KIRK KILISSIA.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 171, 6 December 1912, Page 6

KIRK KILISSIA.

APPALLING DETAILS. THE FffiST TURKISH DEFEAT. Details received by the mail yesterday of the first great Turkish defeat at Kirk Kilisse show vei'y gallant lighting until the disastrous bungle of the night attack, in which two Turkish divisions blundered against and fought each other in the dark.

After tlie repulse ot the lirst attacK on the vineyards in the afternoon, a Red { Cross correspondent went over the field to help the wounded. He declares that theßashi-Bazouks and the Kurds, who followed the retreating Bulgarians, massacred and mutilated the wounded ir. an appalling way. The lucky ones were those who were killed outright by bullets, for the way in which the Kurdish devils mangled the helpless wounded was awful. In- most cases the victims' eyes were gouged out, and ears and noses were cut oil. Many had their stomachs ripped open. When the second, attempt was made to storm the fortress, the Bulgarian officers, even while suffering from atrocious wounds, shouted, "do ahead for Bulgaria and the Czar." The attack was repulsed. During a pause a Red Cross Brigade cleared the field of wounded. Then a third attack was decided on, as the Bulgarian commanders found that the Turkish ammunition was giving out. The soldiers were ordered to attack ruthlessly, and the assault ended in an awful hand-to-hand fight. Turks and Bulgarians, shouting wild cries, fought desperately with almost every conceivable weapon, on a battlefield treacherously lined I with explosives and mines, which killed ! many. Those who had no weapons used their fists,' and even their teeth, and many Bulgarians found wounded had their throats bitten through by the wild Kurds. FIGHTfXG UNDER SEARCHLIGHTS.

The third attack lasted all night in the blinding glare of the searchlights from the forts, and by morning the' Bulgarians were masters of the vineyards. Then began the attack on the ring of fortresses crowning the hills round the town. It was the same story of bayonet attacks, and fearful loss on the Bulgarian side. Meanwhile news had arrived that the main Turkish army was retreating, and the Bulgarians decided to make a last effort. They were forbidden to shoot, and the bayonet was only to be used. They fell in to; their ranks, and pressed forward steadily till the Turkish resistance collapsed, possibly because the defenders realised that the army was retreating, and the forts were captured.

In the streets of Kirk Kflis.se tke blood ran in rivers, says the Daily Express. At every corner the"/ soldiers fought hand to hand battles .until one, or generally both, died. When the..vie--tors finally took possession nothing was visible but the ruins, washed : by/rivers of human blood. , v '". '' //. Once the struggle began the Bulgarians' lived on bread and water. '"We''shall find something to cat in Kirk 'Kilisse,'! the soldiers said. There was .no cess;a-'. tion of the attack. Bayonet attacks were carried on, particularly, at' night'.' In'their sandals the Bulgarians, approach-' ed. in the darkness without.niaking^any' noise, and hurled themselves oh''t,he ; 're-' doubts. They must have.filled'up.'the obstacles with corpses, says the Dai,ly Telegraph correspondent. The attack upon the large modern forts was carried on by ancient methods, as the walled • towns were assaulted in/remote- figea.

PANIC AXD REVOLVER SHOTS. According to the narratives of refugees from Kirk Kilisse, the urider Mukhtar Pasha and Prince Aziz were mainly Rediffs;; und£r-£.fficered>.;ill-trained and badly fed;, ..ami several regi-, ments had no rations"ior the ,43 hours. J The officers did.not know. A night attack was ordered,/.but"the energetic defence of the; Bulgarian's dis-. j concerted the Turks,; and panic, set/iii. j Mukhtar Pasha endeavored to ; arrest the' panic, shooting down several ..of the' flee-1 ing soldiers .with his, revolver. Prince Aziz joined in the flight. After cbiy-'-l snltation with .General Abdullah, Mukh'-'J tar Pasha ordered a retreat. General j Hi! mi refused, fearing that it would mean a general debacle. With part of his division he took up a position in the fortifications north-west'of Kirk Kilisse, to cover the retreat. His troops, also stricken with panic, began to •'disperse.' Hilmi-Pasha shot down several soldiers, { and by his coolness"and'-'energy! he 'sine*ceeded in retiring witfcihe greater part _ of his'- division, the main .divisions .continuing the retreat in. the-utmost' order. Eahri division;- held .the;, advancing Bulgarians, '/temporarily. ..-in ) check, and he re-capt.ur6d.vfoul\gif». c I.i/ - THE PROBLEM':^'OLVIiD:'-"- 1 '<■' ■ ■' i- .11 Hnuu ,'-.\ ■:)!';[ |v-,.-. Kirk Kilisse liad a, system of fortifications, no,t,.qulJiqii&'r^shs4 i , l -,#ufc i . capable 'of pi , oloJlgied::-Tesisttaasei. r e.veiji, against the heaviest., artillery: v jT4rec_ major forts, which.constituted) jtjje;.t?li(i,cj modes of defence, were built of cemejijij}; and had been- constructed......jwder the direction of German officers.'"' They were the last word-, ; tn.- military,, science, and ■were reputed 'to be'imprelgnaW-ey except by milling. The armament consisted oi Gin and l'lin guns, KXTpieccs altogether, double external. -, ;.; ;>";"<-j ;..- w ;;;•;■[ , iCritk-s competent ..to judge "declare that : ,tUe , Bulgarian valor and darimj were hot sufficient to'explain' tile ta'k'irig'! of such' a strongly-fbi'tiried ]>osition as J Kirk Kilisse, the do/wrifallof- whiCh'liiiist*' ,have been .dim at'least :: ih' pftrt i 'ta'"->th6: disorder", and dcinoralisatiorf; of '* thb ; enemy. " '. / ! - ' " <<■ ■> ->iii io !.v< >■:■:,

•: Tli'iiTurks, although tlii-eattiimgiWant;: | could not' have be]i(lve<^tliai ! \Vttr >:tfttld'''| -lijav'e come 1 . They' ilI6 r Vi / ed':tHeitiSelvys'to r be caught una wares,'- ajidXi'Kir'fc JCrt?sfs'e; : i a{lthotigli'^hei\e>Vas'^6'l'a.qk'of-Mei[ii : b;in-' i munition and food, there' ttj hiiye be'ih l ' .aJbsolute.unpreparcdness', tremendous kail' 3l ' fusion An '.the.' commands/ 11 'arid'gendrftl' ■ paralysis. ' " •,' ,; ' ■'''■'■'■■" • |, '\ ■ r >' , 'j i . | More than '3oo' Turkish 1 " .officers 1 ; A'iKt : men have heen shot for co'war'diee''' act 1 £irk Kilisse, and'among"ffielii"is Prince AH Aziz, first cousin to the Khedive of Egypt, ftrinca: AzJW':Wi3\]n of cavalry, and was considered to be responsible for his troops running- away. Ho was summoned to Constantinople, c'ourt-m'artialled, found guilty ibi niit ppmplyirg with the' mih'tary/rogtilaltion&Ui'nd'! shot. ;He was once, a; rstudent at the German military school, and af,i,e£\va.r<ts as foreign' officer in .a. cavalry, He was urged to leave tli.q, 3}eryjc,e, pwjn'g; to his debts.. He was educated at Bexlin, and in England. , ,:■ . ; <! V .[,>-.