bursa on January 19, 1923. AYERDEM who became lieutenant general on August 30, 1926, became the commander of the 6th Corps on May 10, 1934. He retired at his own request on May 30, 1935. He served as deputy for Bursa for the 2nd Term, for Gaziantep for the 5th Term. Lieutenant General Ali Hikmet AYERDEM who had various decorations and medals decorated by the Ottoman Empire and Austro-Hungarian Empire as well as the Independence Medal decorated by Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), passed away on March 21, 1939.