MSB | T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı

Tümgeneral Cavit ERDEL 1884 yılında Edirne’de doğdu. Harp Okulundan 1902 yılında teğmen, devam ettiği Harp Akademisinden 1905 yılında mümtaz yüzbaşı olarak mezun oldu. 11 Ocak 1905’te yüzbaşılığa terfi etti. (Kurmaylığı
12 Mart 1912’de onaylandı.) 1910 yılına kadar ordunun çeşitli kademelerinde görev aldı. 1910-1911 yıllarında Fransa’da mesleki öğrenim gördü. 9 Kasım 1911’de Trablusgarp Tümeni kurmay başkanı olarak Trablusgarp Savaşı’na katıldı.
26 Nisan 1912’de kurmay binbaşı oldu. 26 Şubat 1913’te 125’inci Alay komutan vekili olarak Balkan Savaşı’na katıldı. 29 Eylül 1913’te 42’nci Tümen Kurmaylığına atandı. 12 Ocak 1914’te Harp Okulu öğretmenliğine atandı. 9 Nisan 1914’te Çatalca Savunma Hattı Kurmaylığına, daha sonra Çatalca Savunma Hattı komutan vekilliğine getirildi. Bu görevinde iken Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na girildi. 7 Şubat 1915’te 3’üncü Ordu Kurmay Heyetine, 2 Nisan 1916’da 9’uncu Kolordu Kurmay Başkanlığına,
18 Temmuz 1916’da 3’üncü Ordu 9’uncu Kolordu 17’nci Tümen komutan vekilliğine atandı. 14 Eylül 1916’da kurmay yarbaylığa terfi etti, müteakiben 21 Eylül 1916’da 1’inci Kafkas Kolordusu kurmay başkanı oldu. Ekim 1917’de 10’uncu Kafkas Tümeni komutan vekili, 6 Nisan 1918’de 11’inci Kafkas Tümeni komutan vekili, 21 Haziran 1918’de 11’inci Kafkas Tümeni komutanı, Ocak 1919’da 36’ncı Kafkas Tümeni komutanı, 22 Şubat 1921’de Kars Müstahkem Mevki komutanı olarak atandı. 1 Mart 1921’de kurmay albay oldu. Aynı yıl içinde Kars milletvekili seçildi. 2 Ağustos 1923’te milletvekilliği uhdesinde kalmak üzere Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Personel Dairesi Başkanlığına getirildi. 1924 yılı sonlarından itibaren izinli sayılmak suretiyle 1926 yılına kadar Kars milletvekilliğine devam etti. 4 Şubat 1926’da 7’nci Tümen Komutanlığına getirildi. 6 Ağustos 1927’de 16’ncı Tümen komutanı olarak atandı ve
30 Ağustos 1927’de tümgeneralliğe yükseldi. 1 Ocak 1933’te Askerî Yargıtay üyesi olarak atandı. Osmanlı Devleti tarafından verilen çeşitli nişan ve madalyalar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Tümgeneral Cavit ERDEL 5 Mart 1933’te vefat etmiştir.

Major General Cavit ERDEL was born in Edirne in 1884. He graduated from the Military Academy as a lieutenant in 1902, and from the War College, where he attended, as a distinguished captain in 1905. He was promoted to captain on January 11, 1905. (His staff position was approved on March 12, 1912.) He served in various echelons in the army until 1910. He received professional education in France in 1910-1911. He entered the Turco Italian War on November 9, 1911 as the chief of staff of the Tripoli Division. He became staff major on April 26, 1912. On February 26, 1913, he entered the Balkan War as the acting commander of the 125th Regiment. He was appointed as the Staff Officer of the 42nd Division on September 29, 1913. He was appointed as a Military Academy teacher on January 12, 1914. On April 9, 1914, he was appointed as the Staff Officer of the Çatalca Line of Defence, and later as the acting commander of the Çatalca Line of Defence. While he was on this duty, the First World War was entered. He was appointed to the 3rd Army General Staff on February 7, 1915, as the Chief of Staff of the 9th Corps on April 2, 1916, and as the acting commander of the 17th Division of the 9th Corps of the 3rd Army on July 18, 1916. He was promoted to staff lieutenant colonel on September 14, 1916, and subsequently became the chief of staff of the 1st Caucasus Corps on September 21, 1916. He was appointed as the acting commander of the 10th Caucasian Division in October 1917, the acting commander of the 11th Caucasian Division on 6 April, 1918, the commander of the 11th Caucasian Division on 21 June, 1918, the commander of the 36th Caucasian Division in January 1919, the commander of Kars Fortified Area on February 22, 1921. He became a staff colonel on March 1, 1921. In the same year, he was elected as a deputy for Kars. On August 2, 1923, he was appointed as the Head of the Personnel Department of the Ministry of National Defence, while remaining a deputy. He continued his duty as deputy for Kars until 1926, on leave from the end of 1924. He was appointed as the Commander of the 7th Division on February 4, 1926. He was appointed as the commander of the 16th Division on August 6, 1927 and was promoted to major general on August 30, 1927. He was appointed as a member of the Military Supreme Court on January 1, 1933. Major General Cavit ERDEL, who was the owner of various decorations and medals given by the Ottoman Empire and the Medal of Independence given by the Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), passed away on March 5, 1933.