EXPELLEE FROM CHATALDJA

Auckland Star, Volume XLIII, Issue 268, 8 November 1912, Page 5

EXPELLEE FROM CHATALDJA

TURKS AGAIN RETREAT. MAIN POSITIONS CAPTURED. VISA AND B.ODOSTO TAKEN. (Received 11-5 a.m.) (By Cable.-Press Association.—Copyright.) LONDON, November 7.

The "Kolniscbe Ze.itung's" war correspondent reports that the Turks have been decisively benten and expelled, from Chataldja. Their main positions were takrn by the Bulgars, and many Hags were captured. The Bulgarians have occupied Visa, an important, post in the I strand ja Daph Mountains, eastward of Bunar Hissar and Rodosto. on the Sen. of Marmora, 00 miles from Constantinople. THE BATTLE OF SERAI. It i.s reported that the losses on both sides in the action between Serai and Tchorlu were more severe than at the battle of Lule Burgas. For hours the result of the battle hung in the balance. The fortunes of the opposing forces \pere continually wavering. The position of the Bulgarians at times was hazardous. TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS.

The war correspondents describe the terrible suffering of many Turkish wounded, after hasty field dressing, journeying along congested roads to the Tchorlu hospitals.

A surgeon from Tchorlu declares that he never saw a battlefield so entirely crowded with dead and wounded. No possible succour was available; the field was simply an appalling shambles. Meanwhile detachments of cavalry dashed among thr , unwounded fugitives, driving them back to Mukhtar Pasha's force, which was also being strengthened from Rodnsto, hoping to turn the Bulgarian position. 55,000 CASUALTIES. It is officially stated that the. Bulgarians had 15.000 killed or wounded in the five days of the battle round Lule Burgas and Bunar HJsssr. The Turks lost over 40.000. WOUNDED LEFT ON THE FIELD. Many of the wounded have been lying on the plains since the last combat at Marasch, there being nobody to succour them. The Bulgarian Red Ooss section has been fired at every time that it has attempted to rescue the wounded. A well-known Sofia doctor has been killed in assisting wounded Turks. The many skirmishes on the long battle front and the rain have converted the surrounding country into a quagmire. The Turks murdered Colonel Voniveit, a German officer, during the retreat from Kirk Kilisse. COWARDLY OFFICERS. Nsizim Pasha (Commander-in-Chief of the Turkish army!, in a report to the I Ministry of War. the condition of the Turkish army a* desperate, and discipline a,s abominable. Fifty oQieers. the report states, have ! been condemned and shot for various I offences. Nazim Pasha admits that he person- | ally shot three officers for cowardice. LEFT TO THE ENEMY. Many positions, the report adds, have been abandoned without the slightest

resistance, and the artillery and stores have been left to the enemy. Many officers refuse to £0 to the front, and are in hiding. The Ministry- of War has issued nn order threatening to put skulkers to death. It is reported that 25,000 Kurds from Asia Minor are marching to Constantinople. The defeated troops are arriving in Constantinople in a dosperut? plight. They have been foodlcss for three days. TERROR IN STAHBOUL. A state of grrat terror prevailed in fitamboul I the older portion of Constantinople ] till the arrival of the first of the foreign warships. The atithorities are organising assistance to prevent disturbances. Christian Ottomans are chiefly imprrillcd. CROWDED WITH REFUGEES Appalling misery prevails in many of the provinces. Thousands of families are flying to the towns, and the mosques, ', .schools and churches arc crowded with [ refugcrs. Many children succumbed to the bitter weather, and lay down by the wayside and died. Other people have been driven insano by the privations to which they have, been subjected.