THE BALKANS.

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16324, 23 September 1918, Page 7

THE BALKANS.

J BULGARIANS RETREATING 1 IN DISORDER. ► (By Cable.—Prees Association.—Copyright) > (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) L LONDON.'Septombor 20. 1 A French Eastern Communiquo ■ states: — "The Allies on Tuesday and Wednesday greatly extended tho two previous days' successes. The Bulgarians aro retreating in disorder on tho Cerna. Our troops, pursuing, readied tho Cerna at one part and captured the mountainous cone Djurev Kamen and Chnaerna. They crossed the river IVlaehiclitza and passed the Rozden region. Thci enemy abandoned prisoners and much material. "British and Hellenic troops attacked in the region of Lako Doiran and pained a footing in the first enemy p sitions. despite resistance. They have already captured numerous prisoners.'' THE ALLIES' ADVANCE. PARIS, September 20. The Allies on tlio Macedonian front) have re-taken 375 square miles of territory in four days, despite the fact) that the eountrv is mountainous nnd) roadless. It will be difficult for the enemy forces to regain cohesion during retreat. NEW YORK, September 20. The French and Serbian forces havo advanced seventeen miles, nnd up to the present have captured 5000 prisoners. BRITISH OFFICIAL MESSAGE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 20. A British official message from 1 Salonica states: — "Tho British and Greeks at 5 o'clock in tha morning on September 18th attacked westward and eastward of Lake Doiran. They advanced our line about 2000 yards. . Heavy Bulgarian counter-attacks regained part of the ground captured on the left, but our positions on the centre and right) were maintained. Eastward of the lake, after a night advance, wo carried tho enemy's outpost lino. Upwnrds of 700 prisoners have boen counted. Tlio Greeks fought with great gallantry." FRENCH OFFICIAL REPORT. (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 20. The French Eastern communique Btates:— "Despite lively resistance, our offensive between tho Cerna and the Vardar progressed. On September 19th the Allied cavalry reached the region of Polosko. The Serbians reached the left bank of the Corna in the region of Dumye, and progressed towards Konopeste across most difficult ground separating Belashnitza from Beshawal The French and Greeks carried the villages of Tussine and Monte at tho foot) of the Dzema. We have captured a total of ninety gunp. The British and) Greek offensive in the region of Doiran is progressing, despite violent counterattacks." SERBIAN OFFICIAL MESSAGES. ' (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Reuter's Telegrams.) (Received September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 21. A Serbian official message states:— "Our advance north on one day was more than fifteen kilometres. The infantry have passed the line Krniv>-Fratogve-Dragoje-Polochko. The cavalry are north of this line. More than ten villages were liberated in one day. At tho bend of the Carna we havo taken the village of Godiyak. The aviators never cease bombing the retreating, enemy. Great numbers of prisoners have been taken. Soldiers of new Serbia, who had been forced to enlist in the Bulgarian Army, are discarding their arms and. transferring to cur side." (Received September 22nd. 6.5 p.m.) LONDON, September 20. The Serbian comrouniqud states:— "The advance continues. We have passed the line Blatet-Tchemeske-Be-lashnitza. The enemy has evacuated) the Cerna river. We are crossing to the left bank. The Bulgarians are burning the stores in their camps. Tho number of prisoners excoeds 5000. An additional ten guns have been captured, mostly heavies; also quantities of material and several villages." THE SERBIAN ADVANCE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Receved September 22nd, 5.5 p.m.) LONDON, Soptombor 21. The Serbian advance gathers momentum. The Bulgars are retreating to the Vardar, which is twenty-five miles distant. The Sorbian advance threatens tho enemy's main railway communications along the Vardar. Tho Crown Prince Alexander commands the Serbians, with Marshal Michitch as Chief of Staff. Marshal Michitch commanded tho Serbians in their great victory over the Austrians at Rudney in 1914.