MSB | T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı

Korgeneral Mehmet Kâzım DİRİK 1881 yılında Manastır’da doğdu.
Harp Okulundan 1900 yılında teğmen, 1909 yılında girdiği Harp Akademisinden 1912 yılında kurmay yüzbaşı olarak mezun oldu. 7 Ocak 1913’te 3’üncü Kolordu Kurmaylığında görevlendirildi. 19 Kasım 1912’de Balkan Savaşı’nda Çatalca Muharebesi’nde yaralanarak İstanbul’a gitti. Burada İstanbul muhafızlığı görevine atandı. 9 Kasım 1913’te 1’inci Kolordu Kurmaylığına, 8 Ocak 1914’te Biga Kolordusu Kurmaylığına tayin edildi. 2 Eylül 1914’te 2’nci Ordu ve daha sonra 4’üncü Ordu Menzil Müfettişliğinde görevlendirildi. Bu görevinde iken Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na girildi.
28 Şubat 1915’te kurmay yarbay, 14 Aralık 1916’da kurmay albay olan DİRİK, 18 Mayıs 1917’de 43’üncü Tümen komutanı, 30 Haziran 1917’de 7’nci Tümen komutanı, 2 Şubat 1918’de 56’ncı Tümen komutanı, 5 Mart 1918’de 49’uncu Tümen komutanı oldu. 8 Haziran 1918’de Şark Ordusu Menzil Müfettişliğine, 7 Kasım 1918’de 9’uncu Ordu Menzil Müfettişliğine atandı. Daha sonra 3’üncü Ordu Müfettişliği Kurmay Başkanlığına getirildi.
3 Mayıs 1919’da 9’uncu Ordu Kıtaatı (3’üncü Ordu) Müfettişi Mustafa Kemal (ATATÜRK) Paşa’nın kurmay başkanı olarak görevlendirildi ve onunla 19 Mayıs’ta Samsun’a çıktı. Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın 8/9 Temmuz 1919’da askerlikten istifasına kadar bu görevde kaldı. 15 Eylül 1919’da Erzurum Müstahkem Mevki komutan muavini ve 15’inci Kolordu komutan vekili oldu. 4 Mayıs 1921’de Batı Cephesi Komutanlığı emrine verildi. Batı Anadolu Menzil Müfettişliğine atandı. 15 Haziran 1921’de kendisine kolordu komutanı yetkisi verildi. 12 Haziran 1922’de Menzil Müfettişliğinin lağvı üzerine tekrar Batı Cephesi Komutanlığı emrine verildi. Büyük Zafer’den sonra 27 Kasım 1922’de Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Sevkiyat ve Nakliyat genel müdürü oldu. 1 Eylül 1923’te tümgeneral olan DİRİK, müteakiben 26 Eylül 1923’te 2’nci Tümen komutanı ve aynı zamanda (2 Ağustos 1924’ten itibaren) Bitlis vali vekili olarak görevlendirildi. 20 Eylül 1925’te asaleten Bitlis valisi oldu. 27 Mart 1926’da İzmir Valiliğine atandı. 30 Ağustos 1928’de korgeneral olan DİRİK, İzmir Valiliği sırasında mülki hizmeti tercih ettiğinden 24 Eylül 1928’de askerlikten emekliye ayrıldı. 1935 yılına kadar İzmir Valiliği, 1935 yılından ölümüne kadar Trakya Genel Müfettişliği görevini ifa etti. Osmanlı Devleti ve Alman İmparatorluğu tarafından verilen çeşitli nişan ve madalyalar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Korgeneral Mehmet Kâzım DİRİK, 3 Temmuz 1941’de vefat etmiştir.

Lieutenant General Mehmet Kâzım DIRIK was born in Monastir in 1881. He graduated from the Military Academy as a lieutenant in 1900, and from the War College as a staff captain in 1912. He was appointed as the Staff Officer of the 3rd Corps on January 7, 1913. He was injured in the Battle of Çatalca in the Balkan War on November 19, 1912 and went to Istanbul. He was appointed as the guard of Istanbul there. He was appointed as the Staff Officer of the 1st Corps on November 9, 1913, as the Staff Officer of the Biga Corps on January 8, 1914. On September 2, 1914, he was assigned to Range Inspectorate of the 2nd Army and later of the 4th Army. While he was on this duty, the First World War was entered. DIRIK who became staff lieutenant colonel on February 28, 1915; staff colonel on December 14, 1916, was appointed as the commander of the 43rd Division on May 18, 1917; as the commander of the 7th Division on June 30, 1917; as the commander of the 56th Division on February 2, 1918; as the commander of the 49th Division on March 5, 1918. He was appointed to Range Inspectorate of the Eastern Army on June 8, 1918, to Range Inspectorate of the 9th Army on November 7, 1918. Later, he was appointed as the Chief of Staff of the 3rd Army Inspectorate. On May 3, 1919 he was assigned as the chief of staff for Mustafa Kemal (ATATÜRK) Pasha who was the Inspector of the 9th Army Troops (3rd Army), and went to Samsun with him on May 19. He served in this duty until Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s resignation from military service on 8/9 July 1919. He became second in command of Erzurum Fortress on September 15, 1919 and deputy commander of the 15th Corps. He placed under the command of Western Front Command on May 4, 1921. He was appointed to Range Inspectorate of Western Anatolia. He was granted the authority of corps commander on June 15, 1921. With the abolition of the Range Inspectorate on June 12, 1922, he was placed under the command of Western Front Command. After the Great Victory, he became the general director of Transport and Shipping Department of Ministry of National Defence on November 27, 1922. DIRIK who became major general on September 1, 1923 was later assigned as the commander of the 2nd Division on September 26, 1923 and as lieutenant governor of Bitlis (as of 2 August 1924) at the same time. He became the governor of Bitlis on September 20, 1925. He was inducted as the governor of Izmir on March 27, 1926. DIRIK became lieutenant general on August 30, 1928 retired from military service of September 24, 1928 as he preferred civil service during his office of the Governor of Izmir. He served as the governor of Izmir until 1935, as the General Inspector of Trakya from 1935 until his death. Lieutenant General Mehmet Kâzım DIRIK who had various decorations and medals decorated by the Ottoman Empire and German Empire as well as the Independence Medal decorated by Turkish Grand National Assembly (TGNA) passed away on July 3, 1941.