FIGHTING NEAR VRANJA.

Otago Witness, Issue 3215, 27 October 1915, Page 24

FIGHTING NEAR VRANJA.

GREAT BATTLE BN PROGRESS. NISH, October 21. A Serbian communique, which has been

delayed in transmission, admits that the Bulgarians, after sangyinary fighting at on Sunday, cut the railway northof Vranja. Later advices state that a great battle is proceeding. French troops are rapidly advancing from Ghevgheli towards Vranja.

PARIS. October 21

The Serbians counter-attacked and defeated the Austrians south-westward of Belgrade, inflicting terrible losses, and capturing many prisoners and machine guns. The French first encountered the Bulgarians at Valandovo. The Bulgarians bombarded them vigorously. The French energetically resisted, and the Franco-Ser-bians then took the offensive, annihilating several Bulgarian battalions.

LONDON, October 22. The Daily Mail correspondent at Salonika says: “ After their occupation of Ishtip, the Bulgarians advanced to Kuprili, but the Serbian reinforcements arrived and they repulsed the Bulgarians with enormous losses. The French have crossed the Vardar Valley at Krivolak, with the object of cutting off the Bugarian retreat. The Bulgarian attacks upon Kumanovo were repulsed, and the comitadjis and cavalry who cut the railway near Vrania were exterminated.

AUSTRO-GERMAN ARMIES. LONDON, October 21. The Petrograd newspaper Retch says that two Anstro-German armies, under General Coveas and General von Gallwitz, are on the Northern Serbian front. General CovesS, whose strength is estimated at four army corps, is operating round Belgrade and on the Save, and is endeavouring to force the Save and the Danube at the easiest points in order to try and facilitate the more difficult task of the second army under von Gallwitz, which comprises three and a-half army corps, composed entirely of German troops. Probably a stronger third German army is concealed behind von Gallwitz’s left wing in order to deliver the main attack up the Morava Valley, between the Serbians and the Allies.

WHOLESALE MASSACRES. BUCHAREST, October 21. The Serbian Minister here has protested to the American Minister against the German excesses in Belgrade, where the male population were exterminated, while the women were subjected to the most frightful violence. MASSACRES AND MUTILATIONS. PARIS, October 21. Le Petit Parisien’s Athens correspondent states that the Bulgarian invaders of Serbit are massacring civilians, burning towns and villages, and mutilating the wounded and prisoners. SERBIANS’ FIGHTING QUALITIES. MUNICH, October 21. The Neueste Nachrichten describes the Serbians as offering most determined resistance. Position after position in the Morava Valley was gained only after the fiercest fighting by the rearguards. It must be admitted that the Serbians are magnificent soldiers ; despite their rough appearance, their armament is irreproachable. Numerous sharpshooters concealed in rugged mountains caused us considerable losses. Their artillery is not particularly good, despite the fact that the guns were given by the British. Unlike the Russians, the Serbians do not burn and destroy everything, and we obtain large supplies of grain and cattle. The weather continues Avretched, and the roads

[ are miserable, greatly impeding our pro

gross. The Bulgarians have not occupied Vranja, but they hold the railway north of Vranja. A great battle continues.

BULGARIAN CLAIM

PARIS, October 21

A Bulgarian communique claims the seizure of the important strategical position of Sultan Tepeh, on the Stratzin front, with the capture of 2000 Serbians, 12 guns, and some ammunition wagons.