BALKAN WAR 3I 



The end of November was marked by a Bulgarian victory near the Aegean coast. 

 As already mentioned, a force of 15,000 Turks had been defeated at Kirjali on October 

 2oth and had retired towards Gumuljina, where their presence constituted a threat on 

 the rear of the troops investing Adrianople. During November, operations against this 

 force were undertaken by'various Bulgarian detachments ; one column of the 2nd Division, 

 advancing from Kirjali, drove the Turks southwards to Gumuljina; while other columns, 

 consisting largely of cavalry, pushed down the Maritza valley to cut the Turks off from 

 Dedeagach. Gumuljina was captured on November 22nd; the Turks then retired along 

 the railway to Fere station, and finally took up a position north of Merhanli village. 

 There the Bulgarian columns closed round them, and after an artillery combat on the 

 26th, the whole force surrendered on the 27th. The prisoners numbered 12,000, includ- 

 ing Yawer Pasha and his two divisional commanders. While these operations were in 

 progress, a portion of one of the Bulgarian columns, which had descended the Maritza 

 valley, had entered Dedeagach (Nov. 26th), capturing large quantities of rolling stock; 

 another detachment had moved farther east to Malgara, midway between Dedeagach 

 and Rodosto. The occupation of Dedeagach rendered possible the transfer of part of 

 General Todoroff 's army to Thrace. This force, numbering about 1 2 ,000, was embarked 

 at Salonica in Greek transports between November 23rd and 27th, and landed at Dedea- 

 gach about the 28th~3oth. Railway communication from Dedeagach to Dimotika was 

 opened about November 22nd. 



Of the siege of Adrianople meanwhile few details became known; the garrison under 

 Shukri Pasha maintained an active defence, and, in spite of prolonged bombardment and 

 numerous costly attacks, no important success was gained by the besiegers, except the 

 capture of the Kara Tepe and Papas Tepe forts on November loth. It does not appear 

 that the Bulgarian ordnance was of sufficient power for the task imposed on it. After 

 the capture of Kirk Kilisse (Oct. 24th) a portion of the investing force was withdrawn to 

 reinforce the field army, and their places were taken by 3rd line troops. At the begin 

 ning of November 45,000 troops of the ist and 2nd Servian Armies are said to have joined 

 the besieging force. Attempts by the garrison to break out towards the south and east 

 were repulsed on November i8th and 24th. A final unsuccessful assault was made on 

 the west front just before the conclusion of the armistice. 



The Bulgarian recruits of the 1913 and 1914 contingents were called out to replace 

 losses, and left for the front after a short training on November 25th. 



Western Theatre of War. 



Operations of the Servian Armies. The Servian plan of campaign was apparently for 

 the ist and 2nd Armies to'con verge on the plain of Uskub while the 3rd Army safeguarded 

 the right flank of the movement, captured Prishtina, and moved on Uskub via the 

 Kachanik Pass. The 4th Army, in the Sanjak of Novi Bazar, was to get touch with the 

 Montenegrins and neutralize the Moslem elements in this region. On the other hand 

 Zekki Pasha's intention was, it is stated, to keep his army concentrated near Uskub, and 

 act on interior lines against the Servian ist and 2nd Armies; while the troops in the 

 Sanjak were to prevent a junction of the Servians and Montenegrins, and to raid the 

 Servian communications. 



On October igth the ist Servian Army crossed the frontier, and on the 22nd after 

 delaying, to allow the advance of the 2nd and 3rd Armies to make itself felt it came in 

 touch with the Turkish 6th and 7th Corps near Kumanovo. The Turks attacked on the 

 23rd, but were repulsed ; early on the 24th the Servian ist Army took theoffensive, assist- 

 ed by a detachment of the 2nd Army, and gained a complete victory. Meanwhile the 

 Servian 2nd Army had occupied Strazin on November 22nd, and had reached Kratovo, 

 where part of the Turkish 5th Corps was defeated on the 26th. The Turkish Army, 

 demoralised by its defeat at Kumanovo and finding its retreat threatened, evacuated 

 Uskub without further fighting, abandoning most of its artillery (115-120 guns) and 

 immense quantities of stores. The Servians entered Uskub on the 26th. 



The greater part of Zekki Pasha's Army retired from Uskub to Kaprulu; but one 



