STORMING THE FORTS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLIV, Issue 78, 2 April 1913, Page 5

STORMING THE FORTS.

SECRET SIEGE GUNS,

AVALANCHE OF SHEIKS.

FORTS CRUMBLED AWAY.

LONDON, April 1. The newspaper correspondents, who have entered Adrianople, describe the decisive storming of six forts, which -were regarded as the most formidable, and which crowned a great ridge east of Adrianople. From these forte 60 guns had thundered for months. General Ivanoff, dnring the armistice, destroyed a vulnerable point on the north-east, where the Aivas Baba Fort former an apex, which could be bombarded from the north and east. Eighty siege guns were secretly placed in position. Casea of shells wire conveyed at night time to the appointed positions, and hidden behind the slopes of the distant heights. Each wagon load which was taken across the pathless fields consisted of only six rounds for the heavy guns, yet 50,000 rounds were thus patiently amassed in the casements of the big batteries. A general attack was ordered while General ivauolT gathered a storming party, consisting of 25,000 mcn ; behind' the concealed batteries. - --■ ■ At the first glimpse of dawn the Bulgarians bounded to their feet uttering superhuman yells, grasped their bayonets, and hurling themselves forward, they crossed three wire entanglements thick as spider-webs, and reached the laafc barrier. The Turks fled without resisting, and the storming party captured the redoubts and trenches a mile in front of Aivas Baba. Meanwhile 80 cannon threw an avalanche of projectiles, making it impossible for the fort to reply. The walla then crumbled down.