MoD | TR Ministry of National Defence

Korgeneral Ömer Halis BIYIKTAY 1883 yılında Erzincan’da doğdu. Harp Okulundan 1905 yılında teğmen rütbesiyle mezun oldu. 1910 yılında Harp Akademisine başlayan BIYIKTAY, Harp Akademisi ikinci sınıf öğrencisi iken Trablusgarp Savaşı nedeniyle okulun tatil edilmesi üzerine 1911’de savaşa katıldı. 1912 yılında Balkan Savaşı’nda 16’ncı Kolordu ve Sağ Cenah Ordusu emrinde görevlendirildi. 1913 yılında Harp Akademisindeki eğitimine yeniden başladı. 1914 yılında Harp Akademisinden mümtaz yüzbaşı rütbesiyle mezun oldu. (Kurmaylığı 12 Nisan 1915’te onaylandı.) 3 Ağustos 1914’te Başkomutanlık Karargâhı 3’üncü Şubeye atandı. Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na bu görevle başladı. Müteakiben 29 Ağustos 1915’te Irak ve Havalisi Komutanlığı Kurmay Heyetine atandı. 7 Haziran 1916’da kurmay kıdemli yüzbaşı olan BIYIKTAY; 16 Ağustos 1917’de 6’ncı Tümen kurmay başkanı,
5 Aralık 1917’de 52’nci Tümen kurmay başkanı ve Fırat Grubu kurmayı oldu. 1 Mart 1918’de kurmay binbaşılığa terfi etti. 1 Kasım 1918’de 7’nci Ordu Karargâhında 1’inci Şube müdür vekilliğinde bulundu. 2 Ocak 1919’da 20’nci Kolordu kurmay başkanı olarak atandı. 18 Ekim 1920’de 172’nci Piyade Alay Komutanlığı, 20 Ekim 1920’de önce vekâleten sonrasında asaleten 23’üncü Tümen Komutanlığına getirildi. 10 Aralık 1921’de kurmay yarbay, 31 Ağustos 1922’de kurmay albaylığa terfi etti.
10 Kasım 1924’te Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Ordu Dairesi başkanı oldu ve bu görevde iken 30 Ağustos 1927’de tümgeneralliğe terfi etti. 27 Ağustos 1928’de MSB Kara müsteşarı yardımcılığı, 9 Mayıs 1929’da MSB Kara müsteşarı, 14 Aralık 1929’da 3’üncü Tümen komutanı, 1 Ocak 1933’te Genelkurmay Eğitim Dairesi başkanı,
27 Mayıs 1934’te İstanbul komutanı olarak atandı. 30 Ağustos 1934’te korgeneral oldu. Osmanlı Devleti ve Afganistan tarafından verilen çeşitli madalya ve nişanlar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Tümgeneral Ömer Halis BIYIKTAY 25 Aralık 1935’te vefat etmiştir.

Lieutenant General Omer Halis BIYIKTAY was born in Erzincan in 1883. He graduated from the Military Academy as a lieutenant in 1905. BIYIKTAY entered the War College in 1910. While he was a second grade student at the War College, he participated in the war in 1911 after the school was closed due to the Turco-Italian War. He was assigned under the command of the 16th Corps and Right Flank Army in the Balkan War in 1912. He restarted his education in War College in 1913 and graduated from the War College as distinguished captain in 1914 (His staff position was approved on April 12, 1915.). He was appointed to 3rd Section of Commander-in-Chief Headquarters on August 3, 1914. He entered the First World War with this duty. Thereafter, he was appointed to General Staff of Iraq and Its Vicinity Command on August 29, 1915. BIYIKTAY who became staff lieutenant commander on June 7, 1916 became the chief of staff of the 6th Division on August 16, 1917, the chief of staff of the 52nd Division and staff officer of Euphrates Group on December 5, 1917. He was promoted to the rank of staff major on March 1, 1918. He served as the deputy director of the 1st Section at 7th Army Headquarters on November 1, 1918. He was appointed as the chief of staff of the 20th Corps on January 2, 1919. He was assigned as the Commander of the 172nd Infantry Regiment on October 18, 1920, as the Commander of 23rd Division, first by proxy and then as a principal on October 20, 1920. He was promoted to the rank of staff lieutenant colonel on December 10, 1921, staff colonel on August 31, 1922. He became the chief of Army Office of the Ministry of National Defence on November 10, 1924 and on his duty he was promoted to major general on August 30, 1927. He was appointed as deputy undersecretary of the Army of the Ministry of National Defence on August 27, 1928; as undersecretary of the Army of the Ministry of National Defence on May 9, 1929; as the commander of the 3rd Division on December 14, 1929; as the head of General Staff Training Department on January 1, 1933; as the commander of Istanbul on May 27, 1934. He became lieutenant general on August 30, 1934. Lieutenant General Omer Halis BIYIKTAY who had various decorations and medals decorated by the Ottoman Empire and Afghanistan as well as the Independence Medal decorated by Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), passed away on December 25, 1935.