FIGHTING THE BULGAR

Southland Times, Issue 17662, 21 February 1916, Page 6

FIGHTING THE BULGAR

WXTH THE SALONIKA FORCE. AN INVERCARGILL MAN'S EXPERIENCE. At least one ex-Invercargillitc was with the British force which landed at Salonika and pushed through Macedonia to the Bulgarian frontier in order to assist the Serbians. This young man, who was in a local financial institution, left New Zealand with the main body but obtained a commission in the 6th Leinster Regiment, with which, as part of the. 10th (Irish) Division, ho went to Salonika. Cnder date ISlh December he writes to a friend in Invercargill;—••Just a few lines to let you know that things arc going well with me. We have just returned from Serbia where wo had about the limit in bad weather. As you probably know, our forces were compelled to withdraw from Doiran, and our brigade had the nasty job of the rearguard. By cutting down our baggage to a minimum, and with tho assistance of foggy weather, we, however, managed to get away with less loss than we anticipated. Our withdrawal had to be made owing to tine Serbians being beaten back on our left. We ourselves were doing quite well, although against superior numbers both in men and in guns. The Bulgarian infantry were not nearly so troublesome as their artillery, which was positively uncanny in the way they searched our trendies and dugouts. In one attack they made on us wo had to hold on without any’reserves, as they were shelled out of their position long before the rush came on us. Tho foggy weather, although it allowed the enemy to get close in to us without being located, was a Godsend to us and I don’t know how wo would have got on if it had not been thick at the time of retirement. Patrol work, of which I had to do a good deal, was very tricky in the fog. and sometimes we found ourselves right on top of the Bui gars without warning. Then it was a case of shoot and run. Our battalion has been rather cut up, but I am pleased to say that I am in the host of health and raanaged to get away from tho bullets.

Our future movements are mere conjectures, but rumour has it that we will be having another go against the Aus-tro-Germans very shortly.