FINAL OPERATIONS
The armistice with Bulgaria marked the final collapse of German
influence in that country. The Tzar Ferdinand abdicated and went
into exile, and was succeeded by his son Boris. The capitulation
created a profound impression in Germany. The Press published violent
invectives against the “treacherous” ally, there was a panic on the
stock exchange, and on September 30th the Imperial Chancellor, von
Hertling, resigned, and was succeeded by Prince Max of Baden. Marshal
von Hindenburg, in a letter addressed to the latter on October 5th,
admitted that the collapse of the Macedonian front was one of the
causes which excluded all hope--as far as man can judge, of forcing the
enemy to make peace. Some German papers demanded that Bulgaria should
be driven back into the fold by force. But the necessary force was now
wanting. There was nothing for it but to reconstitute a new front in
Serbia and Roumania, and this the Germans and Austrians tried to do.
The German units of the XI Army who had escaped capture, withdrew into
Serbia to join the other German and Austrian forces already there or on
their way from other sectors. Thus the 21st Infantry Regiment, elements
of the 256th Reserve Regiment (the one which had appeared recently on
the Struma front), of the 275th Regiment, which was in Macedonia, and
of the 12th Landwehr concentrated in Serbia. From France the Alpen
Corps arrived, which had only just come out of the line after much hard
fighting, the 50th Landwehr from Minsk, and from South Russia the 217th
and 219th Infantry Divisions, while Austria sent the 9th Division
withdrawn from Italy, and the 25th. But these troops did not all reach
the new front at the same time, except those who were already in Serbia
or who had retreated from Macedonia; the other reinforcements arrived
_par petits paquets_. In Roumania there was a still more numerous
Army--on paper--commanded by Marshal von Mackensen, consisting of 3
German divisions, strengthened by 7 Landwehr divisions from Russia.
This force, echeloned along the Danube from the Iron Gates to Cernavoda
and along the railway from Cernavoda to Constantza, was divided into
two armies, one of which assumed the name of the XI German Army which
had gone to pieces in Macedonia, and was commanded by General von
Scholtz himself, and the other, called the Army of Occupation in
Roumania, commanded by General Koch. These forces were, in appearance,
by no means negligible, but were spread over too vast a front, and
the difficulties of communications south of Belgrade rendered their
concentration very slow. Many of the men, moreover, belonged to the
older classes and were partially unfit.
Even for the Allies communications were now extremely difficult. As far
as the line of the old front they were comparatively good. But beyond
it the retreating enemy had destroyed the railways, and the roads
were in an appalling condition. From Ghevgheli to Veles the line was
destroyed in many places, but it was repaired fairly quickly, so that
by October 15th trains were already running with one interruption. From
Veles to Uskub the destruction had been almost complete, as was also
the case north of Uskub. The Constantinople railway was interrupted
at Demir Hissar, where the bridge, as we have seen, had been blown up
by the French early in the war. The C.A.A. had therefore to limit the
number of troops pushing north to an indispensable minimum. Nothing,
however, could restrain the Serbs, irresistibly drawn forward by the
longing to return to their homeland. For supplies they had to rely on
lorries, and the British provided them with 300 Fords, carrying 500
kilograms each, for the roads over which heavier vehicles could not
pass.
[Illustration: AFTER THE VICTORY. ENEMY PRISONERS.
To face p. 256.
]
The objectives of the Allies were now four: the liberation of Serbia,
the occupation of Bulgaria, the liberation of Roumania, and the capture
of Constantinople. The territory over which the Armée d’Orient was
operating, already vast before the Bulgarian capitulation, had now
become immense; it was, we may say, the whole of the Balkan Peninsula,
except Albania, which was left to the Italian XVI Corps, and Eastern
Thrace, still in Turkish hands. To the north its operations were
intended to link up eventually with those of the Italian Army, and
General Franchet d’Espérey said that he hoped soon to shake hands with
General Diaz in Croatia.
The I Serbian Army, the Danube Division leading, undertook the first
of these tasks, supported by the French and Serbian cavalry, while the
II Army still remained for a little to mount guard on the Bulgarian
western frontier. The left flank of the I Army in the Mitrovitza area
was covered by the Tranié Group, which, however, was relieved between
the 5th and the 20th of October by the II Serbian Army and moved
eastward. On the 7th the I Army was at Leskovatz in Old Serbia[47] and
advancing on Nish, which the Austro-Germans had orders to hold at all
costs, as it was the chief centre of the area, with immense depots and
dumps, and the junction of the Belgrade-Salonica railway with the line
towards Sofia and Constantinople; a local line also branches off to
Zayetchar. A force consisting of troops of 3 German divisions (217th,
219th and Alpen Corps) and of 2 Austrian divisions (9th and 25th) tried
to hold back the Serbs. But the latter on the 11th had occupied the
heights dominating the town from the south, thus obliging the enemy to
evacuate it after a brief engagement. The I Army continued its advance
along the Morava valley, preceded by the cavalry, and did not trouble
to await the two forces that were to support its flanks--the II Army
on the left and the French divisions of the A.F.O. on the right, which
had been delayed by the state of the roads--but was content with the
support afforded by the Serbian and French cavalry. The enemy offered
some resistance at Bukovich, and then at Parachin, where the fighting
was more obstinate (October 23rd-24th); but the Serbs, although
inferior in numbers, inflicted a serious defeat on them. This obliged
them to evacuate even their positions at Kraguyevatz to the west of
the railway, with its important arsenal. This town was occupied by the
Drina Division on the 26th, which the following day conquered Mounts
Ovchar and Chablatz, dominating positions and the scene of Voivod
Michich’s great victory in the winter of 1914. On the 30th the I Army
reached the Danube, and occupied the Biskuplje-Semendria line, while
other detachments, after a sharp struggle, captured Mount Kosmaj and
then Stoinik, 38 km. from Belgrade, whose outer defences are dominated
from that point. On November 1st the Serbs re-entered their capital in
triumph.
In the meanwhile the II Army was advancing through the Sanjak of
Novibazar and Western Serbia, while the Tranié Group was pushing
on towards Montenegro and Bosnia. On October 7th it had reached
Ferizovich, on the 12th, after a sharp fight, Mitrovitza, and on the
15th, Ipek (Montenegro), where it captured 600 prisoners; 900 more fell
into its hands on the 20th, after which it effected a conversion to the
east, leaving the Yugoslav Division in charge of that area. The only
French detachment remaining there was the 58th Battalion of Chasseurs à
pied, while the 57th Division returned to Macedonia to be broken up.
The II Group of Divisions (General Patey), comprising the 17th
Colonial and the 76th Divisions, to which the Tranié Group was now
also attached, extended its occupation to Western Serbia and Eastern
Bulgaria, which it entered by rail. On the 17th it was at Pirot,
whence it pushed on an advanced force to Kniazhevatz, and on the
19th it reached Zayetchar. The 76th Division reached the Danube, and
occupied the loop of the river between Vidin and Lom Palanka, thus
interrupting the navigation on the Danube for the Central Empires.
General Jouinot-Gambetta’s cavalry group had already reached the
river, after a fantastic raid from Uskub. On the 27th it occupied Mount
Antonov-Kladenatz, beyond Zayetchar, and then Dolnji Milanovatz near
the Danube. On the 30th it was north-west of Negotin and in liaison
with the Serbian cavalry, followed at a short distance by the 17th
Colonial Division.
By November 1st the whole of Serbia was free of the enemy, except the
north-west territory; but out of this, too, they were soon driven by
the II Serbian Army, which then spread over into Bosnia and Montenegro.
The remnants of the German and Austrian Divisions, exhausted and
without supplies, recrossed the Danube and the Save. The whole of
Bosnia arose in favour of the Yugoslav State, and also in Croatia and
Slavonia there were demonstrations in the same sense. In the Banat,
which the Serbs entered after crossing the Danube at Moldova and
Basiatz, some final engagements occurred with the German troops, who
were invariably defeated.
The demonstrations in Bosnia-Herzegovina, in Croatia-Slavonia, and in
the Banat were in favour of a Yugoslav Federation. This was the idea
that united the various peoples of Yugoslav race, of whose aspirations
Serbia had made herself the standard-bearer. It would have been more
difficult to raise similar enthusiasm for the purely pan-Serb idea,
which the Government, and above all the Army, always had in mind, even
though they did not proclaim it openly. To this fact are due, to a
large extent, the conflicts which subsequently divided the different
parts of the new kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.
It should be borne in mind that the Serbian advance was enormously
facilitated by the events on the Italian front. If Austria could only
send weak and totally inadequate reinforcements to stem the Serbian
advance, it was because her whole Army was nailed down on the Piave and
on the Asiago Plateau by the menace of the coming Italian offensive,
and afterwards overwhelmed in the irreparable disaster of Vittorio
Veneto. The last vigorous resistance of the enemy in Serbia was at
Parachin on October 23rd and 24th. On the 24th the Italian offensive
was launched. The latter also contributed very largely to the outbreak
of the revolt of the Yugoslavs, who until that moment had been the most
faithful subjects of His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty.
There were still the other two tasks to be accomplished--Roumania
and Constantinople. General Allenby had been rapidly conquering
Northern Palestine and Syria,[48] and the moment seemed to have
arrived to deliver the _coup-de-grâce_ against Turkey by an attack
on Constantinople. Britain attached great importance to the new
expedition, which might be regarded as the long-expected retribution
for the bloody but heroic check at the Dardanelles. General Sir George
Milne was to command it. He brought back his G.H.Q. from Janesh to
Salonica, and preparations were at once commenced in Eastern Macedonia,
which had just been evacuated by the Bulgars. The expeditionary force,
officially described as the “Oriental Section of the Allied Armies,”
was formed on October 6th, and comprised the 22nd, 26th and 28th
British Divisions (the 26th was at Mustafa Pasha on the Turco-Bulgarian
frontier, and the other two between Stavros and Dede-Agatch), the
Italian Sicilia Brigade, which had been brought back to Salonica from
the Monastir-Prilep area, and was commanded by General Garruccio, the
122nd French Division (General Topard), the I Greek Corps (General
Ioannou), to which two more divisions of the National Defence Corps
were to be added. The British divisions, greatly reduced in strength
after the very heavy fighting at Lake Doiran, had been reinforced by
some Indian battalions, which had arrived too late to take part in the
offensive.
According to reliable information, the scanty forces detailed for
the defence of Constantinople had been strengthened by four Caucasus
divisions,[49] already arrived or _en route_, and by some others from
Anatolia, while Germany was sending German troops by way of the Black
Sea. But the Turkish units were greatly reduced in strength by battle
losses, sickness, and above all by desertions, and it was estimated
that their total number of rifles was not more than 12,000 to 15,000.
Towards the end of October it was known that the German troops were
already leaving Thrace for Roumania, perhaps on their way to the
Western front. The plan of operations of the new Allied expeditionary
force was the following: The river Maritza was to be crossed by a
surprise movement, and three bridge-heads were to be built on its
banks, whence three columns would advance on Adrianople, Kuleli Burgas
and Ipsala respectively. Immediately afterwards the bulk of General
Milne’s forces would cut the Turkish Army in two, separating those in
the Gallipoli Peninsula from those in Thrace, and occupying the Lule
Burgas-Muradli-Rosdosto line, while the Allied fleets would bombard the
enemy batteries in the Gulf of Enos. Finally, the Isthmus of Bulaïr
would be attacked, with the object of seizing the whole of the European
shore of the Dardanelles. Then the artillery fire would be concentrated
on the batteries on the Asiatic shore. Once the Dardanelles were
conquered the fleets could penetrate into the Sea of Marmara, whence it
would be easy to force Constantinople to capitulate.
In the meanwhile, General Allenby was advancing by leaps and bounds; he
had conquered the whole of Syria, and captured two Turkish armies, with
many guns and immense booty. The expeditionary force in Mesopotamia
was also pushing ahead rapidly. The Turkish Army was visibly dwindling
away, and the deserters numbered several hundreds of thousands, so
that it was obvious that Turkey was not in a position to resist the
blow which General Milne was about to strike; he had indeed already
seized the bridgehead at Ipsala and was about to cross the Maritza at
other points. On October 29th, General Townshend, who had been taken
prisoner by the Turks at Kut-el-Amara in 1916, was set free, and sent
to the inter-Allied Naval Command at Mudros, bearing a request for
an armistice. The Turkish Cabinet, which emanated from the notorious
Committee of Union and Progress, had fallen, and was succeeded by
another, constituted with the express object of concluding peace.
Enver and Talaat, the two evil geniuses of Turkey, had fled with
their most compromised satellites and large funds embezzled from the
Government Treasury and from private persons. The Turkish proposals
were considered, and as soon as the Turkish plenipotentiaries arrived,
among whom was Raouff Bey, the Minister of Marine in the new Cabinet
and a well-known Ententophil, negotiations were commenced between
them and Admiral Calthorpe, Commander of the British Naval Forces in
the Ægean, as representing the Allies. After a short discussion, the
Armistice was concluded on October 30th, and came into force on the
31st. The order to advance from the Maritza was therefore suspended.
The Allied fleets, commanded by Admiral Calthorpe, passed through the
Dardanelles on November 10th, and anchored in the Bosphorus off the
Sultan’s palace at Dolma Bagshe. It was the first time that a hostile
fleet passed through the Straits and trained its guns on the Ottoman
capital since the conquest in 1453. The previous day, General Sir Henry
Wilson, Commander of the British XII Corps, had reached Constantinople,
where he had been sent with a small Staff by General Franchet d’Espérey
as his representative in Turkey. He was given command of all the Allied
troops destined for the occupation of the city and of European Turkey
(including the Asiatic shores of the Straits). These forces comprised
the 28th British Division, the 122nd French and later an Italian
regiment (the 61st) and a Greek battalion, besides some detachments
of gendarmes. The points occupied were the city itself, Scutari, and
various places on the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles. Subsequently the
occupation was extended to other areas.
A few weeks later Sir George Milne removed to Constantinople with
his whole Staff, and on February 8, 1919, General Franchet d’Espérey
also arrived with the C.A.A. The further vicissitudes of the Allied
occupation of Turkey belong to another chapter of history.
[Illustration: GERMAN PRISONERS CAPTURED BY THE ITALIANS ON HILL 1050.]
[Illustration: HILL 1050. HOURS OF REST.
To face p. 262.
]
Let us now return to the 35th Division. After the Armistice with
Bulgaria began a veritable Odyssey for the Italian troops, a
constant marching and counter-marching along roads deep in mud, without
shelter for the night, across wild mountains, under torrents of rain,
and later amid snowstorms; the soldiers, however, were cheered by
the thought that they had won the war and that their homecoming was
near. From Sop the division at once began to march in a north-easterly
direction, as it appeared then that it was destined, as General
Mombelli strongly desired, to take part in the operations in Serbia.
On October 9th the headquarters were at Prilep, and a large part of
the troops were encamped in the neighbourhood of that town. Squads
of Bulgarian prisoners, guarded by Allied infantry and reinforced by
Italian engineer companies, set to work to improve the impossible roads
and to repair the Monastir-Prilep décauville. A few days later the
whole force crossed the Babuna Pass, except the Sicilia Brigade, which,
as we have seen, was to take part in the Constantinople expedition, and
was sent to Monastir, and the newly-created Spezia Brigade, made up out
of elements of the others, which remained at Prilep.
General Mombelli’s wish that his troops should be sent to Serbia to
co-operate with the Serbian Army was shared by the Prince Regent
Alexander, who expressed himself very decidedly in that sense. Had the
35th Division been given that destination, and had been able to fight
on Serbian soil by the side of Voivod Michich’s soldiers, the relations
between the two peoples, which at that time were very good, would have
become ever friendlier. The Italian soldiers, had they been left to
garrison Serbia, Slavonia and the Banat, would certainly have made
themselves popular with the inhabitants, as occurred in Bulgaria, still
technically an enemy country, and our relations with the Serbian State
would have been very different from what they actually became. This was
then desired on both sides.
But tendencies and forces hostile to an Italo-Serb understanding
unfortunately prevailed. The destination of the 35th Division was
altered by order of the C.A.A., and the bulk of its troops were sent
towards Bulgaria. Hence new and exhausting marches, with supplies
never arriving up to time on account of the badness of the roads and
the deficiencies of certain services of the C.A.A. on which they still
had to depend. After various intermediate halts, the Command reached
Kustendil on November 13th, with the troops echeloned between Guyeshevo
and Sofia, and soon after removed to Sofia itself. The division now
spread over a large part of Bulgaria--Kustendil, Sofia, Vidin, Lom
Palanka, etc. For some time there was a battalion at Burgas, and one at
Philippopolis, belonging to the Sicilia Brigade, most of which had now
left Salonica. When the British garrisons left the Dobrugia they were
relieved by Italian troops.
Although the French forces in Bulgaria were now very few, the
Inter-Allied Command in that country was entrusted to the French
General Chrétien. His position was certainly anomalous, as hitherto the
principle had been always applied that the Command in any given area
should be entrusted to a general of the nation which had most troops in
it. But the tact, character and excellent military qualities of General
Chrétien rendered this illogical situation tolerable.
[Illustration: MONUMENT TO THE FALLEN OF THE 161ST ITALIAN REGIMENT ON
VRATA HILL.
To face p. 261.
]
With the break-up of Austria-Hungary thousands of Italian prisoners
were set free or freed themselves. While the bulk of them made for
Italy, many tens of thousands who were in Hungary, Roumania, Galicia
and Russia proceeded towards Salonica, as they knew that there were
Italian troops in Macedonia. They had been cast adrift without food,
with insufficient clothing, often in rags and unshod, when they set
forth on their wretched pilgrimage towards their victorious comrades
across the icy-cold, wind-swept tracks of the Balkans. The country was
almost denuded of resources and, owing to the execrable state of the
communications, it was impossible to send up supplies from Salonica,
where they abounded. General Mombelli made superhuman efforts to bring
relief to these unfortunate wanderers; he sent detachments of troops
to Serbia, and with immense difficulty organized a service of supply
and transport. Gradually the liberated prisoners were conducted to
Salonica, Burgas, or Constantza, and thence embarked for Italy. But
large numbers perished from cold and hardships at the very moment when
all were rejoicing over the glorious victory.
On November 4th the Villa Giusti Armistice between General Diaz,
representing the Allies, and the Austro-Hungarian Command, was signed.
But it was not clear whether and to what extent it was applicable to
Hungary. On November 3rd two Magyar Field Officers presented themselves
at the outposts of the Armée d’Orient in the Banat, stating that
Hungary wished to conclude an armistice on her own account. In Hungary
there was indeed no longer any recognized central authority, and the
country was rushing headlong towards anarchy. Count Karolyi, the head
of the Government, but almost without any authority, wished to enter
into negotiations with General Franchet d’Espérey, who, however, had no
instructions for dealing with such a situation. On the 7th a meeting
between them took place; Count Karolyi declared that he had no army
which he could rely on to hold the troops of Marshals von Mackensen
and von Koevess in check, and asked for certain political concessions,
which General Franchet d’Espérey was unable to grant. The latter added
that he would proceed with the offensive as long as Hungary did not
ratify the Villa Giusti Armistice, and, in conformity with instructions
received from Paris, he threatened to send British and French divisions
to Budapest. Karolyi then agreed immediately to his request, and on the
13th an armistice was signed between General Henrys (General Franchet
d’Espérey had returned to Macedonia) and Voivod Michich for the
Allies and M. Bela Linder for Hungary. According to the terms of this
agreement, the Hungarian troops were to withdraw behind a line passing
by Fünfkirchen, Baja, Mariatheresienstadt, the course of the Maros and
the upper valley of the Great Szamos. Otherwise the terms of the Villa
Giusti Armistice were reproduced as far as they were applicable to
Hungary, save that the latter was authorized to keep six divisions on
a war footing for the maintenance of order, which was threatened by
criminal Bolshevism. The further vicissitudes of Hungary were to cause
the Allies more trouble yet.
There still remained the army of Marshal von Mackensen in Roumania
to be dealt with. On October 19th, French troops reached the Danube.
A few days previously General Berthelot had arrived at Salonica,
with instructions to create a new “Army of the Danube” out of units
of the Armée d’Orient to conduct operations in Roumania. This new
organization, which appeared cumbersome and practically useless,
comprised two French divisions, parts of two others, a cavalry
regiment, a British division and the Garrison Brigade. All these
forces were echeloned along the Danube within the month of October,
three bridge-heads were built near Rustchuk, at Giurgiu, and between
Shistov and Nicopolis, and on November 10th the troops began to cross
the river. Roumania, after a heroic resistance, had been obliged, in
consequence of the treachery of the Russian Bolsheviks acting on behalf
of Germany, to sign the disastrous Peace of Bucarest, but now that the
liberators were at the gates she was able to shake off the hated yoke;
the Government ordered a fresh mobilization, and declared war against
the Central Empires. This gave her afterwards the right to take part
in the Peace Conference, in Paris, among the Allies. The day that the
French troops crossed the Danube the Roumanian Army reappeared on the
scene.
Marshal von Mackensen’s troops offered but slight resistance. They
soon gave up all hope of holding the Danube line, and thought only of
retiring through Hungary into Austria and Germany. But it was an army
in dissolution, almost without discipline, and its passage through
Hungary might have led to serious trouble. On the other hand, if it
were forced to surrender, there were no means of feeding it in the
Balkans, nor ships to convey it home by sea. In the meanwhile the
Serbian troops, in order to cut the communications between Roumania
and Germany, occupied Vershetz and Neusatz, and pushed on towards
Temesvar. The Armistice with Germany having been concluded on November
11th, von Mackensen’s army would have had only eight days in which to
make use of the Hungarian railways, which, moreover, were in such bad
condition as to be of little help; but it was granted an extension of
the time limit, as it was generally felt that, on the whole, the wisest
course was to allow it to go home. Difficulties, however, arose with
the Hungarian Government. Von Mackensen had been interned in the Castle
of Pott, near Budapest, but it was feared that his Hungarian guards
might leave him free to range through Hungary and perhaps promote
disorders and insurrections. Consequently, to avoid trouble, a couple
of squadrons of Morocco Spahis were sent to Pott, and on January 5,
1919 they escorted the Field Marshal to the Castle of Futtek near
Neusatz, in an area occupied by troops of the Armée d’Orient, and
later to Salonica. In that city which he had expected to enter one day
in triumph, acclaimed by the inhabitants--who would not have failed
to become pro-German for the occasion--he remained interned for some
months.
The Armée d’Orient was now scattered over an immense territory. The
Commander-in-Chief, still General Franchet d’Espérey, remained at
Constantinople with his Staff. The city and the adjoining area was
garrisoned by General Wilson’s inter-Allied Force. At Salonica there
remained fragments of the various Allied armies, commanded by General
Génin, with detachments in other parts of Macedonia, especially in the
old fighting zone, to collect the vast quantities of war material and
to guard the prisoners. The latter were regarded as public nuisances,
difficult to feed, and of little use for labour as there was very
little work for them to do, so that the various Commands who had fought
so hard to capture them were only too delighted when some of them
escaped. The old Italian headquarters at Tepavci was occupied by the
Bulgarian generals and field officers captured by our troops.
The bulk of the Italian Expeditionary Force was now in Bulgaria. The
Dobrugia was occupied by Franco-British, and afterwards by Italian,
detachments. In Roumania, besides some Roumanian divisions, there was
part of General Berthelot’s army; the rest of it was for a short time
in South Russia, together with some Greek and White Russian units,
commanded by General d’Anselme.
The remnants of the A.F.O. and the Serbian Army were scattered about
the new provinces occupied by Serbia, which were destined to form the
new S.H.S. State, principally in the Banat and in Croatia-Slavonia.
Small French detachments were in Montenegro, Cattaro, Ragusa, etc. In
many of these places there were also Italian troops, and at Fiume there
was a mixed Italian-French-British garrison. At Scutari the pre-war
inter-Allied occupation was reconstituted, and a garrison consisting
of a French, an Italian and a British battalion, commanded by General
Foulon, was sent there.
All these troops took orders from General Franchet d’Espérey in
Constantinople. The Italian troops in Bulgaria, in European Turkey
and in Macedonia, belonging to the 35th Division, formed part of the
Armée d’Orient. But the Italian detachments at Scutari and along the
mid-Adriatic coast took orders from the Albanian Command, while those
at Fiume were under the Italian III Army. Neither the former nor the
latter had anything to do with the C.A.A. at Constantinople, whereas
the French detachments in the same places were under it. The British
Army, still commanded by General Milne, was under the C.A.A., but to
a very limited extent, while the British troops in Asia Minor, in the
Caucasus, etc., were also under General Milne, who, as far as they were
concerned, had nothing whatever to do with the C.A.A. The Serbian Army
was now acting entirely on its own.
All this Chinese puzzle of Commands seemed to have been invented for
the express purpose of promoting inter-Allied disagreements--and it
certainly succeeded in doing so. But the subsequent political and
military vicissitudes of the Allied troops in the East do not belong to
the history of the Balkan Campaign, but to that of the Peace Conference.
The Italian troops remained in Bulgaria until July 1919, when the 35th
Division was broken up and its various elements repatriated, except
the Regimental Command and one battalion of the 61st Regiment, which
remained in Constantinople. During this period General Mombelli and
his officers and men had occasion to show how high was the level of
Italian civilization. No operation is more thankless nor more likely
to become odious than the occupation of a vanquished country. But the
Italian Expeditionary Force, which had borne itself so well during
the war, also proved, in the eyes of the Bulgarians, whom it had so
valiantly contributed to defeat, generous and dignified during the
Armistice period. No unpleasant incident marred the relations between
the troops and the inhabitants, but at the same time our men showed
a proper reserve in their dealings with a nation with whom we were
still technically at war. Further, the Italian soldiers did many acts
of kindness and courtesy towards the natives that left indelible
traces for the future good relations between the two peoples. We were
fortunately spared the odium of garrisoning the country at the time
when the _dura lex sed lex_ of the Treaty of Neuilly had to be applied.
On their departure the Italian troops were bidden farewell with
numerous demonstrations of sympathy, which those who had some interest
in presenting Italy in an unfavourable light tried to misrepresent as
signs of deep and dark intrigues on her part, but which were in reality
nothing more than manifestations of gratitude.
Here we shall end our brief chronicle of the Balkan Campaign. Let us
hope that the remembrance of the common effort for the common cause,
and of the great victory by which it was crowned, prove an earnest for
the future brotherhood of the peoples who fought together, in the hard
struggles for the peace of the world.
APPENDIX A
LETTER FROM VOIVOD MICHICH TO GENERAL PETITTI DI RORETO CONCERNING
THE FIGHTING ON HILL 1050 IN FEBRUARY 1917
“The magnificent exploit of your gallant troops, who, in spite of the
desperate resistance of the enemy and their infernal fire, in spite of
the enormous difficulties of the ground, yesterday, with irresistible
dash, captured Hill 1050 by assault, has filled me with admiration;
the two columns of your heroic 162nd Infantry Regiment have covered
themselves with glory, inscribing a new and splendid page in the annals
of the Italian Army, which are already so glorious. Under your high
leadership your officers and men have given brilliant proof of their
great valour.
“I congratulate you with all my heart, my dear General, and I beg you
to inform them all of the deep homage of my admiration and of that
of my whole army. I am really heart-broken, my dear General and dear
comrade-in-arms, that a terrible accident, impossible to foresee and
to prevent, should have obliged you to evacuate the positions captured
so gallantly and at such cost. I deeply regret with you the death
of all the dear and gallant comrades-in-arms who have so heroically
fallen on the soil of my Fatherland, and I bow my head with the most
profound respect before their sublime self-sacrifice, before their
proud contempt of death in the struggle for the Great Common Cause. If
you have had to abandon temporarily the positions occupied, it is a
material loss easy to make good with troops such as yours. The great
moral result so brilliantly obtained yesterday by your intrepid troops
remains intact.
“Happy and proud to fight by your side, I beg you, my dear General,
to accept the assurances of my high consideration and of my best
sentiments.
(_Signed_) “MICHICH.”
APPENDIX B
LOSSES OF THE BELLIGERENTS DURING THE MACEDONIAN CAMPAIGN
Killed Wounded Prisoners Missing
French[50] 20,000 --- --- ---
British 9,800 16,914 --- 2,642
Italians 2,841 5,353 --- ---
Serbs[51] 45,000 133,000 70,423 82,535
Greeks 5,000 21,000 --- 1,000
Bulgarians 63,000[52] 152,390 10,623[53] 13,729
[50] Including men who died of disease and missing; no more detailed
figures for the French Army are available.
[51] Including losses in operations before the Macedonian campaign.
[52] Including 888 accidentally killed and 13,198 died of wounds.
[53] Not including the large number of prisoners captured during the
final retreat in September 1918.
APPENDIX C
GENERAL FRANCHET D’ESPÉREY’S TELEGRAM TO THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT
CONCERNING THE ARMISTICE NEGOTIATIONS WITH BULGARIA
This evening a Bulgarian Field Officer presented himself with a flag of
truce, asking in the name of General Todoroff, who describes himself as
Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Army, for a suspension of hostility
for 48 hours to allow for the arrival of two delegates authorized by
the Bulgarian Government, the Finance Minister Liapcheff and General
Lukoff, Commander of the II Army, who are coming, with the consent of
the Tzar Ferdinand, to arrange the conditions for an armistice and
eventually for peace.
As this request may be merely a stratagem to permit a re-grouping of
forces or the arrival of reinforcements, I have replied as follows:
“The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Allied Armies in the
Orient, to H.E. the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief,
Bulgarian Army.
“I have the honour to acknowledge receipt of the letter
which you have forwarded to me through the General Officer
Commanding-in-Chief, British Army in the Orient. My reply, which I
am delivering to the Bulgarian Field Officer bearer of the letter
in question, can, in view of the military situation, be only as
follows.
“I cannot grant any armistice or suspension of hostilities
interrupting the operations now in course of execution. I shall,
however, receive with all suitable courtesy, the properly
accredited delegates of the Royal Bulgarian Government to whom Your
Excellency alludes in your letter. These gentlemen should present
themselves before the British lines, accompanied by an officer
bearing a flag of truce.”
APPENDIX D
ARMISTICE BETWEEN THE ALLIES AND BULGARIA, SIGNED AT SALONICA ON
SEPTEMBER 29, 1918
Military Convention regulating the conditions for the suspension of
hostilities between the Allied Powers and Bulgaria.
1. Immediate evacuation, in accordance with an agreement to be
concluded, of the territories still occupied (by the Bulgarians) in
Greece and Serbia. No cattle, wheat or foodstuffs of any kind shall
be removed from these territories. No damage shall be inflicted while
evacuating them. The Bulgarian administration shall continue to
function in the parts of Bulgaria at present occupied by the Allies.
2. Immediate demobilization of the whole Bulgarian Army, except for a
group of all arms, to be kept on a war footing, comprising:
3 divisions of 16 battalions each,
5 regiments of cavalry.
Two divisions to be employed for the defence of the Eastern frontier
and the Dobrugia, and one for guarding the railways.
3. The arms, munitions, military vehicles belonging to the demobilized
units to be deposited at points which will be designated by the High
Command of the Armies in the Orient; they will be put into store by the
Bulgarian authorities under Allied control. The horses will also be
handed over to the Allies.
4. The material of IV Greek Army Corps, taken from the Greek Army when
Eastern Macedonia was occupied, to be handed over to Greece, except
such part of it as may have been sent to Germany.
5. Bulgarian troops who at present are to the west of the Uskub
meridian and belonging to the XI German Army shall lay down their arms
and be considered prisoners of war until further notice; the officers
will retain their arms.
6. The Allied Armies will employ Bulgarian prisoners in the Orient
until peace is signed, without reciprocity as regards Allied prisoners
of war. The latter shall be handed over to the Allies without delay,
and interned civilians shall be absolutely free to return to their
homes.
7. Germany and Austria-Hungary will be granted a delay of four
weeks in which to withdraw their troops and military organization,
from Bulgaria. During the same period the diplomatic and consular
representatives of the Central Powers and their nationals shall leave
Bulgaria.
(_Signed_) FRANCHET D’ESPÉREY.
ANDRE LIAPCHEFF.
GENERAL LUKOFF.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Général Sarrail, “Mon Commandement en Orient.” (Paris, 1920.) “La
Grèce Vénizéliste.” (_Revue de Paris_, December 15, 1919.)
Mermeix, “Le Commandement unique, II partie: Sarrail et l’Armée
d’Orient.” (Paris, Ollendorf, 1920.)
Sarraut, Maurice, et Lieut.-Colonel Revol, “Un Episode du Drame
serbe.” (Paris, Hachette, 1919.)
Vaucher, Robert, “Constantin détroné.” (Paris, Perrin, 1918.)
Recouly, Raymond, “M. Jonnart en Grèce et l’Abdication de
Constantin.” (Paris, Plon-Nourrit, 1918.)
“Documents Diplomatiques” (1913–1917), a collection of documents
published by the Greek Ministry for Foreign Affairs. (Athens, 1917.)
General Sir George Milne’s Dispatches in Naval and Military
Dispatches, Part VI, p. 178 (1917), and Part VIII, p. 147 (1919).
P. Risal, “La Ville Convoitée.” (Paris, Perrin, 1917.)
Ward Price, G., “The Story of the British Salonika Army.” (London,
Hodder and Stoughton, 1918.)
Owen, Collinson, “Salonika and After.” (London, 1919.)
Frappa, Jean José, “A Salonique sous l’Œuil des Dieux.” (Paris,
Flammarion, 1917.)
Photiades, Constantin, “La Victoire des Alliés en Orient.” (_Revue
de Paris_, September 15th and November 15, 1919, and February 15,
1920.)
Ancel, Jacques, “La Croisade Française en Macédoine.” (_Revue des
Deux Mondes_, February 1 and 15, 1920.)
Marshal von Hindenburg’s “Out of My Life” (London, 1920) contains
some useful information, especially on the reaction in Germany
produced by the last phase of the Balkan campaign.
Colonel F. Feyler, “La Campagne de Macédoine” in two parts. (Geneva,
Boissonnas, 1921.)
FOOTNOTES
[1] The official designation of the Macedonian force was “Allied Armies
in the Orient,” but it was often abbreviated to “Army of the Orient.”
[2] I use the expression “Old Greece” to indicate the territory of the
Greek Kingdom as it was before the acquisition of Southern Macedonia in
consequence of the Balkan War of 1912–13.
[3] It is not true, as is generally believed, that Bulgarian units were
employed on other fronts except in Roumania.
[4] From private sources of information. See also in this connexion,
_Une Episode de Drame Serbe_, by Senator M. Sarraut and Lieut.-Colonel
Revol (Paris, Hachette 1919), _passim_.
[5] The final withdrawal took place later.
[6] Mermeix, _Le commandement unique_, second part, pp. 23–24.
[7] _Story of the British Salonica Army_, p. 97.
[8] See _Documents Diplomatiques_, published by the Greek Foreign
Office, Athens 1917, pp. 60, 61, etc., and R. Recouly _Jonnart_, p. 37.
[9] Ultimatum of June 21, 1916.
[10] An Italian infantry brigade, commanded by a Brigadier-General or
sometimes by a Colonel, comprises two regiments of three battalions
each, each battalion of about 1,000 men.
[11] An Italian regiment comprises 12 companies (4 per battalion).
[12] It should be borne in mind that there was as yet no contact
between the Italian forces in Albania and the Allies in Macedonia.
Between the two there was a vast mountain area, sparsely inhabited by
Albanians, and almost without roads.
[13] These names had been given to the positions by the French troops
who were first in this area, from supposed resemblance to places in
France.
[14] Quoted in the _Corziere della Sera_, July 20, 1920.
[15] Archibald Hurd: _Italian Sea Power in the Great War_ (Constable,
1918), p. 65.
[16] Hurd, _ibid._
[17] By rifles I mean soldiers who habitually use their rifles, viz.
the infantry, excluding machine-gunners, men attached to the transport
service, etc., who are also armed with rifles.
[18] See Appendix A.
[19] Military tribunals in the Italian Army are organized on a
permanent basis.
[20] On the front in Italy the average sector held by a division of two
brigades (the 35th had three) was 10,900 metres, but on the Western
sectors of that front the troops were spread out very thin, whereas on
the Asiago plateau and on the Carso the front of each division was much
shorter. After Caporetto the average was reduced to 3,800 metres.
[21] Sarrail, _op. cit._ p. 219.
[22] Pages 206–7.
[23] General Sarrail in his memoirs tries to defend himself by
publishing the orders of the French Government, which enjoined on him
now an action in Greece, now an offensive on the front; but he does not
appear to have put the question in clear language--either one thing
or the other; if one was to be carried out he must have no _arrière
pensée_ for the other.
[24] Sarrail, “La Grèce Vénizéliste,” _Revue de Paris_, December 15,
1919.
[25] The regiments of this force were numbered from 1 to 9, but they
were always described as National Defence Regiments, to distinguish
them from regiments of the regular army having the same numbers.
[26] The authorities in the island of Samos were instructed to promise
land in Asia Minor to all volunteers, and if that was not enough “a
reign of terror must be established.” (Sarrail, _ibid._).
[27] Sarrail, _Mon Commandement en Orient_, p. 194.
[28] Telegrams sent by General Sarrail between January and May, 1917
(Sarrail, _op. cit._ pp. 231–32).
[29] Although the Monarchy was maintained in Greece, the word
“Royalist” came to be applied exclusively to followers of the ex-King;
his opponents were described as Venizelists or Liberals.
[30] By the terms of the Treaty of London (April 26, 1915), Italy
undertook, if a small neutral Albanian State were created, not to
oppose Greek claims over South Albania and those of Serbia and
Montenegro over the northern districts, if she was given Valona and
all the Adriatic territories which she claimed, including Northern
Dalmatia. Italy was to direct Albania’s foreign policy. But the general
trend of public opinion was in favour of a completely independent
Albania, and the clauses of the Treaty providing for the partition
of Albania were eventually dropped. The general object of Italian
policy had been to prevent the Albanian coast from being occupied by a
potentially hostile Power.
[31] Sarrail, “La Grèce Vénizéliste,” _Revue de Paris_, December 15,
1919.
[32] _The Nearer East_, by D. G. Hogarth, pp. 238–39.
[33] _Contemporary Review_, August, 1920.
[34] Mermeix, _Le Commandement Unique_, Part II, pp. 114 and following.
[35] They were supplementary battalions, one to each brigade.
[36] Sarrail, _Mon Commandement en Orient_.
[37] The name appears in this odd semi-Italian form in the Austrian
1/200000 staff map.
[38] By line in the Albanian sector, whether Italian or French, I do
not mean a continuous line of trenches, but merely a series of isolated
posts.
[39] Constantin Photindes, “La Victoire des Alliés en Orient,” _Revue
de Paris_, September 15, 1919.
[40] General F. d’Espérey himself, in reply to a question from his
Government as to the strength of Essad’s army, telegraphed that it
consisted of 13 men.
[41] These had nothing to do with Essad Pasha, but were local levies
raised and trained by the French or under leaders friendly to the
Allies.
[42] Brod to the north of Monastir, not to be confused with the other
Brod in the Cerna loop.
[43] It must be remembered that Strumitza station is in Serbian
territory, whereas the town was then in Bulgaria. Now the town too has
been assigned to Serbia.
[44] Photiades, _op. cit._
[45] See complete text in Appendix.
[46] The capital was, however, actually occupied.
[47] I use the expression “Old Serbia” to designate the Serbian State
as it was before the Balkan Wars, i.e. exclusive of Macedonia.
[48] The British first broke through the enemy lines on September 19th.
[49] The Caucasus divisions, created during the war for the campaign in
that area, were numbered apart.
INDEX
Adrianople, 261
Ægean Sea, 167
Air Force--
Allied, 134, 202, 215, 218
Enemy, 134
Albania, Albanians, 26, 51, 53, 85–87, 120, 121, 148, 156, 158,
163–166, 183–185, 202–206, 212, 217, 220, 224, 234, 257
Alexander, King of Greece, 104, 145 _sq._
Alexander, Prince Regent of Serbia, 40, 41, 85, 88, 89, 103, 104,
120, 133, 175–177, 247, 263
Allenby, General, 254, 261
Almereyda, 188, 189
America, see U.S.
American Red Cross, 95
Anselme, General d’, 154, 217, 268
Antonov-Kladenatz, mt., 259
Archipelago, 139
Argyrocastro, 148
Argyropoulo, M., 138
Arkhangel, mt., 26
Armée d’Orient, 42, 53, 59, 119, 127, 129, 135, 145, 174, 188, 192,
202, 214 _sq._, 228 _sq._, 268
Armée française d’Orient, 42, 45, 50, 51, 53, 56, 191, 217, 219, 222,
239, 257
Armenohor, 222
Armensko, 221, 222
Armistice--
with Bulgaria, 244 _sq._, 274–275
with Austria-Hungary, 265
with Hungary, 265
with Turkey, 262
Austria, Austrians, 53, 91, 120, 121, 183–185, 192, 204–206, 208,
245, 248, 255 _sq._, 264, 266, 275
Austrian prisoners, 87, 192
Baba range, 46, 47, 105, 237, 238, 244
Babuna pass, 26, 105, 212, 240, 241, 263
Backa, 203
Bailloud, General, 24
Baja, 265
_Balkan News_, 162
Balugich, M., 89
Banat, 259, 263, 268
Banitza, 42
Bartlett, General, 208
Baumann, General, 144
Belasnitza river, 229
Belavitza river, 237
Belgrade, 15, 158, 223, 258
Beles range, 26, 27, 38, 39, 41, 54, 82, 231
Beltramo, General, 46
Belushin, 240
Berantzi, 239
Berthelot, General, 266, 268
Bertie, Lord, 174
Beshista mt., 228
Biskuplje, 258
Blatetz, 229
Bodrero, Colonel, 89, 144
Boemitza, 154
Bofnia, 204
Bogdanovatz, 242
Bohila, 229
Bolsheviks, 186, 192 _sq._, 266
_Bonnet Rouge_, 188
Boshava, 229
Bosnia, Bosnians, 192, 258, 259
Bosphorus, 262
Bousquier, General, 144
Boyovich, General, 89, 90, 119, 226
Briggs, General Sir Charles, 217
British Army, 26 _sq._, 40, 42, 46, 48, 51, 52, 60, 68 _sq._, 119,
127, 129 _sq._, 159 _sq._, 196, 200, 202, 215 _sq._, 230 _sq._,
242, 243, 250, 260–262, 267, 268
British policy, 137, 140, 145, 149–151, 173 _sq._, 207, 208, 211
Brod on the Cerna, 94, 103, 108, 221, 222
Brod, north of Monastir, 240
Brusani, 229
Budapest, 265
Bucarest, 266
Buchin, 237
Bukovich, 258
Bulaïr, 261
Bulgaria, Bulgarians, 13, 17–22, 40, 41, 43–45, 47, 53–55, 83, 122,
127, 129, 133, 183–185, 196–198, 204, 207–211, 218 _sq._, 244
_sq._, 250 _sq._, 255 _sq._, 263–265, 267–269, 273–275
Burgas, 264, 265
Butkova, lake, 52, 82, 217, 221, 243
Caclamanos, M., 35
Cagliari Brigade, 37, 47, 50, 237, 244
Caillaux, M., 189
Calthorpe, Admiral the Hon. Gough, 262
Caré, Colonel, 202
Cattaro, 268
Cepik, 236, 237
Cerava river, 183, 184
Cerevoda, 203
Cerna river, 26 _sq._, 47, 50, 51, 54, 92, 96, 103, 108, 109, 112,
118, 129 _sq._, 155, 213, 214, 217–220, 227 _sq._
Cernavoda, 252, 256
Cesma, mt., 237
Chablatz, 258
Chaterna, 229
Chavka, 242
Chekina, 204
Chichevo, 241
Chrétien, General, 264
Christodoulos, Colonel, 33
Constantine, King of Greece, 28, 33–35, 59, 137 _sq._, 142 _sq._,
167, 196, 210
Constantinople, 158, 221–223, 257, 260, 262, 267, 268
Constantza, 245, 256, 265
Cordonnier, General, 44, 45, 50
Corfu, 87–89, 91, 169, 170
Corinth, 145
Cory, General, 70, 104
Coundouriotis, Admiral, 139, 147
Couronné, Grand, 81, 127, 128, 218, 231, 232
Couronné, Petit, 81, 127, 128, 218, 232
Crete, 139
Croatia, Croatians, 192, 257, 259, 268
Croker, General, 230
Cypriots, 69
Danglis, General, 139, 154
Danube, river, 158, 256, 268
Dardanelles, 260–262
Dartige du Fournet, Admiral, 138, 142
Dede-Agatch, 221, 260
Demir Hissar on the Struma, 84, 219, 221, 223, 243, 256
Demir Hissar, north of Monastir, 240
Demir Kapu, 27, 35, 213, 214, 229, 230, 233
Descoins, Colonel, 167
Devoli river, 184, 202, 203 _sq._
Dietrich, General, 45, 133, 173, 187
Dihovo, 239
Diviak, 238
Djumaya, 219, 242
Dobropolje, 55, 129, 213, 214, 219, 221, 225
Dobrugia, 17, 208, 248, 264, 274
Dodecannese, 141, 148
Doiran, lake of, 26 _sq._, 38, 41, 55, 81, 96, 127, 129 _sq._, 212
_sq._, 217, 221, 227, 230–233, 240, 242, 250
Dousmanis, General, 147
Dova Tepe, 54, 82
Drachevatzko Brdo, 229
Dragarina, 239
Draghisetz, 237
Dragomantzi, 92
Drama, 35, 210
Drenovo, 241
Drvenik, 240
Duncan, General, 70, 230
Durazzo, 185, 204
Dzena, 213, 229
_Echo de France_, 162
Effectives--
Allied, 25, 30, 32, 55, 62, 176, 185, 200, 201, 215, 216, 218
Enemy, 23, 54, 55, 185, 216
Elbasan, 204, 241
Empiricos, M., 147
Enver Pasha, 262
Epirus, 139, 148, 156, 158
Ersek, 51, 121, 166, 183, 203
Essad Pasha, 163, 164
Fairholme, General, 104
Farret, General, 234
Fenoglietto, Colonel, 98
Ferdinand, Tzar of Bulgaria, 207, 246, 255, 273
Ferizovich, 258
Ferrero, General, 121, 206, 212
Fieri, 204, 205
Floka mt., 92, 213, 214
Florina, 42, 44, 122, 158, 166, 183, 217, 221, 222
Foulon, General, 268
Franchet d’Espérey, General, 104, 156, 201, 202, 209, 210, 211 _sq._,
240, 246–249, 251, 257, 262, 265, 267, 268, 273, 275
French Army, 26, 27 _sq._, 42, 46–48, 51, 52, 59, 61 _sq._, 64–66,
119, 121, 126, 129 _sq._, 159 _sq._, 183–185, 187, 188, 200
_sq._, 215 _sq._, 225, 239 _sq._, 243 _sq._, 249, 250, 262
French Military Mission in Greece, 151 _sq._, 195
French Policy, 56, 57, 59, 60, 62, 137, 140, 149–151, 163, 164, 173
_sq._, 188 _sq._, 211 _sq._
Freri, General, 244
Gallipoli, 261
Gay, General, 230
Gekoff, General, 54, 220, 252
Génin, General, 267
George, Colonel, 61
German Army, 22, 53, 54, 151 _sq._, 159 _sq._, 197, 220, 223, 224,
228, 233 _sq._, 239, 243–246, 248, 252 _sq._, 266, 274, 275
German Policy, 22, 43, 47, 53–55, 113, 124, 129, 131, 207, 212–214,
245 _sq._, 254 _sq._
Gérome, General, 39, 154
Ghevgheli, 28, 221, 223, 229, 233, 242, 256
Gilman, General, 70
Giurgiu, 266
Goad, Captain, 10, 93
Godiak, 229
Godivla, 237
Golo Bilo, 226
Gopes, 203
Gora Top, 206, 220
Gornichevo, 102
Gornji Poroj, 39, 221
Gostivar, 212, 236
Gounaris, M., 145
Gradetz, 242
Gradsko, 212–214, 223, 233, 241
Gramsi, 204
Greece--
Greek Army, 31–35, 49, 51, 133, 138 _sq._, 145 _sq._, 149, 177,
181–183, 193 _sq._, 200, 201, 215, 228 _sq._, 242, 243, 247,
250, 268, 274
Greek Policy, 23, 25, 28, 31, 33, 61, 118, 129, 133, 137 _sq._, 165
Grlena, 241
Grossetti, General, 191
Guillaumat, General, 104, 191 _sq._, 201, 211, 214
Guvesne, 70, 82, 221, 222
Guyeshevo, 233, 264
Hadzopoulo, Colonel, 33
Henrys, General, 191, 217, 239, 265
Hertling, Herr von, 255
Hill 1050, 48, 55, 98, 105 _sq._, 118, 122–125, 130–133, 183, 218,
219, 235, 250, 271
Hill 1248, 48, 66, 67, 126
Hill 1378, 47, 105
Hindenburg, Marshal von, 197, 240, 241, 244, 245, 255
Hoesslin, Admiral, 147
Holta, 204
Homondos, 83
Hortiach, mt., 80
Huma, 196
Hungary, 265–267
Hussein Nikolitza, 121
_Indépendant_, 162
Ioannou, General, 197, 217
Ipek, 258
Ipsala, 261
Istip, 241
Italian Army, 13, 14, 36 _sq._, 55, 60, 63, 96 _sq._, 120, 122 _sq._,
126, 129, 144, 159 _sq._, 203–206, 215, 217, 220, 234 _sq._,
243 _sq._, 250, 257, 259, 262–264, 267–269
Italian Navy, 86, 87
Italian Policy, 14, 140, 141, 148–151, 173 _sq._, 211
Itea, 170
Ivrea Brigade, 46, 122, 237, 244
Izitza, 238
Izvor, 241
Jacquemot, General, 184
Janesh, 81, 221, 242, 260
Jews of Salonica, 157 _sq._, 182–183
Jonnart, M., 145 _sq._
Jouinot-Gambetta, General, 63, 241, 258
Jumeaux ravine, 128–130
Kaimakchalan range, 44, 47, 108, 213
Kalabak, 236
Kalkandelen, 212, 213, 223, 233, 236, 238 _sq._, 241, 243
Kalogheropoulo, M., 141
Kamia, mt., 203
Kanatlarci, 235
Karamudli, 40, 41
Karasuli, 221, 222
Karaul-Kruska, 238
Karolyi, Count, 265
Kavadar, 229
Kavalla, 35, 210
Kayalar, 43
Kelizoni river, 202, 203
Kichevo, 212, 233, 236, 237, 239, 240, 244
Kilindir, 221, 222
Kindrovo, 102
Kitchener, General Lord, 30
Kniazhevatz, 258
Koch, General, 256
Kochana, 241
Koevess, Marshal von, 265
Koritza, 121, 139, 148, 167, 183, 203
Kosmaj, mt., 258
Kosnitza, mt., 206
Kosturino pass, 26 _sq._, 218, 233, 242
Kozani, 144
Koziak, 227
Kraguyevatz, 258
Krastali, 130
Kravitza, 213, 226
Kresna, 243
Krivogastani, 237
Krivolak, 26, 230
Krklina, 126
Krusha Balkan range, 38 _sq._, 41, 48, 49, 96, 144
Krushevo, 236–239
Kruya, 204
Kuchkov Kamen, 213, 227
Kukurechani, 239
Kuleli Burgas, 261
Kumanovo, 243
Kustendil, 158, 223, 264
Lambros, Professor, 141, 147
Lamia, 153
Larissa, 145, 153
Leblois, General, 50, 53
Lebouc, General, 133
Leniste, 241
Lesetz, mt., 203
Leskovatz, 257
Lesnitza, 217
Levani, 204
Liapcheff, M., 246, 247, 249, 273, 275
Lin, 241
Linder, Bela, 265
Ljumnitza river, 197
Lom Palanka, 258, 264
Losses--
Allied, 272
Enemy, 272
Lubin, 204
Lule Burgas, 261
Lukoff, General, 54, 77, 221, 246, 249, 273, 275
Lungi, 203, 205
Macedonia, 17–20, 23, 46, 48, 53–55, 59, 62, 91, 96, 97, 138, 144,
157 _sq._, 185, 191 _sq._, 200 _sq._, 207 _sq._, 211, 224, 248,
255, 256, 260, 264, 267
Mackensen, Marshal von, 22, 256, 265–267
Magarevo, 220
Mahon, General Sir Bryan, 24
Makovo, 220
Malakastra, 204–206
Mala Rupa, 53
Malik, lake, 183
Mali Korori, 203
Malinoff, M., 207, 253
Mali Siloves, 205, 206
Marena, 229
Maritza river, 261
Marmara, Sea of, 261
Maros river, 265
Matapan, Cape, 165
Mathieu, Captain, 189
Matova, 226
Maya Frenkut, 203
Mazarakis, Colonel, 138
Meglentzi, 110, 111
Messalas, Colonel, 31
Metali bridge, 204
Metaxas, Colonel, 147
Michaud, General, 61, 190
Michich, Voivod, 89, 90, 92–94, 173, 214, 216, 217, 249, 263, 265, 271
Mikra, 88, 193, 221
Milne, General Sir George, 29, 44, 69, 70, 173, 217, 230–233, 242,
244, 260–262, 268, 273
Mindru, Colonel, 187
Mitrovitza, 257, 258
Moglena, 213, 214, 216, 249
Moglenitza, 213
Mombelli, General, 69, 79, 87, 94, 104, 105, 114, 115, 171 _sq._,
177, 178, 183, 202, 235 _sq._, 243, 244, 263, 264
Monastir, 28, 41, 43, 45–48, 50, 66, 67, 105, 106, 108, 112, 119,
122, 158, 174, 185, 208, 212, 213, 219, 221, 222, 227, 236,
237, 239, 240, 243, 263
Montenegro, 205, 258, 259, 268
Morava river, 257
Mrzetzko, 229
Muradli, 261
Mudros, 261
Murgas, 240
Murphy, Mr., 209, 246
Mustafa Pasha, 260
National Defence Army, 140, 144
National Defence Government, 139 _sq._, 144, 148
Naresh, 154, 196, 232
Negochani, 49
Negotin, 212, 229
Nerezoff, General, 221
Neuilly, treaty of, 269
Neusatz, 266
Neutral Zone, 139, 144, 145
Nicopolis, 266
Nikoloff, General, 227
Nish, 158, 223, 253, 257
Nishavetz, 183
Nisi Voda, 100
Nonte, 51, 92, 155, 195, 213, 217, 220, 229
Novak, 109, 110, 112
Novibazar, Sanjak of, 258
Novo Selani, 237, 239
Ochrida, lake of, 53, 126, 133, 158, 183, 184, 241
Odello, Captain, 123
_Opinion_, 162
Orfano, Gulf of, 51
Ostreltze, 238
Ostretz, 242
Ostrovo, lake of, 43, 102
Osum, river, 203
Ovchar, 258
Owen, Collinson, 162
“P” ridges, 81, 128, 218, 231, 232
Painlevé, M., 174–176
Paix-Séailles, M., 189
Palestine, 260, 261
Pandeli, 228
Parachin, 257
Paraskevopoulo, General, 154
Patras, Gulf of, 170
Pehtzevo, 243
Peloponnesus, 143
Pennella, General, 171, 177
Peristeri mts., 106
Peter, King of Serbia, 85, 86, 87
Petitti di Roreto, General, 37–41, 46, 48, 49, 50, 51, 87, 93, 94,
114, 119, 128, 144, 177, 271
Petrsko, lake of, 102
Pflanzer-Baltin, General, 205, 220
Phillips, General, 144
Philippopolis, 264
Picot, Commander, 89
Piræus, 138, 142, 145 _sq._, 159
Pirot, 258
Pisoderi pass, 126, 221, 222
Piton Brûlé, 105, 110, 123, 131, 132
Piton Rocheux, 105, 109, 110, 124–126, 130–132
Placa, 183
Plasnitza, 238
Pletvar, 241
Pogradetz, 183, 184, 203
Polosko, 228, 229
Porta, 229
Presba, lake of, 51, 126, 133, 220
Preslap, mt., 229
Press, 59, 60, 161, 173
Prevaletz, 240
Pribilci, 212
Prilep, 48, 105, 212, 219, 220, 233, 236, 239–241, 243, 263
Protopapa, 203
Pruneau, General, 216
Pustareka, 238
Radeff, M., 246
Radomir, 223
Radoslavoff, M., 207, 253
Radovista, 242
Razim Bey, 228, 229
Régnault, General, 133, 145, 191
Repoulis, M., 147
Resna, 240
Ribot, M., 175, 176
Rodosto, 261
Ropotovo, 240
Roumania, 37, 38, 48, 176, 185, 192, 209, 223, 228, 245, 252, 257,
260, 261, 266, 268
Rozden, 229
Rupel, 32–34, 137, 219, 243
Russia, Russians, 42, 45–47, 51, 52, 133, 159, 173, 174, 176,
185–187, 192, 268
Rustchuk, 266
Ryeroft, General, 71, 80
Russoff, General, 227
Sakulevo, 221, 222
Salonica, 23, 28, 29, 32, 56–58, 70, 88, 92, 96, 98, 137–139, 144,
145, 157 _sq._, 171, 177, 192, 221, 222, 246, 260, 264, 267
Salonica fire, 179 _sq._
Salih Butka, 121
Santi Quaranta, 116, 122, 165 _sq._, 173, 184
Sarigöl, 221, 222
Sarrail, General, 24, 26, 38–40, 44–46, 48–50, 53, 56–59, 61, 70,
104, 116, 118–121, 125, 127, 129 _sq._, 137 _sq._, 140 _sq._,
145, 163, 164, 167, 173 _sq._, 177, 178, 183, 187–190, 214
Scholtz, General von, 53, 220, 245, 256
Selechka Planina, 108
Selo Monastir, 228
Semendria, 258
Semeni river, 204, 205
Semnitza, 240
Serbia, Serbs, 15–17, 26, 30, 31, 42, 43, 51, 52, 55–57, 60, 61, 85
_sq._, 108, 109, 114, 119, 120, 129, 130, 133, 149, 159 _sq._,
213, 215 _sq._, 223, 225 _sq._, 243, 247, 250 _sq._, 259, 263,
268, 274
Serbian Relief Fund, 95
Serbian Prisoners, 192 _sq._
Serres, 35, 83, 84, 127, 158, 210, 219, 221, 243
Shistov, 266
Shlen, 226
Sicilia Brigade, 37, 237, 238, 244, 260, 263
Sinapremte, 203
Sivri, 83
Skouloudis, M., 35, 137 _sq._, 147
Skumbi, 204
Slavonia, 259, 263, 268
Slovenes, 192, 259
Smol, 196
Sofia, 158, 209, 223, 245, 248, 264
Sokol, 213, 218, 225, 226
Sop, 238, 244, 264
Sopot, 229
Spezia Brigade, 263
Srka di Legen, 196–198, 214
Staravina, 220, 227
Stari Srptzi, 240
Stavros, 260
Stepanovich, General, 89, 92, 226
Steuben, General von, 54, 220
Stoinik, 258
Stramol, mt., 238, 244
Strori, 204
Struma, 51, 82, 83, 133, 134, 155, 195–197, 212, 213, 221, 222, 243
Strumitza, 27, 218, 242, 243
Studena Voda, 227, 229
Sushitza, 218
Sveta, 237
Sveti Petar, 240
Syria, 260, 261
Szamos, Great, river, 265
Tahinos, lake, 221, 222
Talaat Pasha, 262
Tamajo, Major, 48
Taranowski, General, 187
Taranto, 96, 165, 166, 170
Tchafa Becit, 203
Tchafa Kiarit, 121, 122
Tembet, mt., 203
Temesvar, 268
Tepavci, 47, 95, 104, 236, 267
Téton Hill, 232
Themistocles, 167, 168
Thessaly, 129, 138, 139, 141–145, 174
Thrace, 207, 257, 261
Todoroff, General, 220, 273
Tomoritza river, 204, 206, 217, 220
Topard, General, 216, 225, 260
Topolatz, 227
Topolchani, 236, 239
Topolitza, 241
Tortue Hill, 127, 128
Toulon, 165
Tranié, General, 240, 241, 258
Travers Clarke, General, 71
Trebuniste, 240
Trezia, 228
_Tribune_, 162
Tricoupis, M., 138
Tricoupis, General, 234
Troubridge, Admiral, 89
Troyatzi, 241
Tsanas, M., 138
Turkey, Turks, 53, 54, 158, 185, 207–209, 252, 254, 260, 261
Tzarevo Selo, 243
Tzar Vrh, 242
Tzer, 238
Tzrkvenetz, 252
Tzrni Kamen, 242
Tzrvena Stena, 47, 106, 126
Udunista, 184
Union and Progress, Committee of, 261
United States Policy, 208, 209
Uskub, 23, 53, 158, 207, 213, 220, 223, 229, 236, 240, 241, 243, 248,
256, 259, 274
Valandovo, 220
Valona, 86
Vardar, 25 _sq._, 51, 52, 98, 127, 133, 155, 159, 195, 207, 212
_sq._, 218, 221, 229 _sq._
Varna, 245
Vassart, General de, 121
Veles, 23, 212, 213, 223, 231, 240, 241, 256
Venel, General, 145
Venizelos, M., 33, 34, 121, 137 _sq._, 145 _sq._, 247
Verria, 49, 158
Vershetz, 264
Vertekop, 49, 100, 221
Vetrenik, 55, 213, 219, 226
Vidin, 258, 264
Vladovo, 102
_Voce d’Italia_, 162
Vodiani, 237, 240
Vodena, 98, 101
Votchtaran, 92
Voyussa, 120
Vprchani, 229
Vrania, 23
Vrbetzko, 229
_Westerners_, 11, 12
Wilson, President, 209
Wilson, General Sir Henry, 217, 230, 232, 262, 267
Xanthi, 221
Yakrenovo, 240
Yarena, 229
Yelika, 238
Yenidje-Vardar, 99
Yugoslavs, 192 _sq._, 259, 260
Zaïmis, M., 138, 141, 145–147
Zapolchani, 237
Zayetchar, 257–259
Zborsko, 227, 229
Zimbrakakis, General, 138, 140, 154, 195
Zovik, 227
Transcriber’s Notes
Punctuation, hyphenation, and spelling were made consistent when a
predominant preference was found in the original book; otherwise they
were not changed.
Simple typographical errors were corrected; unbalanced quotation
marks were remedied when the change was obvious, and otherwise left
unbalanced.
Illustrations in this eBook have been positioned between paragraphs
and outside quotations. In versions of this eBook that support
hyperlinks, the page references in the List of Illustrations lead to
the corresponding illustrations.
Footnotes, originally at the bottoms of pages, have been resequenced
and repositioned just above the index.
The index was not checked for proper alphabetization or correct page
references.