A TERRIFIC FIGHT

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 77, 1 April 1913, Page 5

A TERRIFIC FIGHT

ROUND PAPAS TEPE FORT. SERVIANS MOWN DOWN BY MACHINE GUNS. BELGRADE, March 31. The Servian soldiers who took part in the siege of Adrianople state that the sufferings of the besiegers were worst during January and February, when there was 6ft of snow on the ground. Many of the men were frost-bitten by the sharp ice, but despite their sufferings they stormed the Turkish positions. One hundred and three thousand Turks surrendered when the first positions were captured, but the besiegers were unable to advance owing to the concentrated fire of three forts. They remained entrenched until night, when three attempts were made to storm Fort Papas Tepe, scaling the walls under the fire of 24 Turkish machine guns. ENTRENCHING UNDER FIRE. Papas Tepe was captured on Wednesday morning. Early on Tuesday the Danubian division was within ;">ooyds of the Turks before being discov-red, and were subjected to a terrible fusillade of machine guns. This forced the Servians to entrench under fire. One battalion lost 30 per cent of its strength, although the Turkish fire was erratic. The Danubians, at 11 o'clock at night, renewed the attack, although the Bulgarians at first refused to go forward owing to their terrible losses. The Servian bomb-throwers, with their officers 10 paces before the companies, crept along cat-like. The Turks discovered them too late, and tbe bombthrowers rushed the trenches. • BULGARIANS' RETREAT. The Turks, on being reinforced, expelled the Bulgarians, who lost all their officers, and were then commanded by non-commissioned officers. The Bulgarians' retirement exposed the Servians, who retreated to Maritza, but were unable to escape owing to the bridge being broken. Meanwhile the Timok division was in a serious plight at Fort Tepelar, when lat a distance of 500 yds mines were exploded, killing hundreds. T*ie Bulgarians retreated, leaving the I Servians alone in great danger. The Turks brought eight machine guns within 50yds, and made three counterattacks until they were forced to abandon the fort.