This months measure has an uncertain history. Was it produced for Turkey’s military during or following the last World War, or for Turkish troops under German command?

This is an intriguing little map measure that is almost identical to those used by the German military prior to and during World War II (1939-45) but has it’s central text printed in Turkish rather than German. German measures were often made by or branded Esero or Ziko, though it is not clear who made this month’s measure. It may be one of those two brands or a clone produced elsewhere. It wouldn’t be difficult to manufacture this Turkish language measure as it is very simple- cheaply made, pressed out from tin and painted and printed on one side. Despite this simplicity it is poorly finished with offset and misplaced printing of the important measurements.

Turkey remained neutral during the war and maintained diplomatic relations with Germany, signing a non-aggression ‘Friendship Treaty’ with Nazi Germany on 18 June 1941. Turkey severed diplomatic and commercial relations with Germany in August 1944 and on 23 February 1945 declared war on Nazi Germany. The pact was dissolved 24 October 1945 with the fall of the Third Reich.

The information printed on the centre of the measure is of interest. It gives estimations of the speed of progress (stamina) of pedestrian infantry- 12 minutes to cover one kilometre, compared to the rate of progress of cavalry- ten minutes for a horse to cover a kilometre slowly, or seven minutes active walk. Four minutes at a trot and two minutes at a gallop. Artillery were given the same rate of progress as cavalry. It is this information that strongly suggests this measure was produced for Turkish speaking military. Conversion ratios are also provided for kilometres to miles, nautical miles and Russian versts.

I am uncertain whether this measure would have been used by Turkish military, or Turkish troops under German command. An SS legion of Turkish soldiers was formed in May 1942, later expanded in May 1943 to the 162nd Turkistan Division, supplemented by Azerbaijani Turks (Azeri), Germans, Soviet prisoners of war, Georgians and Armenians. They saw action in northern Italy. German Infantry Battalion No. 450 was also drawn from ethnic Turks and Azeris.

The measure would be held in the hand and the points ‘walked’ across a map to give an indication of distance conversion. Scales are:

• 1:25 000
• 1:75 000
• 1:80 000
• 1:100 000

The printing on this measure is poor. The graduations, particularly those for the 1:100 000 scale points or ‘prongs’, are offset. Despite this, the measure can still be used in the intended manner.

This is quite a small measure with a 66mm maximum length and 56mm at its widest point. It weighs just 5.6g. Painting does not extend to the reverse and some age related tarnishing and light rust has occurred in the intervening years. It is marked and scratched but unbent. Many measures of this type came with a leather pouch that would have protected it from bending, alternatively, it could be slipped into a dedicated pocket in a leather dispatch, or map case. It was likely produced in large numbers, and probably following the war too, but this Turkish language measure is now an uncommon survivor.

Similar designs of measure have already featured as ‘Map Measure of the Month’, these were the English Hugh Rees ‘Regent‘, and ‘Karttamittari‘ from Finnish company Uittokalusto O.Y. A German made Ziko Marsch Kompas, shown below, will feature in the future.

Three Points of the Compass has looked at a few more Map Measures in detail. Links to these can be found here.