Mustafa Şekip Birgöl
| Mustafa Şekip Birgöl | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1903 Üsküdar, İstanbul, Ottoman Empire |
| Died |
November 11, 2008 (aged 105) Haydarpaşa, Istanbul, Turkey |
| Buried | Karacaahmet Cemetery, Istanbul |
| Allegiance |
 Turkey
|
| Service/branch | Turkish Army |
| Years of service | 1921–1952 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Battles/wars | Turkish War of Independence |
| Awards | Medal of Independence with red ribbon |
Mustafa Şekip Birgöl (1903 – November 11, 2008), a retired Turkish colonel, was the last veteran of the Turkish War of Independence (1919–1923).
He was born 1903 in Üsküdar, a suburb of Istanbul, into a family of naval officers. Mustafa Şekip Birgöl graduated from Işıklar Military Secondary School in Bursa before attending Kuleli High School in Edirne. After finishing the Military Academy in Istanbul, he joined Kuvayi Milliye under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal to fight against the Allies partitioning the Ottoman Empire after it was defeated in World War I. A second-lieutenant in the 45th regiment of the 15th division, he fought in the western Anatolian region of Afyon and took part in the recapturing of Izmir from Greek troops on September 9, 1922.
Following the declaration of the republic in 1923, Birgol returned to his unit at the Black Sea city of Samsun, where he stayed until 1928. While he was stationed in Sarıkamış, Bayburt and Muğla, he was active at some campaigns against rebellions that took place following the Independence War. Later, he served in Çanakkale, Ezine and Gelibolu. He retired from the army on September 13, 1952 with the rank of colonel.
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