YÖRÜK ALÝ EFE (1896 – 1953)

   Yörük Ali Efe who is one of the heros of national struggle had borned in Aydýn in 1896. He was one of the important person of Kuvay-i Milliye committee after Çerkez Etem and Demirci Mehmet Efe. When he participated to national struggle he was 23 years old. Before this, when he had drafted to military service and transmitted to Kafkas Front in 1916, he deserted and participated to Molla Ali gangs. When Mollo Ali had died in a battle, he took the place of him. All of the members of gangs were killed by gendarme while passing Menderes river with raft. Only Yörük Ali rescued his life by cutting rope of raft. After this event he gave up the activities of gang and helped to state in detecting guilties. But when the troubles began after Mondros Armistice, he found a gang. He participated to national struggle and made attacks to Greeks with Kýllýoðlu Hüseyin. Yörük Ali Efe’s militia forces named “National Enlightened Crowds” showed big usefulness in Kurtuluþ war. They played an important role in being rescued of Aydýn from enemy forces. When war had finished, he dissolved his gang and began to live in Yenipazar’s Kavaklý village. He took Yuruk surname. He became crippled and losed his legs in a streetcar accident in Ýzmir. He died in 1953.