Monastir Offensive
Encyclopedia
Monastir Offensive was an Allied
military operation against the forces of the Central Powers
during World War I
, intended to break the deadlock on the Macedonian Front by forcing the capitulation of Bulgaria
and relieving the pressure on Romania. The offensive took the shape of a large battle and lasted for three months and ended with the capture of the town of Monastir
. On an average depth of 50 kilometers the Bulgarian First Army (from the end of September German Eleventh Army
) gave battle on six occasions and was forced to retreat five times.
chose to join the war effort on the side of the Entente and concentrated most of its forces for an invasion of Transylvania
leaving its 3rd Army to guard the border with Bulgaria. The Russian and French proposals for a joint attack of the Romanian Army and the Allied Salonika Army against Bulgaria were no longer realistic. The Allies however still planned a large offensive in the Macedonian Front for the middle of August in order to support Romania's entry in the war and pin down as many Bulgarian forces as possible. The Bulgarian high command suspected an impending offensive and the fighting around Doiran
that erupted on 9 August only confirmed these suspicions. On their part the Bulgarians had urged for an offensive in Macedonia since the beginning of the year and now planned a strike with the First Army and Second Army
on both Allied flanks. The Germans also gave their sanction for the plan as the former army was part of Army Group Mackensen.
On 17 August the Chegan and Struma offensives began. On the left flank the Bulgarian Second Army
meeting little resistance on its way seized all the Greek territory up to the Struma river. On the right flank the Bulgarian First Army captured Lerin
and continued advancing in the face of stiffening Allied resistance. The advance soon ground to a halt, the offensive here was called off on 27 August and the Bulgarian forces ordered to dig in. This pre-emptive strike however thwarted general Sarrail
's plans and forced him to postpone his own offensive. The need for an Allied attack against Bulgaria became even more urgent in early September 1916, as the Bulgarian Third Army
under general Stefan Toshev
and field marshal Mackensen
achieved decisive victories against the Romanian and Russians in the battles of Tutrakan and Dobrich
.
The Central Powers
could initially oppose these forces with the Bulgarian First Army, German Eleventh Army
and Bulgarian Second Army
in total 172 infantry battalions, c. 900 artillery pieces. In addition there was also the 10th Bulgarian Infantry Division and the forces protecting the Aegean coast
from the river Struma to the boarder with the Ottoman Empire
- 25 infantry battalions, 31 artillery batteries and 24 machine guns.
General Sarrail
planned to strike at the right wing and center of the overextended First Army with his Serbian, French, Russian and Italian forces and content himself with only demonstrative attacks against the Vardar
valley and the Struma, that were to be conducted by the British in order to pin down as many Bulgarian and German troops as possible.
and the French Army of the Orient against the Bulgarian 8th Tundzha Infantry Division and colonel Tasev's reinforced brigade
. The situation soon deteriorated for the Bulgarians and on 14 September they were forced to retreat towards Lerin
, leaving behind some of their artillery guns and abandoning Gornichevo
to the Serbians. On 12 of September the Serbians also began their first attack on the 2,300 meter high Kaimakchalan
ridge. The British also became active on the Struma front and tried to expand their footholds on its right bank.
The Bulgarian First Army's western flank now managed to hold the Allies on the Lerin
- Kajmakcalan
line. The Allies however continued their attacks and on 23 of September, after heavy fighting, the French entered Lerin
. The Bulgarians were still holding on Kajmakcalan
where the 1st infantry brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division was under attack by superior number of Serbian troops supported by heavy French artillery. The fighting was extremely costly for both the attackers and the defenders as the bare, rocky ridge provided almost no cover from the Bulgarian machine gun fire or the Allied artillery.
The Bulgarian setbacks attracted greater attention from both the Bulgarian and German high command and soon several important changes in the command structure were made. On 27 September general Kliment Boyadzhiev
was replaced as commander of the First Army by general Dimitar Geshov. The army itself exchanged headquarters with the Eleventh Army of general Arnold von Winkler . This was followed by the arrival on the front of general Otto von Below
and the establishment of Army Group "Below" on 16 of October that included both the Eleventh and First armies.
On 30 September after 18 days of heavy fighting the Serbian Drina Division finally captured Kajmakcalan
from the exhausted
1st infantry brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division and achieved a breakthrough in the Bulgarian defensive line. The loss of the position and seven artillery guns was regarded by the German and Bulgarian command as irreversible due to the lack of strong artillery reserve. General Winkler ordered the 8th Tundzha Divions, the 1st and 3rd Brigade brigades of the 6th Bdin Division and 2nd Brigade of the 9 Pleven Division to withdraw to a new defensive position. The 1st Brigade of the 3rd Balkan Division was reorganized and its depleted 9 battalions were scaled down to 5 battalions and 4 mixed companies
with 7 mountain guns and a pioneer company. The new Kenali defensive line was occupied from Lake Prespa
to Kenali by the 3 independent infantry brigades(9/2 IB, 2/6 IB and 1/6 IB), from Kenali to the heights east of the Cherna river by the 8th division and from there to the Mala Rupa peak by the 1/3 Infantry Brigade. Further to the east were the remaining forces of the Eleventh Army - the rest of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division, whose positions remained unchanged since they were occupied on 25 of July 1916.
the commander of the Bulgarian Second Army
general Todorov
ordered the 7th Rila Division to take positions for an attack over the Struma river, in order to assist the hard pressed Bulgarians and Germans west of the Vardar
. The Bulgarian high command however refused to give permission for the attack. This hesitation allowed the British to consolidated their positions on the left bank of the Struma around the village of Karacaköy
on 30 of September. On 3 of October the 10th (Irish) Division attacked the Bulgarian positions in the village of Yenikoy that were defended by the 13th Rila Regiment of the 7th Division. The battle lasted for the entire day and the Bulgarians reinforced by the 14th Macedonian Regiment and 17th Artillery Regiment twice retook the village after fierce bayonet struggle. During the night, after a third and last attack the village was occupied b the Irish division. Casualties on both sides were heavy due to the accurate artillery and machine gun fire. After the battle the Bulgarian 13th Regiment was reorganized to a three battalion strength instead of the usual four battalions. After 4 of October the Bulgarians set up positions on the nearby heights to the east while the right flank of the 7th Rila division remained in the valley to protect the Rupel Pass. From this point onwards no large operations were conducted on the Struma front until the end of the offensive.
to Macedonia
and Albania
. In this difficult situation the Bulgarian high command turned to its German allies. The Germans themselves had little reinforcements to offer as the Brusilov Offensive
had taken its toll and the Battle of the Somme was still raging. They turned to the Ottoman Empire
and convinced Enver Pasha to send the 11,979 men of the 50th Division to Macedonia. In October these forces took up position on the Struma and a month latter were joined by the 12,609 men of the 46th Ottoman Division. The two divisions formed the XX Corps and remained in the region until May 1917. This freed some Bulgarian forces that could now be directed to reinforce the Eleventh Army. In addition the Ottoman Rumeli Detachment(177th Regiment) of 3,598 men was also attached to General Winkler's forces.
On 30 September general Joffre
informed general Sarrail
of the impending great offensive of the Romanian and Russian forces under general Averescu
against the Bulgarian Third Army
in Dobrudja and their expected crossing
of the Danube
between Ruse and Tutrakan
. The commander of the Allied Armies of the East now planned to use this by coordinating it with a renewed push against the Eleventh Army's Kenali line and eventually knock out Bulgaria out of the war. On 4 of October the Allies attacked with the French and Russians in the direction of Monastir
- Kenali, the Serbian First and Third Army in along the Kenali - Cherna Loop line, the Serbian Second Army against the Third Balkan Division - in the direction of Dobro Pole. The allies had 103 battalion and 80 batteries against the 65 battalions and 57 batteries of the Central Powers
in the area.
opened with the Serbians trying to gain a foothold on its northern bank. Initially their progress was slow and further west the French and Russian initial attacks were repulsed. During the next weeks the battle developed in a series of attacks and counter-attacks in which the Allies were gradually gaining ground, owing to their artillery superiority. The Bulgarian and German commands also tried to stabilize the situation by reinforcing the Eleventh Army with troops transferred from the First and even from the Second Army. For the duration of the battle at the Cherna Loop some 14 Bulgarian and 4 German infantry regiments participated actively in the fighting. The French and Russians achieved a breakthrough around Kenali by the end of October but were soon halted by the Bulgarians and Germans. The Italian division was also brought to the front and supported the attacks around Monastir.
By this time however general Below had decided to abandon Monastir
and on 18 November, while the heavy fighting was still going on, general Winckler ordered the Elevent Army to retreat to new positions to the north of Monastir
. The Bulgarian commander in chief General Nikola Zhekov
protested this decision but in the end he couldn't stop its execution. On 19 of November French and Russian soldiers entered the town. The Bulgarians established a new position on the Chervena Stena - height 1248 - height 1050 - Makovo - Gradešnica
defensive line. Almost immediately it came under attack but this time the new position held firm because the Allies were exhausted, having reached the limits of their logistical capacity. Thus all French and Serbian attempts to breakthrough the line were defeated and with the onset of winter the front stabilized along its entire length. On 11 of December general Joffre
called off the offensive.
or knockout Bulgaria
out of the war.
The Bulgarians and German casualties totaled around 61,000 men and even though Monastir
had to be abandoned the new positions a few kilometers to the north provided excellent conditions for defense and assured the dominance of the Bulgarian artillery over the town. The line here remained intact until the very end of the war in Macedonia, when the forces occupying it had to retreat due to the breakthrough at Dobro Pole
.
The offensive however also provided some satisfaction as the Serbian troops were able to return to border of their country. The Bulgarians and Germans alike were also satisfied with their resistance to the superior numbers of the Entente. General Nikola Zhekov
went as far as to described the Battle of the River Cherna
as "legendary" in terms of the tenacity of the Bulgarian defense - "conducted without regard of casualties".
Allies of World War I
The Entente Powers were the countries at war with the Central Powers during World War I. The members of the Triple Entente were the United Kingdom, France, and the Russian Empire; Italy entered the war on their side in 1915...
military operation against the forces of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, intended to break the deadlock on the Macedonian Front by forcing the capitulation of Bulgaria
Kingdom of Bulgaria
The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control...
and relieving the pressure on Romania. The offensive took the shape of a large battle and lasted for three months and ended with the capture of the town of Monastir
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
. On an average depth of 50 kilometers the Bulgarian First Army (from the end of September German Eleventh Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
) gave battle on six occasions and was forced to retreat five times.
Background
In August 1916 RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
chose to join the war effort on the side of the Entente and concentrated most of its forces for an invasion of Transylvania
Transylvania
Transylvania is a historical region in the central part of Romania. Bounded on the east and south by the Carpathian mountain range, historical Transylvania extended in the west to the Apuseni Mountains; however, the term sometimes encompasses not only Transylvania proper, but also the historical...
leaving its 3rd Army to guard the border with Bulgaria. The Russian and French proposals for a joint attack of the Romanian Army and the Allied Salonika Army against Bulgaria were no longer realistic. The Allies however still planned a large offensive in the Macedonian Front for the middle of August in order to support Romania's entry in the war and pin down as many Bulgarian forces as possible. The Bulgarian high command suspected an impending offensive and the fighting around Doiran
Battle of Doiran (1916)
In the beginning of August 1916 three French and one British divisions with 45,000 men and 400 guns launched an offensive against the Bulgarian positions at Lake Dojran, defended by the Second Thracian Infantry Division. The attack began on 9 August with heavy artillery fire on the positions of the...
that erupted on 9 August only confirmed these suspicions. On their part the Bulgarians had urged for an offensive in Macedonia since the beginning of the year and now planned a strike with the First Army and Second Army
Second Army (Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Second Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-History:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
on both Allied flanks. The Germans also gave their sanction for the plan as the former army was part of Army Group Mackensen.
On 17 August the Chegan and Struma offensives began. On the left flank the Bulgarian Second Army
Second Army (Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Second Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-History:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
meeting little resistance on its way seized all the Greek territory up to the Struma river. On the right flank the Bulgarian First Army captured Lerin
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
and continued advancing in the face of stiffening Allied resistance. The advance soon ground to a halt, the offensive here was called off on 27 August and the Bulgarian forces ordered to dig in. This pre-emptive strike however thwarted general Sarrail
Maurice Sarrail
Maurice-Paul-Emmanuel Sarrail was a French general of the First World War. Sarrail endeared himself to the political elite of the Third Republic through his openly socialist views, all the more conspicuous in contrast to the Catholics, conservatives and monarchists who dominated the French Army...
's plans and forced him to postpone his own offensive. The need for an Allied attack against Bulgaria became even more urgent in early September 1916, as the Bulgarian Third Army
Third Army(Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Third Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-Balkan Wars:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided into three army inspectorates, each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
under general Stefan Toshev
Stefan Toshev
Stefan Toshev was a Bulgarian General, from World War I. His mother was a teacher from the period of the National Revival. He volunteered in the Bulgarian Opalchentsi Corps during the Russo-Turkish War and later served as a translator. On 10 May 1879 he graduated the Military School in Sofia in...
and field marshal Mackensen
August von Mackensen
Anton Ludwig August von Mackensen , born August Mackensen, was a German soldier and field marshal. He commanded with success during the First World War and became one of the German Empire's most prominent military leaders. After the Armistice, Mackensen was interned for a year...
achieved decisive victories against the Romanian and Russians in the battles of Tutrakan and Dobrich
Battle of Dobrich
The battle of Dobrich, also known as the battle of Bazargic or the Dobrich epopee , took place between 5 and 7 September 1916 between the armies of Bulgaria and Romania...
.
Opposing forces
By September 1916 the Allies had gathered a substantial force of 6 Serbian, 5 British, 4 French, 1 Italian infantry division and 1 Russian infantry brigade for operations on the Macedonian Front. The ration strength of this army reached between 369,000 and 400,000 men. The battle strength was deployed in 201 infantry battalions with 1,025 artillery pieces and 1,300 machine guns.The Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
could initially oppose these forces with the Bulgarian First Army, German Eleventh Army
11th Army (Germany)
The 11th Army was a World War I and a World War II field army.-World War I:The 11th Army was formed in early 1915. It briefly fought on the Western Front during the Battle of Ypres, holding the line against the allied attack...
and Bulgarian Second Army
Second Army (Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Second Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-History:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
in total 172 infantry battalions, c. 900 artillery pieces. In addition there was also the 10th Bulgarian Infantry Division and the forces protecting the Aegean coast
Aegean Sea
The Aegean Sea[p] is an elongated embayment of the Mediterranean Sea located between the southern Balkan and Anatolian peninsulas, i.e., between the mainlands of Greece and Turkey. In the north, it is connected to the Marmara Sea and Black Sea by the Dardanelles and Bosporus...
from the river Struma to the boarder with the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
- 25 infantry battalions, 31 artillery batteries and 24 machine guns.
General Sarrail
Maurice Sarrail
Maurice-Paul-Emmanuel Sarrail was a French general of the First World War. Sarrail endeared himself to the political elite of the Third Republic through his openly socialist views, all the more conspicuous in contrast to the Catholics, conservatives and monarchists who dominated the French Army...
planned to strike at the right wing and center of the overextended First Army with his Serbian, French, Russian and Italian forces and content himself with only demonstrative attacks against the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
valley and the Struma, that were to be conducted by the British in order to pin down as many Bulgarian and German troops as possible.
Opening phase
On 12 September the Allies opened their offensive with a powerful two day artillery barrage and an attack by the Serbian Third ArmyThird Army (Serbia)
The Serbian Third Army was a Serbian field army that fought during World War I.During the First Balkan War, the Third Army participated in the Battle of Kumanovo along with the Serbian First Army and the Serbian Second Army...
and the French Army of the Orient against the Bulgarian 8th Tundzha Infantry Division and colonel Tasev's reinforced brigade
Battle of Malka Nidzhe
The Battle of Malka Nidzhe also known as the Battle of Gornichevo was the opening battle of the Monastir Offensive. It lasted for three days and ended in victory for the Entente forces.-Background:...
. The situation soon deteriorated for the Bulgarians and on 14 September they were forced to retreat towards Lerin
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
, leaving behind some of their artillery guns and abandoning Gornichevo
Kelli, Florina
Kella is a village in the Amyntaio municipality of the Florina Prefecture, Greece.The village was first mentioned in an Ottoman defter of 1468, where it is listed under the name of Gorničevo and described as a small settlement of thirty households. A second defter of 1481 records that the number...
to the Serbians. On 12 of September the Serbians also began their first attack on the 2,300 meter high Kaimakchalan
Battle of Kajmakcalan
The Battle of Kajmakchalan was a battle of the Macedonian Front in World War I. The battle was part of the greater military World War I campaign between the Kingdom of Serbia, on the Allied Side, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria, on the Central Powers...
ridge. The British also became active on the Struma front and tried to expand their footholds on its right bank.
The Bulgarian First Army's western flank now managed to hold the Allies on the Lerin
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
- Kajmakcalan
Kajmakcalan
Kajmakčalan or Kaimaktsalan is a mountain on the border between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. It is the southernmost and highest peak of a range known in Greek as the Voras Mountains and in Slavic Macedonian as Nidže. The national frontier between the two countries runs across the summit...
line. The Allies however continued their attacks and on 23 of September, after heavy fighting, the French entered Lerin
Florina
Florina is a town and municipality in mountainous northwestern Macedonia, Greece. Its motto is, 'Where Greece begins'. It is also the Metropolitan seat for the region. It lies in the central part of Florina peripheral unit, of which it is the capital. Florina belongs to the periphery of West...
. The Bulgarians were still holding on Kajmakcalan
Kajmakcalan
Kajmakčalan or Kaimaktsalan is a mountain on the border between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. It is the southernmost and highest peak of a range known in Greek as the Voras Mountains and in Slavic Macedonian as Nidže. The national frontier between the two countries runs across the summit...
where the 1st infantry brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division was under attack by superior number of Serbian troops supported by heavy French artillery. The fighting was extremely costly for both the attackers and the defenders as the bare, rocky ridge provided almost no cover from the Bulgarian machine gun fire or the Allied artillery.
The Bulgarian setbacks attracted greater attention from both the Bulgarian and German high command and soon several important changes in the command structure were made. On 27 September general Kliment Boyadzhiev
Kliment Boyadzhiev
Kliment Boyadzhiev was a Bulgarian General during the Balkan Wars and First World War.Born in Ohrid, he studied in an elementary school there. After the liberation of Bulgaria in 1878 he emigrated to Sofia...
was replaced as commander of the First Army by general Dimitar Geshov. The army itself exchanged headquarters with the Eleventh Army of general Arnold von Winkler . This was followed by the arrival on the front of general Otto von Below
Otto von Below
Otto von Below was a Prussian general. He was born at and died at Danzig .Before World War I, Otto von Below became major-general in 1909 and lieutenant-general in 1912. On August 1, 1914 he took command of the I. Reserve Corps, which on the outbreak of the war was to be assigned to the Eight Army...
and the establishment of Army Group "Below" on 16 of October that included both the Eleventh and First armies.
On 30 September after 18 days of heavy fighting the Serbian Drina Division finally captured Kajmakcalan
Kajmakcalan
Kajmakčalan or Kaimaktsalan is a mountain on the border between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. It is the southernmost and highest peak of a range known in Greek as the Voras Mountains and in Slavic Macedonian as Nidže. The national frontier between the two countries runs across the summit...
from the exhausted
1st infantry brigade of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division and achieved a breakthrough in the Bulgarian defensive line. The loss of the position and seven artillery guns was regarded by the German and Bulgarian command as irreversible due to the lack of strong artillery reserve. General Winkler ordered the 8th Tundzha Divions, the 1st and 3rd Brigade brigades of the 6th Bdin Division and 2nd Brigade of the 9 Pleven Division to withdraw to a new defensive position. The 1st Brigade of the 3rd Balkan Division was reorganized and its depleted 9 battalions were scaled down to 5 battalions and 4 mixed companies
Company (military unit)
A company is a military unit, typically consisting of 80–225 soldiers and usually commanded by a Captain, Major or Commandant. Most companies are formed of three to five platoons although the exact number may vary by country, unit type, and structure...
with 7 mountain guns and a pioneer company. The new Kenali defensive line was occupied from Lake Prespa
Lake Prespa
Prespa is the name of two freshwater lakes in southeast Europe, shared by Greece, Albania, and Macedonia. Of the total surface area, belongs to Macedonia, to Greece and to Albania...
to Kenali by the 3 independent infantry brigades(9/2 IB, 2/6 IB and 1/6 IB), from Kenali to the heights east of the Cherna river by the 8th division and from there to the Mala Rupa peak by the 1/3 Infantry Brigade. Further to the east were the remaining forces of the Eleventh Army - the rest of the 3rd Balkan Infantry Division, whose positions remained unchanged since they were occupied on 25 of July 1916.
Secondary operations
Around that time, when it became clear that the Allies were pulling troops from the eastern flank and were concentrating them against MonastirBitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
the commander of the Bulgarian Second Army
Second Army (Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Second Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-History:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided in three army inspectorates , each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
general Todorov
Georgi Todorov (general)
Georgi Stoyanov Todorov was a Bulgarian General who fought in the Russo-Turkish War , Serbo-Bulgarian War , Balkan Wars and First World War .-Biography:At the age of 19 he volunteered in the Bulgarian Corps during the Russo-Turkish...
ordered the 7th Rila Division to take positions for an attack over the Struma river, in order to assist the hard pressed Bulgarians and Germans west of the Vardar
Vardar
The Vardar or Axios is the longest and major river in the Republic of Macedonia and also a major river of Greece. It is long, and drains an area of around . The maximum depth of river is ....
. The Bulgarian high command however refused to give permission for the attack. This hesitation allowed the British to consolidated their positions on the left bank of the Struma around the village of Karacaköy
Monokklisia
Monokklisia is a village in Kapetan Mitrousi, Serres Prefecture, Greece. It is best known for the custom Gynaikokratia....
on 30 of September. On 3 of October the 10th (Irish) Division attacked the Bulgarian positions in the village of Yenikoy that were defended by the 13th Rila Regiment of the 7th Division. The battle lasted for the entire day and the Bulgarians reinforced by the 14th Macedonian Regiment and 17th Artillery Regiment twice retook the village after fierce bayonet struggle. During the night, after a third and last attack the village was occupied b the Irish division. Casualties on both sides were heavy due to the accurate artillery and machine gun fire. After the battle the Bulgarian 13th Regiment was reorganized to a three battalion strength instead of the usual four battalions. After 4 of October the Bulgarians set up positions on the nearby heights to the east while the right flank of the 7th Rila division remained in the valley to protect the Rupel Pass. From this point onwards no large operations were conducted on the Struma front until the end of the offensive.
Prelude to decisive battle
A major problem for the Bulgarians was that their army and resources were stretched to the limits from DobrujaDobruja
Dobruja is a historical region shared by Bulgaria and Romania, located between the lower Danube river and the Black Sea, including the Danube Delta, Romanian coast and the northernmost part of the Bulgarian coast...
to Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
and Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. In this difficult situation the Bulgarian high command turned to its German allies. The Germans themselves had little reinforcements to offer as the Brusilov Offensive
Brusilov Offensive
The Brusilov Offensive , also known as the June Advance, was the Russian Empire's greatest feat of arms during World War I, and among the most lethal battles in world history. Prof. Graydon A. Tunstall of the University of South Florida called the Brusilov Offensive of 1916 the worst crisis of...
had taken its toll and the Battle of the Somme was still raging. They turned to the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
and convinced Enver Pasha to send the 11,979 men of the 50th Division to Macedonia. In October these forces took up position on the Struma and a month latter were joined by the 12,609 men of the 46th Ottoman Division. The two divisions formed the XX Corps and remained in the region until May 1917. This freed some Bulgarian forces that could now be directed to reinforce the Eleventh Army. In addition the Ottoman Rumeli Detachment(177th Regiment) of 3,598 men was also attached to General Winkler's forces.
On 30 September general Joffre
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre OM was a French general during World War I. He is most known for regrouping the retreating allied armies to defeat the Germans at the strategically decisive First Battle of the Marne in 1914. His popularity led to his nickname Papa Joffre.-Biography:Joffre was born in...
informed general Sarrail
Maurice Sarrail
Maurice-Paul-Emmanuel Sarrail was a French general of the First World War. Sarrail endeared himself to the political elite of the Third Republic through his openly socialist views, all the more conspicuous in contrast to the Catholics, conservatives and monarchists who dominated the French Army...
of the impending great offensive of the Romanian and Russian forces under general Averescu
Alexandru Averescu
Alexandru Averescu was a Romanian marshal and populist politician. A Romanian Armed Forces Commander during World War I, he served as Prime Minister of three separate cabinets . He first rose to prominence during the peasant's revolt of 1907, which he helped repress in violence...
against the Bulgarian Third Army
Third Army(Bulgaria)
The Bulgarian Third Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.-Balkan Wars:After 1907, during times of peace, the territory of Bulgaria was divided into three army inspectorates, each one comprising three divisional district. During war they formed three...
in Dobrudja and their expected crossing
Flamânda Offensive
The Flămânda Offensive The Flămânda Offensive The Flămânda Offensive (or Flămânda Maneuver, which took place between 29 September and 5 October 1916, was an offensive across the Danube mounted by the Romanian 2nd Army during World War I. The battle represented a consistent effort by the Romanian...
of the Danube
Danube
The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway....
between Ruse and Tutrakan
Tutrakan
Tutrakan is a town in northeastern Bulgaria, an administrative centre of the homonymous municipality, part of Silistra Province. It is situated on the right bank of the Danube opposite the Romanian town of Olteniţa , in the very west of Southern Dobruja, 58 km east of Rousse and 62 km...
. The commander of the Allied Armies of the East now planned to use this by coordinating it with a renewed push against the Eleventh Army's Kenali line and eventually knock out Bulgaria out of the war. On 4 of October the Allies attacked with the French and Russians in the direction of Monastir
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
- Kenali, the Serbian First and Third Army in along the Kenali - Cherna Loop line, the Serbian Second Army against the Third Balkan Division - in the direction of Dobro Pole. The allies had 103 battalion and 80 batteries against the 65 battalions and 57 batteries of the Central Powers
Central Powers
The Central Powers were one of the two warring factions in World War I , composed of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria...
in the area.
Fall of Monastir and end of the offensive
The Battle of the River ChernaBattle of the River Cherna
The Battle of the Cerna Bend , also referred to as the Battle of the Cerna Loop, was a two month long battle between the Bulgarian and Entente armies. The battle took place in the Macedonian Front during the First World War Allied Monastir Offensive in October and November 1916...
opened with the Serbians trying to gain a foothold on its northern bank. Initially their progress was slow and further west the French and Russian initial attacks were repulsed. During the next weeks the battle developed in a series of attacks and counter-attacks in which the Allies were gradually gaining ground, owing to their artillery superiority. The Bulgarian and German commands also tried to stabilize the situation by reinforcing the Eleventh Army with troops transferred from the First and even from the Second Army. For the duration of the battle at the Cherna Loop some 14 Bulgarian and 4 German infantry regiments participated actively in the fighting. The French and Russians achieved a breakthrough around Kenali by the end of October but were soon halted by the Bulgarians and Germans. The Italian division was also brought to the front and supported the attacks around Monastir.
By this time however general Below had decided to abandon Monastir
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
and on 18 November, while the heavy fighting was still going on, general Winckler ordered the Elevent Army to retreat to new positions to the north of Monastir
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
. The Bulgarian commander in chief General Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Todorov Zhekov was the Minister of War of Bulgaria in 1915 and served as Commander-in-Chief from 1915 to 1918 during World War I.-Biography:...
protested this decision but in the end he couldn't stop its execution. On 19 of November French and Russian soldiers entered the town. The Bulgarians established a new position on the Chervena Stena - height 1248 - height 1050 - Makovo - Gradešnica
Gradešnica
Gradešnica is a village in the Municipality of Novaci of the Republic of Macedonia. According to the census of 2002 the population of Gradešnica is composed of 88 Macedonians and 1 Turk.-References:...
defensive line. Almost immediately it came under attack but this time the new position held firm because the Allies were exhausted, having reached the limits of their logistical capacity. Thus all French and Serbian attempts to breakthrough the line were defeated and with the onset of winter the front stabilized along its entire length. On 11 of December general Joffre
Joseph Joffre
Joseph Jacques Césaire Joffre OM was a French general during World War I. He is most known for regrouping the retreating allied armies to defeat the Germans at the strategically decisive First Battle of the Marne in 1914. His popularity led to his nickname Papa Joffre.-Biography:Joffre was born in...
called off the offensive.
Aftermath
For the duration of the offensive the Allies suffered around 50,000 battle casualties, the bulk of those were Serbians. In addition some 80,000 allied troops died or had to be evacuated due to sickness and disease. This brought the total casualties to as high as 130,000 men or a third of all Entente forces in the theater. The front was moved by only about 50 kilometers at a heavy price and in the end the offensive did not prevent the defeat of RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
or knockout Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
out of the war.
The Bulgarians and German casualties totaled around 61,000 men and even though Monastir
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
had to be abandoned the new positions a few kilometers to the north provided excellent conditions for defense and assured the dominance of the Bulgarian artillery over the town. The line here remained intact until the very end of the war in Macedonia, when the forces occupying it had to retreat due to the breakthrough at Dobro Pole
Battle of Dobro Pole
The Battle of Dobro Pole was a World War I battle, fought on 15 September 1918. The battle resulted in a decisive Entente victory, with a defeated Bulgaria left to sign an armistice, which removed it from World War I....
.
The offensive however also provided some satisfaction as the Serbian troops were able to return to border of their country. The Bulgarians and Germans alike were also satisfied with their resistance to the superior numbers of the Entente. General Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Todorov Zhekov was the Minister of War of Bulgaria in 1915 and served as Commander-in-Chief from 1915 to 1918 during World War I.-Biography:...
went as far as to described the Battle of the River Cherna
Battle of the River Cherna
The Battle of the Cerna Bend , also referred to as the Battle of the Cerna Loop, was a two month long battle between the Bulgarian and Entente armies. The battle took place in the Macedonian Front during the First World War Allied Monastir Offensive in October and November 1916...
as "legendary" in terms of the tenacity of the Bulgarian defense - "conducted without regard of casualties".