MSB | T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı

Tümgeneral İbrahim Refet BELE 1881 yılında Selânik’te doğdu. Harp Okulundan 1898 yılında teğmen rütbesiyle mezun oldu. 10 Şubat 1906’da yüzbaşılığa terfi etti. 1909 yılında girdiği Harp Akademisine savaş nedeniyle ara verdi ve savaştan sonra devam ederek 1912 yılında mezun oldu. 26 Eylül 1912’de Genel Karargâh Kurmaylığına tayin edildi. Balkan Savaşlarına bu görevle başladı. 7 Ocak 1913’te kurmay binbaşı olan BELE, 5 Eylül 1913’te Edirne Jandarma Alay komutanı ve Ordu Sahra Jandarma komutanı olarak atandı. 20 Aralık 1913’te Alman Askerî Islah Heyeti refakatinde kurmay başkanı olarak görevlendirildi. 3 Ağustos 1914’te 4’üncü Ordu Kurmaylığına atandı. Bu görevde iken Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na katıldı. 28 Şubat 1915’te kurmay yarbay olan BELE, müteakiben 7 Mart 1915’te 10’uncu Tümen komutanı, 10 Mart 1915’te Hicaz Seferi Kuvvetler komutanı, 11 Ağustos 1915’te 23’üncü Tümen komutanı, 30 Aralık 1915’te 3’üncü Tümen komutanı olarak atandı. 13 Aralık 1916’da 11’inci Tümen komutanı olmasını müteakip 14 Aralık 1916’da kurmay albaylığa terfi etti ve daha sonra Kudüs Menzil müfettişi, 18 Ocak 1917’de 43’üncü Tümen komutanı, 3 Nisan 1917’de 53’üncü Tümen komutanı, 29 Temmuz 1917’de 22’nci Kolordu komutan vekili, 9 Ekim 1917’de 22’nci Kolordu komutanı, 17 Ekim 1918’de Jandarma Genel komutanı oldu. 17 Mayıs 1919’da 3’üncü Kolordu komutanı olarak atandı. Bu görevindeyken Mustafa Kemal Paşa ile birlikte İstanbul’dan ayrılarak 19 Mayıs’ta Samsun’a geldi. 23 Temmuz 1919’da katıldığı Erzurum Kongresi’nde Heyet-i Temsiliye üyeliğine seçildi. 23 Ekim 1919’da Heyet-i Temsiliye tarafından Batı Anadolu’daki durumu yerinde görmek ve komutanlar arasında birliği sağlamak üzere görevlendirildi.
10 Aralık 1919’da Nazilli’de Aydın Kuvayımilliye komutanlığını üstlendi. 14 Haziran 1920’de Yozgat Ayaklanması’nın bastırılmasına bir süvari birliği ile katıldı. 18 Ağustos 1920’de Ankara’ya geldi ve İzmir milletvekili olarak TBMM’nin Genel Kuruluna takdim edildi. 6 Eylül 1920’de İçişleri bakanı (Dâhiliye vekili) seçildi. 9 Kasım 1920’de Batı Cephesi Güney Kesimi komutanı olarak atandı. 1 Ocak 1921’de tümgeneralliğe terfi eden BELE, 30 Haziran 1921’de tekrar İçişleri Bakanlığına seçildi. 5 Ağustos 1921’de ek görevle Millî Savunma Bakanlığına getirildi. 10 Ekim 1921’de İçişleri Bakanlığından ayrıldı. 10 Ocak 1922’de Millî Savunma Bakanlığından istifa edip milletvekillik görevine devam etti. 9 Ekim 1922’de TBMM Hükûmetinin İstanbul temsilciliğine atandı ve Doğu Trakya’yı teslim almakla görevlendirildi. 8 Ekim 1923’te Trakya Komutanlığı görevi sona erdiğinden İstanbul milletvekili sıfatıyla TBMM’de hizmetine devam etti. 9 Kasım 1924’te Halk Fırkasından istifa etti. 17 Kasım 1924’te kurulan Terakkiperver Cumhuriyet Fırkasının kurucuları arasında yer aldı. 1 Kasım 1926’da milletvekilliğinden istifa etti. 8 Aralık 1926’da kendi isteğiyle emekli oldu. Sivil yaşamında, 1935 yılında yeniden İstanbul milletvekili seçilerek TBMM’ye girdi. VI, VII ve VIII. dönemlerde İstanbul milletvekili seçilerek TBMM’deki yerini 1950 yılına kadar korudu. 8 Nisan 1950’de Beyrut’taki Birleşmiş Milletler Orta Doğu Filistin Mültecilerine Yardım ve Bayındırlık Ajansı Türkiye delegeliğine atandı. 22 Şubat 1961’de bu görevinden ayrıldı. Osmanlı Devleti, Alman İmparatorluğu ve Avusturya-Macaristan İmparatorluğu tarafından verilen çeşitli nişan ve madalyalar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Tümgeneral İbrahim Refet BELE, 2 Ekim 1963’te vefat etmiştir.

Major General Ibrahim Refet BELE was born in Salonika in 1881. He graduated from the Military Academy as a lieutenant in 1898. He was promoted to the rank of captain on February 10, 1906. He suspended the War College in which he entered in 1909 due to war. After the war, he continued his education and graduated in 1912. He was appointed to General Headquarters Staff on September 26, 1912. He entered the Balkan Wars with this duty. BELE who became staff major on January 7, 1913 was appointed as the commander of Edirne Gendarmerie Regiment and the commander of the Army Field Gendarmerie on September 5, 1913. He was assigned as the chief of staff in company with the German Military Reform Staff on December 20, 1913. He was appointed as the staff officer of the 4th Army on August 3, 1914. He entered the First World War with this duty. BELE became staff lieutenant colonel on February 28, 1915 was appointed as the commander of the 10th Division on March 7, 1915; as the commander of Hejaz Expeditionary Forces on March 10, 1915; as the commander of the 23rd Division on August 11, 1915; as the commander of 3rd Division on December 30, 1915. Subsequent to being the commander of the 11th Division on December 13, 1916, he was promoted to the rank of staff colonel on December 14, 1916 and later became Jerusalem Range inspector; the commander of the 43rd Division on January 18, 1917; the commander of the 53rd Division on April 3, 1917; deputy commander of the 22nd Corps on July 29, 1917; the commander of the 22nd Corps on October 9, 1917; commander of the Turkish Gendarmerie Forces on October 17, 1918. He was appointed as the commander of the 3rd Corps on May 17, 1919. While on this duty, he went to Samsun with Mustafa Kemal Pasha on May 19. He participated in Erzurum Congress on July 23, 1919 and was elected as a member of Heyet-i Temsiliye (Representative Committee). He was assigned to see the situation in Western Anatolia on site and ensure coordination among commanders by Heyet-i Temsiliye (Representative Committee) on October 23, 1919. He served as the commander of Aydın National Forces (Kuvayımilliye) in Nazilli on December 10, 1919. He took part in the suppression of the Yozgat Insurgency with a cavalry unit on June 14, 1920. On August 18, 1920, he went to Ankara and was represented to General Assembly of Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) as the deputy for Izmir. He was elected as the Minister of Interior on September 6, 1920. He was appointed as the commander of Southern Section of Western Front on November 9, 1920. Promoted to the rank of major general on January 1, 1921, BELE was re-elected as the Minister of Interior on June 30, 1921. He was assigned as the Minister of National Defence with additional duty on August 5, 1921. He left the office of the Minister of Interior on October 10, 1921. He resigned from his office of the Minister of National Defence on January 10, 1922 and continued his duty as a member of parliament. He was appointed to Istanbul representation of TGNA Government on October 9, 1922 and assigned to take over Eastern Thrace. Because his duty of the Commander of Thrace was over on October 8, 1923, he continued to serve in TGNA with the capacity of deputy for Istanbul. He resigned from Republican People’s Party on November 9, 1924. He was one the co-founder of the Progressive Republican Party established on November 17, 1924. He resigned from his duty of a member of parliament on November 1, 1926. He retired at his own request on December 8, 1926. During his civilian life, he was elected as deputy for Istanbul in 1935 and participated in TGNA. He was elected as deputy for Istanbul for 6th, 7th, and 8th terms and remained his seat in Turkish Grand National Assembly until 1950. He was appointed to Turkish Delegacy of United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Middle East located in Beirut on April 8, 1950. He resigned this duty on February 22, 1961. Major General Ibrahim Refet BELE who had various decorations and medals decorated by the Ottoman Empire, German Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire as well as the Independence Medal decorated by Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA), passed away on October 2, 1963.