FALL OF ADRIANOPLE

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 287, 3 April 1913, Page 5

FALL OF ADRIANOPLE

A DISPUTED HONOR. London, April 1. There is a sharp con trovery between the Servians and Bulgarians re- ] specting the honor of capturing Adrialiople, especially the capture of Shukri ' Pasha. i The latest phase is a detailed semi- ' official statement from Sofia, disprov- ''. ing Servia's claims. i . THE ALLIES' PLAN'S THE OPPOSING FORCES. Received 2, 9.40 p.m. Sofia, April 2. , The Bulgarian headquarters' report states that Adrianople had four natural sectors, the eastern containing fourteen forts, the southern four, the western two, and the north-western seven, totalling twenty-seven forts. There were sixty-four permanent batteries, a garrison of 75,000, 200 siege guns, and 430 field pieces. The section between Aivastabia and Tashta'bia was selected as the point of decisive action. General Vazoff, commanding the attackers of the eastern sector, was given fourteen regiments of Bulgarians, with 88 quick-firers and 9S heavy siege guns. Two Bulgarias brigades under General Kirkoff, with 12 quick-firing 'batteries and 28 siege guns, • occupied the southern fort. Three regiments of Servians, the Danube division and the Second Ban under General Rachtigh, occupied the western sector, but had no siege guns, in view of the secondary importance of this sector. The Servian Timok division and the First Ban under General Konditch were on the north-west front. The besieging force comprised 120,000 Bulgarians; with 370 guns, and 40.000 Servians, with 98 guns. THE FINAL ASSAULT. BRAVERY OP BULGARIANS. V ' LOSSES OF THE BESIEGERS. Received 2, 11.30 p.m. > London, April 2. After the advanced positions were captured, an artillery duel took place during the whole day over a circumference of 50 kilometres. Thousands of shells were fired, destroying the forts and guns and demoralising the defenders. Under the protection of the deadly fire, the infantry made a vigorous advance, and halted at ten o'clock on Tuesday .night two or three hundred paces from the eastern forts. The bombardment continued, and the infantry cut the barbed wire. Throughout Tuesday, the Danube division made determined efforts to capture Papastepe. The Timok division held the position which it occupied in the morning. General Ivanoff ordered the capture of the forts in the eastern section at 11 o'clock, and a bayonet charge was carried out with the dash and courage which are the pride of the Bulgarian army. Early on Wednesday morning, while infantry were advancing, field batteries and howitzers followed the troops and opened a heavy fire on the Turks retreating from the captured position. The whole line was captured at 7.30, but the Turks still held out in the northwest sector. At 9 o'clock the howitzers began to. have an effect on the northwest sector. Chukri Pasha blew up the stores in the south-western sector. Firing ceased at 1 p.m., and Chukri Pasha surrendered at 1.30. The Bulgarians had ten or eleven thousand killed and wounded. The Servians had six officers and 268 men killed, and seven officers and 1160 men wounded. The Bulgarians captured forty generals, 2000 officers, and 60,000 men.