THE FALL OF KAVALA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIII, Issue 16338, 19 September 1916, Page 8

THE FALL OF KAVALA.

GREEK OFFICER'S ACTION. EVIDENCE OF DISLOYALTY. REFUGEES' SUFFERINGS. A. and N.Z. Cable. ATHENS, September 17. Advices from Volos, on the east coast of Greece, state that after the Bulgarian summons to the Kavala garrison to surrender, Colonel Hadjopoulos informed the officers of the garrison of the Bulgarian conditions of surrender, adding that the army must surrender to the Bulgarians or to the Anglo-French forces. After a violent discussion it was decided to surrender to the Anglo-French. Hadjopoulos asked later whether the army would be imprisoned until the end of hostilities. The allies replied that they were unable to accept their surrender, inasmuch as Greece was not a belligerent enemy. Colonel Christodoulos meantime declared that he intended joining the revolutionaries at Salonika, and applied for steamers. Colonel Hadjopoulos decided to surrender the army to the Bulgarians, and endeavoured to prevent the men joining Colonel Christodoulos- War material and rifles were pillaged, and scattered in the streets, while the breeches of the remaining guns were thrown into the sea and military motor-cars were destroyed. The foregoing information proves that Colonel Hadjopoulos and his men had an opportunity to rejoin Greece. Four thousand refugees from Kavala have arrived at Volos from the Island of Thasos. The population is enraged at stories of sufferings and lamentable scenes. Parents are seeking their children, and weeping children are seeking their parents, having been separated in the hurried flight. . Two Greek companies, with fixed bayonets, at Kavala prevented a large number of the Eighteenth Regiment, which belonged to Colonel Christodoulos' division, going to Thasos, and compelled them to accompany Colonel Hadjopoulos to Drama. According to refugees 70 officers and 800 soldiers proceeded to Drama with Colonel Hadjopoulos, while 80 officers and 2000 men accompanied Colonel Christodoulos to Thasos. The artillery troops of the Fourth Corps and 20 guns followed Colonel Christodoulos. When Kavala surrendered the Bulgarian commander at the head of a troop of cavalrymen declared that he occupied' the town in Tsar Ferdinand's name.

Colonel Christodoulos was in command of the garrison of Seres. His arrival at Kavala was reported a few days ago. Assisted by the bombardment by allied warships, lie occupied two of the principal forts. He has since arrived in Salonika with a force of 2500 men.