Medals given to eight soldiers after 100 years

ISTANBUL

The “Medal of Independence” will be given to eight soldiers who took part in the Turkish War of Independence, which was carried out against the Allied forces that occupied Anatolia between the years of 1918 and 1922.

The decision regarding the awarding of the medals, arriving 100 years later, to the children of the eight soldiers whose service was determined in the war was published in the Official Gazette on April 24.

These medals will be deposited to the children of the soldiers, as the recipients are not alive.

The decision, published under the signature of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, included a list of soldiers and their heirs.

The list shows that three soldiers were from the Black Sea provinces of Gümüşhane and Trabzon, three were from Central Anatolia region and the other one was from the southeastern province of Gaziantep.

It is seen that two soldiers lost their lives during the Battle of İnönü against the Greek army and the other died in the Antep Defense against the French Battalion.

By the end of 1922, all foreign forces had left the territories which would collectively become the new Republic of Turkey one year later.