THE LULE BURGAS ROUT.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LX, Issue 143980, 24 December 1912, Page 7

THE LULE BURGAS ROUT.

FEARFUL SCENE OF CARNAGE.

The Loudon Daily Chronicle’s account of the rout of the Turks at Lula Burgas, as suplied by its war correspondent, Mr. M. H. Donohoe, speaks of the disaster that befel the Ottoman troops in that engagements as “a terrible, an appalling defeat, which has been followed by a confusion and a ront for which there is scarcely a parallel in history—a rout which in its later stills degenerated into a wild panic ana stampede which quickly communicated itself to the whole, fighting force.”

To fully understand this dash, said Mr. Donohoe, it must be explained that Lule Burgas. lies in a cup-shaped depression encircled by hills. As the Bulgarians approached rthe railway station they were subjected to a severe and raking fire from the batteries behind the station and the neighbouring hills. Deadly shrapnel tore through their ranks. When the confusion caused by this unexpected fire appeared • at its height, the Ottoman cavalry' under Salih Pasha, dashing from concealment ■with drawn swords,, and shouting the Turkish “Allah, Allah,” swept like a tornado upon the exposed infantry. None could bo expected to withstand such an onslaught. The Bulgarians turned, and the Turkish cavalry simply rode them down, causing extraordinary havoc in their ranks. Hinted 'by 'their success the Turks continued the forward movement,' but suddenly found themselves exposed to the fire of %e Bulgarian machine, gun sections. This surprise attack brought both, the Turks and their horses tumbling to the ground, a torn and mangled mass. Few, indeed, of those gallant fellows ever came back, but found an heroic death racing down the hard and stony, veldt towards the, enemy.

MOWED DOWN BY GUNS.

Events succeeded each other in startling succession. The Bulgarians, recoveruing from . their temporary check, rushed forward their heavy artillery, and the remaining survivors of the Turkish garrison beat a hasty retreat in. the direction of Lule Burgas railway, station. The ufierring aim of the Bulgarian artillery, however, cut short this, retreat, and very few escaped as they, crossed the plain on their way to the cover offered by the neighbouring hills.' ; It was now the turn of the Turkish artillery. The town was occupied only bj T the Turish dead and the vanguard of the enemy.. The Turkish artillery from its position behind Lule Burgas accordingly opened a heavy fire on the town, inflicting .severe losses on the enemy. Shells, rained in Lule Burgas. Houses were destroyed, and those Bulgarians uninjured by .projectiles, were killed by falling ruins. ; Meanwhile the, Bulgarian artillery .had not been idle. The Turkish posjtfons were badly chosen, inasmucn as they were exposed and practically without cover, while no shelter / trenches had been made for the supporting infantry.

RAPID ADVANCE OF BULGARIANS.

The result of this artillery duel was decidedly favourable to the Bulgarians, and caused heavy losses to the Turks; on the other hand, the severe bom-, bardment by the Turks led to its temporary evacuation by the enemy. Towards evening the lire to which Lule Burgas had been subjected and the Bulgarian advance became more and more rapid. Large bodies of- infantry supported by guns were pushed forward with incredible rapidity To the amazement of the Turkish staff the Bulgarians occupied artillery positions which had apparently been previously selected. Tho batteries took up their positions as coolly as if they were engaged in manoeuvres in peace time. And- when they opened fire they had tho range of the neigh-' bearing hills to a nicety. The marksmanship was superb, aud murderous.

TURKS RUN OUT OF AMMUNITION

The Turkish Gommnnder-m-Chief had watched the fight from the heights near the village of Satikeui—due east of Lule Burgas. As he observed the Turkish artillery and : infantry being mowed down his face for the first time in, the engagement grew anxious. The Turkish artillery had from the beginning been poorly supplied with ammunition, and what they had was practically all expended in the fight of the morning. Now many gunners stood round the empty limbers with folded arms, unable to reply to the Bulgarian fire. They awaited death, which came swiftly in' most cases, with true Ottoman courage. Along the whole Turkish front the troops wore harassed by. a terrible fire. As time went on it became, simply carnage. Men were falling in hundreds. The morale .of the troops was completely destroyed by this appalling ordeal of shell fire. f BULGARIANS A*ND THE BAYONETS

■With regard to the attack on the Bulgarian infantry at the Ergsne, the correspondent of. the, Vienna Reich]jost reported as follows: “The infantry took most of the Turkish positions by storm with the bayonet, being admirably supported by their artillery, which, at the decisive moment, was able to hold back the Turks by an annihilating fire. At the same time Turkish positions wore repeatedly attacked and taken by the,' Bulgarian infantry without any artillery preparation or support. ‘ . ' “The Bulgarian infantry translates its battle-cry, ‘Na Nos!’ (to the knife!) immediately into reality without any concession to modern tactical considerations. Whole regiments, 400 paces or more from the enemy, i;ise in the fir-, ing-line, and in a single irresistible rush, without halting to fire, and despising cover, hurl themselves on the enemy. Every single man wishes literally to get at the Turks with the bayonet.

“Against this frenzy of their men the officers are powerless. Any, attempt to hold the troops back is futile. A regiment which was not yet in the' firing line but was held in line formation as a reserve, shouting the wild battlecry, threw itself at the call of a noncommissioned officer upon the foe, without paying the least regard to the order to halt and fie down..