BALKANS.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 October 1915, Page 5

BALKANS.

THE CAMPAIGN IN SERBIA. SPLENDID SERBIAN RESISTANCE Vienna, Oct. 24. Vienna newspapers give terrible details of the civilian resistance at Belgrade. There was three days' bombardment iby ® centimetre (17in.) guns before the Austrians were able to enter the town, and then there was street to street fighlng for twenty-four hours. The bouses are situated on terraces and the Austrians were unable to discover •whence the bullets came, so they bombarded the whole residential quarter and afterwards stormed the houses. Civilians, including men of sixty and upwards, women and even children, defended them desperately by means of hand grenades. The Serbian losses were immense, as few prisoners were taken. Serbians concealed in a swamp made an equally desperate resistance to the Germans who were crossing the Save. Many Serbians fought until engulfed in mud. A British naval gun did magnificent service in delaying the crossing for a day. London, Oct. 24. Beater's Athens correspondent says the news from the most trustworthy sources is. highly satisfactory. The Serbians are offering a stubborn resistance, on all fronts to the Austro-Ger-man's, and it is not expected that further actions will develop until the Bulgarians obtain important successes. The Bulgarians have discontinued their action at Helessa, owing to the (French operations in the Krvolafc and Strumnitza sectors. Paris, Oct. U.

Le Petit Parisien's Athens correspondent states that the Serbian success in the north has.been confirmed. The Austro-Germans are unalble to junction with the Bulgarians, and have assumed the defensive pending reinforcements. Le Journal's Athens correspondent reports that a furious battle, tie most bloody and serious that has taken place in the Balkans for three years, is proI greasing near Veles. The Austro-Ger-iman defeat in north Serbia has now forced King Ferdinand to strike a heavy blow in the south. General Maekensen has given up the idea for the time being of joining wp the armies in the Timok Valley. Picked Bulgarians are attempt- | ing a surprise attack on the IsbtibI Veles sector. Success means the isolation of the Serbian army, and failure spells the collapse of the concerted German and Bulgarian plans, the Bulgarian ammunition is running short. A METHODICAL RETREAT. SERBIANS IN GOOD POSITION, Amsterdam, Oct, 24. The Lokal Anzeiger states that the Serbian retreat is most methodical General Mackensen's booty is practically nil. . The Serbians have strongly fortified the new defensive positions, and the Austro-Germans will find them terribTy expensive to conquer. ALLIES GO FORWABD. Borne, Oct. 24. The Allies at Salonika are leaving for the interior daily. BULGARIAN REPORTS. SUCCESSES NORTH AND SOUTH. Ammsterdam, Oct. 2A. A Bulgarian communique states: We are advancing between Kniashevatz and Zaitchar, and have reached the left bank of the Timok. Fighting for the town of Kniashevatz continues. Our troops in Macedonia, after a violent battle, captured the greater part of the town of Uskaib. Fighting continues there. We are continuing the offensive on the other fronts. Sofia, Oct. 23. A communique says the Bulgarians on the upper Timck reached the right bank on the 21st. Operations in certain portions of Macedonia are being suspended owing to the extraordinarily bail weather. Twelve Allied ships bombarded the Aegean coast, but the attack has no military significance.