TO FORESTALL SARRAIL'S MOVE.

North Otago Times, Volume CIII, Issue 13653, 22 August 1916, Page 3

TO FORESTALL SARRAIL'S MOVE.

i •' ACTIVITY IN THE BALKANS. ~ CtERMAN-BULGAR ATTACK ~ ;;_.-•! BEGINNING. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) Received August 21, 7.0 p.m. , ATHENS, August-21, 'The'.'.Bulgarian .Minister visited M. Zaimis .'(Premier of Greece) on Saturday morning and announced that the German-Bulgarians' general attack was beginning, • , ', FORESTALLING ANGLO-FRENCH. REASON FOR BULGARIAN. . OFFENSIVE. " • vi ; APPEAL TO GREECE. \ (Australian and N.Z. Oahle Association). Received August 21,7,0 p.m. - • : ■ .COPENHAGEN, August 21. ■■'■' A Bulgarian 'official message rays:' Our offensive : 'i'S'.'necessary 'to forestall General 'Sarrail. If St b'ecoihes nece.s.-, sary to tight hi Greek territor)y"Bu 1 f iU garia expects Greece to give the Bulgarian army the same freedom of action as to the. Eutente. ADVANCE "FROM MONASTIR.' v .-, FLORINA OCCUPIED. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) ' SALONIKA, August 21. . It' appears that the Bulgarians advanced in fofc : e from Monastir and occupied 'the .town and statio nof Fiorina with no .difficulty because there was only a battalion' of Serbians, which withdrew. , 'The Bulgarians, before occupying the rise ■at ''Starasta, sent a message to the Greek commanders-requesting the withdrawal, The Greeks complied, • The British' infantry's attack, on 'Horseshoe Hill, commanding Doldzeli, was a brilliant affair, the men showing great keenness in their first experience in close fighting. They used their bombs and bayonets with great effect. Received August 21, 7.0 p.m. '■■ "' ATHENS, August 21. • It is'reported that the Serbians are advancing on Fiorina, and tlie Bulgarians are evacuating Monastir. : OPENING OF OFFENSIVE DESCRIBED. FURIOUS ATTACKS REPULSED. • ("The«Times"'Service.) , . . ' LONDON, August 20. Mr G, Ward Price, The Times special correspondent iii the Balkans, writing on the I.Bth, says: .The Bulgarians yesterday commenced, an offensive along the'whole.Serbian, front in the Moglen sector. Six battalions furiously attacked with the object of recapturing the positions.they lost in July, but, were everywhere, repulsed with enormous losses,' except at Fiorina, where only Serbian outposts occupied the town and station,. South, of >Demirhissar patrols crossed the.Struma and exchanged shots with our cavalry. At Lissa and Starchitia' (east of Demirhissar) the Bulgars ordered the Greeks to withdrew the defending guns, and the Greeks obeyed, the. Bulgars occupying both positions, Meanwhile British infantry attacked a hill commanding Doldzeli, drove out the enemy,.and consolidated the position. PRELIMINARY SKIRMISHING ACTIVITY'ON A WIDE FRONT. BULGARS. AGGRESSIVE TACTICS. (Australian and N.Z. Ciliic Association.) Jhk SALONIKA, August 20. jjjWbulgars returned to the attack anVftrdve the French out of Doldzeli. The French, reinforced, re-attacked with vigour,, recapturing the village. Fierce local fighting continues at Doldzeli,. which has several times changed hands. Six Bulgar battalions attacked the Moglenika Valley, but the Serbs repulsed them. PARIS, August 20. Bulgar patrols are pushing forward from the drecton oif Kavalla, and the enemy have occupied the Greek forts of Lissa and Staivisla in the region of the Struma, Our fire held up Bulgar attacks westward of the Stroma, and the British repulsed'Bulgar attacks at Doldzeli.'There is a heavy cannonade on the ■west bank of the Vardar, notably at Majadag, ami lighting south of Monastir, The Serbian advance guards are engaging the Bulgars on the outskirts of Batiaca. . ("Renter's Telegrams,"! •■• LONDON, August 20. A British official message from Salonika says: -We ■ have established our line west and north of Bekeali and Cidembi. and south of Woldyeli, where we have repulsed- counter-attacks. Our cavalry; is in touch with the enemy on the Struma front, . ';

BULGARIA'S OFFICIAL STATE- • MENT. FORCED INTO ACTIVITY. ENTENTE TROOPS CONTINUALLY* ATTACK- BULGARS. ("Renter's Telegrams.") Received August 21, C.JO p.m. AMSTERDAM, August 21...., M. Radoslavoff (Premier of Bulgaria)' speaking in Sobranje (Parliament) said: "As the Entente troops had continually attacked the Bulgars for some days, the latter- hail counter-attacked and advanced in order to secure the best positions, which had been done. The Government was hopeful that this would not- be followed by other complications." The last sentence apparently refers to the likelihood (»f trouble owing to the Bulgars operating in' Greek territory. SERBIAN DIVISION REPULSED. ~ GERMANS CLAIM BULGAR . . .... >( . SUCCESS. '" "(Australian and S.Z, Cable. Association,) . ... '■ i l . . LONDON, August.2o'.. . | ys; .Qerimui ;Commuiiique. says;. .Our Allies "in the Balkans captured Banaea and threw the Serbian Drina division from dominating heights' north of Astroba Lake, They, repulsed counterattacks. CHOLERA AMONGST THE BULGARS. RAGING IN THE BALKANS, . (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) . ATHENS, August 20. Cholera is raging among the Bulgarians at Demirhissar and Ruppel. Bulgarian aeroplanes repeatedly bombed the Red Cross camps, killing several wounded men and also civilians.