THE SALONIKA FRONT.

Otago Witness, Issue 3274, 13 December 1916, Page 17

THE SALONIKA FRONT.

Serbian official reports state:—We captured another village north of Monastir by assault. 'llia Bulgarians retreated northward. Wo developed successes north of Grunista and liudimiru, and carried new tortilied positions. Being reinforced, the enemy made several attempts to recapture the lost positions north of Grunista. All their attacks "were repulsed with heavy enemy losses. There is violent artillery and infantry work along the whole fron% We carried strongly-fortified and tenaciously defended heights north-east of Badiinercl A fairly largo number of prisoners anc much booty were captured. The Daily Telegraph's Salonika oorro« spondenfc states that, pursuing their ad« vantage north of Grunista, the Serbs crosseo. the lxiver Grazeshnitza, and, though the weather was most unfavourable, they did not cease active operations for a single day. AHcr attacks extending over six days and nights, a final desperate Serb assault "carried a whole series of strongly-fortified heights. Ihoßulgars and Germans lied hi disorder, leaving seven guns, and many were taken prisoner. The total number of guns the Serbs have taken to date is 79. A correspondent at Serbian Head. quarters states that the latest Serbian sue* cesses are important, as the newly-captured positions threaten Sokol, and if the tattei falls the entire Morgeen region will be freed of the enemy. French official reports confirm the new* of the success of the Serbs, and adds: The enemy are bombarding positions round Monastir, Fresh counter-attacks on th< Serbian positions on the northern slopes o( Sokol"succeeded in carrying a portion of thi recently-captured heights. South of Sere) the British cleared a Turkish trench ant brought back prisoners. From a neutral source comes a report that von Falkenhayn commands the troopi opposing General Sarrail, and that the enemy are apparently .strongly reinforcing. Le Petit Parisien suggest that the enemy activity on the Monastir front may bo the prelude to violent attacks. Mr Ward Price says: '"We must remember that the Allies in the Baikal 4. ara holding a front 250 miles long, in country more difficult than any other theatre of war. Moreover, the Allied offensive is being carried out with forces much inferior in strength to the enemy." The Petit Parisien's Salonika correspondent states that the Bulgarian lines arcs strongly and solidly organised. Although the enemy have fallen b'vck, they have m no way been destroyed—only slightly demoralised. German and Bulgarian prisoner! declare that von Mackensen ordered the present positions to be held at all costs. The Allied pressure continues incessantly, sometimes lively and sometimes weak. They have made no attacks worthy of the name since the capture of Monastir. A Salonika despatch mentions Lieutenant colonel M'Gavin, of the- New Zealand Medical Corps.