Today in History – 22 July

“I feel grieved!” he wrote, when his aide-de-camp Fikret died

İsmet İnönü, 22 Temmuz 1968 tarihini attığı günlüğüne, yaveri Fikret Yüzatlı’nın vefat haberini şöyle not etmiş:

“Fikret Yüzatlı ölmüş, çok yandım!”

In an entry he made in his journal on July 22, 1968, İsmet İnönü conveyed the news of his aid-de-camp Fikret Yüzatlı’s passing as follows:

Fikret Yüzatlı died; I feel grieved!

Fikret Yüzatlı was born in İstanbul in 1896. He graduated from the Kuleli Military Academy. During the War of Independence, he served at the Palestine front, at the General headquarters of Enver Pasha as cavalry lieutenant. Later, during the War of Independence, he fought under the command of Fahrettin Altay Pasha. He was promoted to cavalry captain due to his accomplishments in the war. As he commanded over 100 cavalrymen during this post, he took on the family name “Yüzatlı” (100 horsemen) upon the suggestion of poet Yahya Kemal when the Family Name Law was enacted in 1934.

He was one of the first officers to enter İzmir during the city’s liberation. Along with Zeki Doğan, he lowered the Greek flag and hoisted the Turkish flag instead. He was the recipient of a Medal of Independence. Yüzatlı was heavily wounded twice. After the War of Independence, he was appointed as the aide-de-camp of İsmet İnönü. Upon İnönü’s request, he joined CHP and served as the Deputy of Giresun from 1944 to 1950.

He married Nihal Yüzatlı in 1928 and had three children. Yüzaltı entered the business world after military service and established Ömür Yogurt Company. He was among the co-founders of the Jockey Club of Turkey and served as its president for two terms.