27th Infantry Regiment (Ottoman Empire)

[3] While its officers were from various parts of the Ottoman Empire most of the conscripts and NCOs of the 27th Regiment came from the Gallipoli Peninsula which had a diverse ethnic composition.

Due to the Ottoman authorities being suspicious of the reliability of its Greek and Armenian citizens most of the regiments combat soldiers were local Muslims, though non-Muslims made up half of its auxiliary and support staff.

At the time that took over command the regiment was responsible for the southern region of the Gallipoli Peninsula (including Helles, Kabatepe and Suvla).

He began a program of digging and fortification of trenches in order to avoid his men being caught out in the open by naval shellfire.

Following a detailed inspection of the terrain Şefik identified that the Ariburnu (ANZAC Cove) region was a critical point and in early March 1915 commenced the construction of a comprehensive defensive system, though it was soon halted due a change in defensive strategy imposed by Otto Liman von Sanders, who believed in the deployment of light screening forces along the coastline while retaining strong mobile reserves and supplies in the interior.

[4] The regiment was structured as follows at the commencement of the Gallipoli campaign:[4] Commanding officer - Binbaşı (Lieutenant Colonel) Mehmed Şefik.

[5] Following the evacuation of the Allied forces and the end of the Gallipoli campaign in January 1916 the 27th Regiment was sent with the 9th Division to the Caucasus Front, where it was subsequently disbanded on 13 September 1916.