Mehmetçik
Term for soldiers of the Ottoman and Turkish Armies
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Mehmetçik (Ottoman Turkish: محمدجك, pronounced [mɛhmɛt'd͡ʒɪk]; lit. 'little Mehmet') is a term generally used to affectionately refer to soldiers of the Turkish Army. It is similar to the colloquialisms Tommy Atkins, Doughboy, and Digger used for soldiers of the British, U.S., and Australian armies.[1][2]
It is believed that the term is based on Ottoman Army Sergeant Bigalı Mehmet Çavuş (1878–1964), who fought during the Gallipoli Campaign of World War I.[3][4][5][6]