GREEK SOLDIERS OFFER A HEROIC RESISTANCE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16317, 25 August 1916, Page 5

GREEK SOLDIERS OFFER A HEROIC RESISTANCE.

: COUNTRY STIRRED BY REPORTS OF THEIR GALLANTRY PHEAPETRA GARRISON FIGHT TILL LAST MAN FALLS. FORCE AT DEMIR HISSAR BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN ISOLATED ; • By Telegraph— Association—Copyright, • Australian -dud N.Z. Cable. (Received 11 p.m.) LONDON, August 23. The Athens correspondent of the Daily Chronicle writes: "The heroic straggle of the Greeks in resisting the Bulgarians at Pheapetra and elsewhere has stirred the country's imagination. Colonel Christodoulos, commandant at Seres, states that the Pheapetra garrison ;• •" disputed every inch of ground. Their fate is unknown. He believes the fight was kept up till the last man fell dead. Out of the Star- . ; cista garrison only two wounded Greeks were left at the conclusion of the combat. Colonel Christodoulos enthusiastically declares that ■} there still remain Greeks worthy to be companions of Leonidas • ; and soldiers knowing how to die to save the honour of Greece. Pheapetra may perhaps some day figure in history with Thermopylae. l( Colonel Christodoulos is prepared to defend Seres to the last. M 'It is reported that the defenders of Kilkitch suffered heavily against . vastly superior Bulgarian forces. The Greek losses at Demir Hissar are unknown. It is feared they,were isolated after a glorious resist- ! ■ ance." . ' • ; The Greek Government has announced that the Bulgarians will not occupy Seres, Drama, or Kavala. Another account states that the advancing Bulgarians surrounded j. the Greek guard at Demir Hissar. One Greek escaped, and warned ' the Seres garrison of the demobilised Sixth Division. The commandant called out the local reservists, and defended the town. r' A committee has been formed at Salonika to enrol and arm recruit-s. Already 200 have offered to serve for the defence of Seres. , The allies never intended to undertake operations further east than , the River Struma. The Bulgarians do not possess sufficient force \ ~ to achieve their real military purpose anywhere. Leon id.'is was a Spartan kinjr who came to the throne about 489. He fought *ith Xerxes at Thermopylae, and was killed. His heroism and devotion secured to him an almost unique place in the imagination, not only of his own, but alto of succeeding times.