ALLIES AT SALONIKA.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 309, 29 December 1915, Page 2

ALLIES AT SALONIKA.

STORY OF THE LANDING. The invasion of Serbian territory by, the Austro-Gcrman hordes began almost simultaneously with the landing of the Allied troops "at Salonika, and the question here was whether this landing had not been too Jong delayed, said Mr. A. Beaumont, writing from Milan to the "Daily Telegraph" on October !>. It is satisfactory, however, that since hist Tuesday there has been no cessation of activity at Salonika, even during the trying" hours of the Greek crisis, and since then almost every day fresh transports have been arriving. It was a solemn moment, according to the description of all the correspondents, when the first Allied troops set foot on Greek soil. Everybody- in! Salonika had expected it already on the previous ilondny, but it was put off until the following Tuesday. October 5.1 The general expectation wu.s at its ■height, says the correspondent, of the "Secolo," and in the early morning mist I crowds of people went down towards the port, making all sorts of surmises as to' the outcome of it all. aud showing great' eagerness to witness an event which was bound to be memorable in the annals of i Salonika. It was eight o'clock in the I morning when some large liners, converted into army transports, steamed into the harbour," followed by smaller! transports, which conveyed ammunition and other war -material. j ESCORT OF CRUISERS. '

The transport Ueet was carefully escorted by llritish and French torpedo boats and cruisers, aud whilst the ships, which formed an imposing squadron, manoeuvred to their anchorage, and preparations were made for the landing, a number of British warships could be seen in the distance, cruising in every direction in front of the port. Vigilance, in fact, against any surprise attack from the enemy was needed. The manoeuvres for the landing hardly took an hour. At 9 o'clock the big liners were lying safely in the western, waters of the port, which had been cora-j pletely cleared of other shipping, and which now presented a beautiful expanse of the sea. Along the 6'htire, also, J all the Lerchandise had been cleared away, and access was free to the debarking troops and material. The land-j ing could not have been prepared with greater care and order. Greek gendarmes, commanded by the Chief of the Macedonian Gendarmerie, maintained order, and kept the crowds at a distance. Access to the immediate vicinity of the landing place was rigorously forbidden to the public. Conspicuous on the shore, at the spot where the first landing was to be effected, were Colonel Messalas, commander of the troops of Salonika, and the French Colonels Bousqnier and Barquet, the former just arrived from the Serbian headquarters at Nish, and the other from Athens, where he is the regular Military Attache. There were a few British and French civilian offl- ; cials present, and two officers of the ' Serbian general staff, sent to welcome the Allied troops, who thus came in the hour of greatest need to give their generous help to Serbia, A FRENCH WELCOME. The first to set foot on Greek soil was the commander of the French detachment, and as soon as he did so the Consul-General of France handed hira the following message from the French Minister at Athens: — "At the moment when the first detachment of the Expeditionary Force, sent to the assistance of Serbia lands at Salonika, I transmit to you, as Minister of France in Greece, my cordial welcome and my most ardent wishes for the success of your mission. I am grieved that imperative duties have kept mc at Athens and prevented mc from personally coming to express these wishes, and to welcome the admirable troops, whose couduct and discipline will doubtless leave the best souvenirs in tlie friendly country which they <have to traverse in order to reach the territory of the valiant Serbian nation, the common ally of France and Greece."

The landing operations then proceeded 1 with order and method, under the eyes jof a number of Greek soldiers, who (had arrived almost at the same time from Ishe Piraeus, on transports which were anchored near the opposite shore. Hall" an hour after the operations had begun the first gun-carriages were already being landed. The soldiers were put ashore in companies, and were immediately lined up, four abreast, and marched away, with drum 3 heating, to the big camp prepared for them. A detachment was immediately sent to take up the service of guarding t'be railway line to Serbia, The station, however, was not occupied 'by them, and remained under the control of the Greek authorities. According as the troops arrived in the camp, they wore drawn up in line before being told to break up, and presented | arms in honour of the city which gave them hospitality. Later on the ranks were formed again, and the troops, with drum and file-, entered the town, and proceeded to the square in front of the principal barracks. Then, with bayonets fixed, they marched by. It was about half-past twelve as they did so, and the ceremony was intended as another 'homage to the town. DISEMBARKING GUNS. The French troops were the first to march by, and immediately returned. The landing operations 'were continued i all day, and after the men had been put j ashore the material, including a number 'of batteries and a large number of machine guns and enormous quantities !of ammunition, were landed. The troops also brought their own rations, and immense quantities of stores were put ashore from the transports. It was interesting to observe uhe attitude of the crowds in the city during the march by of the troops. There was no demonstration whatever, either in one direction ot the other. The fact is tliat German emissaries had been active for a long time past, spreading all sorts of false rumours. As it was, flhc dense masses, who could hardly be kept 'back behind the lines of policemen, looked on without giving vent to any manifestations excepting those of simple curiosity.

Now and then there were some remarks of admiration at the soldierly bearing of the French and British soldiers and their fine equipment. When the troops finally got permission to move about they freely entered the town, and it was a picturesque sight to see French, British, and Greek uniforms in groups in the street. There was great animation all the afternoon and evening. The greatest cheerfulness reigned everywhere, as people were then still under the impression of the manly speech of M. Venizelos at the last sitting of the Chamber, but in the evening tho news of his resignation came like a thunderbolt.