THE STRUMA. CROSSING.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume III, Issue 828, 5 October 1916, Page 8

THE STRUMA. CROSSING.

A STRONG FORCE. THE CAPTURED VILLAGES. Australian and N.Z. CabU Association. LONDON, October 3. Mr Ward Price, writing from Salonica on Saturday, states that the British crossed the Struma with a strong force, their immediate objective being the twin villages of Karadjabala and Karadjazir. The first was surprised and captured in two hours with few casualties. The other required a furious assault, and our success was followed by a series of desperate coun-ter-attacks. We took prisoner 300 men, and killed and wounded 2000. The British troops went into action carrying 220 rounds of ammunition and two days' rations, as well as a pick and shovel. The most difficult task was to cross a mile of shell-pounded country between Bala and Zir, which was enfiladed from both sides. The machine guns in the Bulgarian trenches were fired desperately until the attackers were upon them. Then the Bulgarians flung down their rifles, scrambled over the parapets, and met the attackers with raised hands.

The British troops dashed through the burning villages and seized trenches beyond, where they beat off counter-attacks for two days.