MACEDONIAN DRIVE

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 10085, 26 September 1918, Page 5

MACEDONIAN DRIVE

BULGARIANS STILL FLEEING FifE'NCH CAVALRY CAPTURES PRILEP. By To'.-cernph—Press Association—Copyright Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. NEW YORK. September 24. The British and Greek forces have advanced north of Doiran, and joined French and Greek forces. The Bulgarians are fleeing. The Serbian advance continues across tb/3 Vardar. The Bulgarians are deserting wholesale. The French cavalry have captured Prilep (twenty-five miles north-north. east of Monastir). SERBIANS PRESSING ACROSS THE VARDAR. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, September 24. A Serbian communique, issued on Monday evening, states: Our troops on Sunday, continued to cross the Vardar, where we made contact with the enemy towards Prilep. The Serbians reached the steep massif of the Vrenska range, and at several points are on the Gradsko-PrileD road. The enemy continues to burn villages and his own stores. Nevertheless, a great quantity of war material has been captured, including several military trains. A BULGARIAN EXPLANATION. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON. September 24. A Bulgarian communique states: As a result of our front giving way between the Cerna and the Vardar, our adjacent units were withdrawn to new positions south of Prilep and north of Doiran. BRITISH PURSUIT OF BULGARS CONTINUES. Aus. and N.Z. Cable Assn. and Beuter. (Received September 25. 7.25 p.m.) LONDON.. September 24. A British official message from Salonika states: Our pursuit of the Bulbars on the Monastir-Doiran front continues. The Anglo-Greeks have reached tho line Pazarli-Furka-Smekvica, where thev touch the Franco-Greek forces. Our cavalry is heading for Strummtza. Three six-inch guns, a mountain battery and some field guns were captured."

FRENCH OFICIAL COMMUNIS

Ana. and N.Z. Cable Aesn. "* *ffi£f\ (Received September 25, 8.40-.pvm.J (.iteceivea DO . N Septe mber '24. A French Eastern communique states • The pursuit of the enemy conon Ve whole front, to Yeles. Enemy columns are cloeelv pursued and harassed by our Wjdry and machine-guns, and bombmg bv our aeroplanes, and are tailing fick "the ff«at«it disorder towards Vedes Ishtip, and the Strummtaa. The Allies are driving' back thf_ enemy upon the Albanian "*&*s£?* cavalry entered Prilep and found tho S intact. Immense booty was S6 Thf'Franco-Serbians are progressing northwards beyond the road, and threaten the Prilep-Veies r °ln the centre the Serbians, who crossed the Vardar by a number of undamaged bridges between Demirkapu and Gradsko, have established a big bridgehead north of the river. VVo occupy Enishoba, Karahodzak, Voysiiari, and Ibrili. The right wing of the Allies, operating on both sides oi the Vardar, reached the line Petrovo-Pardovica-Chovarli-Karaoglular. Prisoners continue to increase in number. Considerable undamaged booty has been found everywhere. During the 22nd twelve guns, including several heavies, were -capturedj also a number of new aeroplanes, mo-tor-cars, £nd big petrol and iooa dumps. , BULGAR ARMIES FLY IN TJTI'JfiH DISORDER. - - Australian and N.Z; Cable Association. (Received September 25, 7.25 p.m.) / LONDON, September 24. General Desperey's astounding success is proving of < more importance every hour. The Biilgar armies are split in two and are in full retreat on a hundred miles of front. A few detachments of General Teoderof's army are attempting to delay the British, who have reached Karaoglular, north of Lake Doiran, but General Tesof's army is in utter disorder and thronging ail the roads and mountain tracks. The men are foodless ana in a lamentable condition, and are trying to get to the Babuna Pas s before the Serbians <§each Veles. Several companies of German machine-gunners sent post-haste, to stop the debacle fired their machine-guns into the backs of flying Bulgars. BULGARS PRACTICALLY CUT OFF. Router's (Recoivod September 25, 0.30 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. A Salonika report states: The British lino advanced .seven miles and has reached the northern shores ot Doiran. Cavalry is pushing the Bulgars on the Strumnitza road, their only lino of communication. The Serbians crossed the. Vardar on a fifteen-mile front. Thi s line of communication is now in- the hands of the Allies. Over half of Gradsko-Pnlop Wood is held by the Serbians, who are pressing towards Prilep. 4'jstnijian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received September 25, 10.10 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. The British cavalry is pursuing the Bulgars along the Strumnitza road, which i s the only line of- communication the retreating Bulgars are able to use. There is a, railway as far as Ishtip, but only a road beyond Ishtip. It is difficult to see how the enemy can extricate himself, as the Serbian advauco guard is within striking distance of the road. A Certain number of Bulgarians may join the Austrians in Albania, but it is known that the Albanians are unfriendly to them. MORE' SERBIAN VILLAGES LIBERATED. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Roceived Septombcr 25, 11.40 p.m.) LONDON, September 24. The Italians have liberated twenty more Serbian villages. The GrecoBritish advanced ten miles and captured Doiran,