Order of battle of the Bulgarian Army in the First Balkan War (1912)

The following is the Bulgarian Order of Battle at the beginning of the First Balkan War

First Balkan War

The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...

as of October 8, 1912. After its mobilization the field army counted for 366,209 men and represented half the field forces of the Balkan League

Balkan League

The Balkan League was an alliance formed by a series of bilateral treaties concluded in 1912 between the Balkan states of Bulgaria, Greece, Montenegro and Serbia, and directed against the Ottoman Empire, which at the time still controlled much of the Balkan peninsula...

. Its greater part was deployed in the main theater of the war in Thrace

Thrace

Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...

but the army also contributed to the allied war effort in 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...

. This order of battle

Order of battle

In modern use, the order of battle is the identification, command structure, strength, and disposition of personnel, equipment, and units of an armed force participating in field operations. Various abbreviations are in use, including OOB, O/B, or OB, while ORBAT remains the most common in the...

includes all combat units, including engineer

Military engineer

In military science, engineering refers to the practice of designing, building, maintaining and dismantling military works, including offensive, defensive and logistical structures, to shape the physical operating environment in war...

and artillery

Artillery

Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...

units, but not medical, supply

Military Supply Chain Management

Military supply chain management is a cross-functional approach to procuring, producing and delivering products and services. The broad management scope includes sub-suppliers, suppliers, internal information and funds flow.-Supply:...

, signal

Military communications

Historically, the first military communications had the form of sending/receiving simple signals . Respectively, the first distinctive tactics of military communications were called Signals, while units specializing in those tactics received the Signal Corps name...

and boarder guard units.

GHQ

The nominal commander in chief of the Bulgarian Army was Tsar

Tsar

Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...

Ferdinand I

Ferdinand I of Bulgaria

Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...

but de facto

De facto

De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...

its control and leadership were in the hands of his deputy Lieutenant-General Mihail Savov

Mihail Savov

Mihail Savov was a Bulgarian general, twice Minister of Defence , second in command of the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars....

. The Chief of the General Staff was Major-General Ivan Fichev

Ivan Fichev

Ivan Fichev was a Bulgarian General, Minister of Defense, military historian and academician.-Biography:...

with Colonel

Colonel

Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...

Stefan Nerezov

Stefan Mikhailov Nerezov was a Bulgarian General and Chief of the Bulgarian Army Staff.-Biography:Stefan Nerezov was born in Sevlievo, at the time part of the Ottoman Empire...

as his Deputy Chief.

First Army

First Army was commanded by lieutenant-general Vasil Kutinchev

Vasil Kutinchev

Vasil Ivanov Kutinchev was a Bulgarian officer. He began his military career in 1879 after graduating from the Military School in Sofia...

1st Sofia Infantry Division ( Major-General 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...

)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Zheliavski)
  - 1st "Sofia" Infantry Regiment
  - 6th "Turnovo" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Major-General Popov)
  - 37th Infantry Regiment
  - 38th Infantry Regiment
- 4th QF FARQuick-firing field artillery regiment (QF FAR), mountain artillery regiment (MAR).
- 4th FAR
- 1st Pioneer Battalion

3rd Balkan Infantry Division ( Major-General Sarafov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Paskalev)
  - 11th "Sliven" Infantry Regiment
  - 24th "Black Sea" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Ribarov)
  - 29th "Yambol" Infantry Regiment
  - 32nd "Zagora" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Major-General Tepavicharov)
  - 41st Infantry Regiment
  - 42nd Infantry Regiment
- 6th QF FAR
- 6th FAR
- 3rd Pioneer Battalion

10th Infantry Division ( Major-General Bradistilov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Petev)
  - 16th "Lovech" Infantry Regiment
  - 25th "Dragoman" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Petrov)
  - 47th Infantry Regiment
  - 48th Infantry Regiment
- 10th FAR
- 10th Pioneer Battalion

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...

was commanded by lieutenant-general Nikola Ivanov

Nikola Ivanov

Nikola Ivanov was a Bulgarian general, Chief of the Headquarters of the Bulgarian Army between 10 May 1894 and 29 November 1896, Minister of war between 29 November 1896 - 30 January 1899...

8th Tundzha Infantry Division ( Major-General Kirkov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Marchin)
  - 10th "Rhodope" Infantry Regiment
  - 30th "Sheinovo" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Kardzhiev)
  - 12th "Balkan" Infantry Regiment
  - 23rd "Shipka" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel Pachev)
  - 51st Infantry Regiment
  - 52nd Infantry Regiment
- 8th QF FAR
- 8th FAR
- 8th Pioneer Battalion

9th Pleven Infantry Division ( Major-General Sirakov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Evrov)
  - 4th "Pleven" Infantry Regiment
  - 17th "Dorostol" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Popov)
  - 33rd "Svishtov" Infantry Regiment
  - 34th "Troyan" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel Grancharov)
  - 53rd Infantry Regiment
  - 54th Infantry Regiment
- 9th QF FAR
- 9th FAR
- 9th Pioneer Battalion

Haskovo Detachment ( Colonel Delov)
- 2/2nd Brigade
  - 28th "Stremski" Infantry Regiment
  - 40th Infantry Regiment
- 3rd FAR

Mixed Cavalry Brigade (Colonel Tanev)
- 3rd Cavalry Regiment
- 6th Cavalry Regiment

Third Army

Third Army was commanded by lieutenant-general Radko Dimitriev

Radko Dimitriev

Radko Dimitriev was a Bulgarian General, Head of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Army from 1 January 1904 to 28 March 1907.-Biography:...

4th Preslav Infantry Division ( Major-General 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...

)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Todorov)
  - 7th "Preslav" Infantry Regiment
  - 19th "Shumen" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Enchev)
  - 8th "Primorski" Infantry Regiment
  - 31st "Varna" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Major-General Tserkovkski)
  - 43rd Infantry Regiment
  - 44th Infantry Regiment
- 5th QF FAR
- 5th FAR
- 4th Pioneer Battalion

5th Danube Infantry Division ( Major-General Hristov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Abadzhiev)
  - 2nd "Iskar" Infantry Regiment
  - 5th "Danube" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Sofroniev)
  - 18th "Etarski" Infantry Regiment
  - 20th "Dobruja" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel Ivanov)
  - 45th Infantry Regiment
  - 46th Infantry Regiment
- 1st QF FAR
- 1st FAR
- 5th Pioneers Battalion

6th Bdin Infantry Division ( Major-General Tenev)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Kantardzhiev)
  - 3rd "Bdin" Infantry Regiment
  - 15th "Lom" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Pakov)
  - 35th "Vratsa" Infantry Regiment
  - 36th "Kozloduy" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd FAR
- 6th Pioneer Battalion

Cavalry

The single Bulgarian cavalry division served independently on the Thracian Theater:

Cavalry Division ( Major-General Nazlamov)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Salabashev)
  - 1st Cavalry Regiment
  - 2nd Cavalry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Danailov)
  - 4th Cavalry Regiment
  - 7th Cavalry Regiment
  - 10th Cavalry Regiment

Second Allied Army

Second Army (Serbia)

The Serbian Second Army was a Serbian field army that fought during World War I.During the First Balkan War, the Second Army participated in the Battle of Kumanovo along with the Serbian First Army and the Serbian Third Army and was deployed in the area around Kyustendil...

was commanded by General Stepa Stepanović

Stepa Stepanovic

Stepa Stepanović OSS OCT GCMG was a field marshal of the Serbian Army who distinguished himself in Serbia's wars from 1876 to 1918.Stepa Stepanović was born in the village of Kumodraž outside of Belgrade on...

7th Rila Infantry Division (Major-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...

)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Mitov)
  - 13th "Rila" Infantry Regiment
  - 28th "Pernik" Infantry Regiment
- 2nd Brigade (Colonel Chilingirov)
  - 14th "Macedonian" Infantry Regiment
  - 22nd "Thracian" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel Georgiev
  Spas Georgiev
  Spas Georgiev is a Bulgarian football forward who plays for Slavia Sofia.-External links:* at pfcslavia.com...
  
  )
  - 49th Infantry Regiment
  - 50th Infantry Regiment
- 7th QF FAR
- 7th FAR
- 2nd MAR**
- 5th Cavalry Regiment
- 7th Pioneer Battalion

Rhodope Detachment

The detachment was commanded by Major-General Stiliyan Kovachev

Stiliyan Kovachev

Stiliyan Kovachev was a Bulgarian General. During the First Balkan War he commanded the Rodopi Detachment and later 4th Army...

2nd Thracian Infantry Division (Major-General Kovachev
Stiliyan Kovachev
Stiliyan Kovachev was a Bulgarian General. During the First Balkan War he commanded the Rodopi Detachment and later 4th Army...

)
- 1st Brigade (Colonel Geshov)
  - 9th "Plovdiv" Infantry Regiment
  - 21st "Srednogorian" Infantry Regiment
- 3rd Brigade (Colonel Mitov)
  - 27th "Chepinski" Infantry Regiment
  - 39th Infantry Regiment
- 3rd QF FAR
- 3rd MAR
- 1st MAR

Unit strengths

The basic Bulgarian infantry division consisted of three infantry brigades, each of two infantry regiments, with each regiment containing four infantry battalions. Additionally these divisions contained two artillery regiments, a cavalry regiment and an engineer battalion. Their full battle strength consisted of 24 infantry battalions while their total strength made them the equivalent of an army corps. Due to tactical necessities the 1st and 6th divisions each gave one brigade for the formation of a new 10th division and fought during the war with a battle strength of 16 battalions.

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