MSB | T.C. Millî Savunma Bakanlığı

Orgeneral Kâzım ORBAY 1887 yılında İzmir’de doğdu. Mühendishane-i Berri Hümayundan 1904 yılında teğmen rütbesiyle, devam ettiği Harp Akademisinden 1907 yılında kurmay yüzbaşı rütbesiyle mezun oldu. 1908-1909 yıllarında Almanya’da topçu ve piyade atış kursu gördü. 12 Ekim 1909’da kurmay kıdemli yüzbaşı oldu. Balkan Savaşı’nda Garp Ordu Karargâhında istihbarat subayı, 25 Temmuz 1913’te 5’inci Kolordu Kurmaylığında çalıştı. 9 Ekim 1913’te Harp Okulunda istihkâm dersi öğretmenliğine, 25 Aralık 1913’te 3’üncü Tümen Kurmaylığına, 15 Ocak 1914’te Genelkurmay Merkez Şubesi Müdürlüğüne getirildi. 16 Mart 1914’te Harbiye Nezareti Başyaverliğine atandı. Bu görevde iken Birinci Dünya Savaşı’na girildi. 14 Aralık 1916’da kurmay yarbaylığa, 28 Temmuz 1918’de kurmay albaylığa yükseldi. 7 Ekim 1918’de Harbiye Nezareti müsteşar yardımcılığına, 12 Ağustos 1919’da Genelkurmay Personel Dairesine atandı. 1920 yılında Millî Mücadele’ye katılmak üzere Anadolu’ya geçti. 2 Mayıs 1920’de Doğu Cephesi kurmay başkanı, 16 Ağustos 1921’de Millî Savunma Bakanlığı Ordu Dairesi başkanı oldu. 11 Mart 1922’de 3’üncü Kafkas Tümeni Komutanlığına getirilen ORBAY, 31 Ağustos 1922’de tümgeneralliğe yükseldi. 28 Mayıs 1944’te Genelkurmay II. başkan vekilliğine, 31 Ekim 1924’te Genelkurmay II. başkanlığına atandı. 30 Ağustos 1926’da korgeneralliğe yükseldi ve 21 Ekim 1928’de Afganistan’da Askerî Heyet başkanı olarak görevlendirildi. Yurda dönüşünde 15 Haziran 1929’da 4’üncü Kolordu komutan vekilliğine, 17 Aralık 1929’da 4’üncü Kolordu Komutanlığına, 30 Temmuz 1930’da Jandarma Genel Komutanlığına atandı. 24 Ağustos 1935’te 3’üncü Ordu Müfettişliğine atanan ORBAY, 30 Ağustos 1935’te orgeneralliğe yükseldi. 15 Şubat 1943’te Yüksek Askerî Şûra üyesi, 1 Aralık 1943’te Genelkurmay II. başkanı, 12 Ocak 1944’te Genelkurmay başkanı olarak atandı. 29 Temmuz 1926’da tekrar Yüksek Askerî Şûra üyesi olarak atandı. 6 Temmuz 1950’de emekli oldu. 6 Ocak 1961’de Kurucu Meclis üyeliğine seçildi.9 Ocak-28 Ekim 1961 tarihleri arasında Kurucu Meclis başkanlığı yaptı. 23 Kasım 1961’de Cumhurbaşkanlığı kontenjanından 1’inci Dönem senatör seçildi. Osmanlı Devleti, Alman İmparatorluğu, Bulgaristan, Avusturya-Macaristan İmparatorluğu tarafından verilen çeşitli nişan ve madalyalar ile TBMM tarafından verilen İstiklal Madalyası sahibi olan Orgeneral Kâzım ORBAY 3 Haziran 1964’te vefat etmiştir.

General Mehmet Kâzım ORBAY was born in Izmir in 1887. He graduated from the School of Artillery and Military Engineering in 1904 with the rank of lieutenant and from the Military Academy in 1907 with the rank of staff captain. In the 1908–1909 term, he attended an artillery and infantry shooting course in Germany. On October 12, 1909, he became a staff senior captain. During the Balkan War, he was an intelligence officer at the Army Headquarters, and on July 25, 1913, he was assigned to the 5th Army Corps Staff. On October 9, 1913, he was appointed as an engineering instructor at the Military Academy; on December 25, 1913, he was appointed as the Staff of the 3rd Division; and on January 15, 1914, he was appointed as the Director of the adjutant general’s office at the General Staff. On March 16, 1914, he was appointed as the Chief Aide-de-Camp of the Ministry of War. While in this position, the First World War broke out. He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on December 14, 1916, and to staff colonel on July 28, 1918. On October 7, 1918, he was appointed as the deputy undersecretary of the Ministry of War, and on August 12, 1919, he was appointed to the General Staff Personnel Department. In 1920, he went to Anatolia to participate in the Turkish War of National Sovereignty. On May 2, 1920, he became chief of staff of the Eastern Front, and on August 16, 1921, he became head of the Army Department of the Ministry of National Defense. On March 11, 1922, he was appointed as the Commander of the 3rd Caucasian Division, and on August 31, 1922, he was promoted to the rank of Major General. On May 28, 1944, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff, and on October 31, 1924, he was appointed Deputy Chief of the General Staff. He was promoted to lieutenant general on August 30, 1926, and was appointed head of the Military Council in Afghanistan on October 21, 1928. Upon his return, he was appointed as the deputy commander of the 4th Corps on June 15, 1929, the commander of the 4th Corps on December 17, 1929, and the General Commander of the Gendarmerie on July 30, 1930. On August 24, 1935, he was appointed as the Inspector of the 3rd Army, and on August 30, 1935, he was promoted to the rank of general. He was appointed a member of the Supreme Military Council on February 15, 1943; as the Second Chief of the General Staff on December 1, 1943; and as the Chief of the General Staff on January 12, 1944. On July 29, 1926, he was again appointed as a member of the Supreme Military Council. He retired on July 6, 1950. On January 6, 1961, he was elected a member of the Constituent Assembly. From January 9 to October 28, 1961, he was president of the Constituent Assembly. On November 23, 1961, he was elected a contingent senator during the 1st Term from the presidential quota. General Mehmet Kâzım ORBAY, who was a recipient of various orders and medals given by the Ottoman State, the German Empire, Bulgaria, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, and the Independence Medal given by the Turkish Grand National Assembly, passed away on June 3, 1964, in Ankara.