Massacre of Servians

Waikato Independent, Volume XVIII, Issue 1742, 20 April 1916, Page 5

Massacre of Servians

x BULGARIAN ATROCITY, 300 RRIEONERS KILLED. SLAIN BY' CAVALRY.

Mention was made in the cables iu November of a cold-blooded massacre of .Servian prisoners by the Bulgarians at Rrilep. Details of the butchery have been given by a Bulgarian prisoner, whose narrative is as follows: “About five o’clock in the afternoon, while we still Availed for orders Avhere to take

our guns, we saw coming out of the tAvii towards us a long, straggling procession of Servian soldier prisoners, about .50(1, surrounded by a strong escort of infantry. They wiv> of all ages, some young boys of fifteen, some old men, bowed of back, with grey in their beards, Jumgry-looking, lugged, bearing the marks of their long light in (lie Babnna Pass. They shambled along, evidently Avithout any idea to what thev Avere going, till they came close to where a ucav dug pit lay open. ' There the command to halt Avas given, and they stood or sat, .surrounded by their guards, for about an hour. At the end of that time another body r.f men could be seen coming out of the town. They AA-ere Bulgarian cavalry, about SO of them, with a captain in command. At a deliberate Avalk they came on towards the throng of prisoners and their guards at the pitside. When they were still several hundred yards away a young Serbian soldier evidently grasped Avhat Avas preparing. A Dash for Life. “Making a sudden dart, lie sprang through the cordon 'f guards and was off, running at a surprising speed. The guard shouted, but their rifles, though with bayonets fixed, were not loaded, and it looked for a moment as if he might get clear away. Then the captain of the cavalry troops caught sight of him, turned round in his saddle, and scouted an order to his men. Half-a-dozen spurred their horses, and left the ranks at a gallop. It was a short chase. Hearing the thud of the horses’ hoofs behind him, the young .Serbian turned his head for an instant, then ran on faster than before. The galloping cavalry were soon close up with him. As the first man with a shout raised his sword the fugitive doubled like a hare, and was away at right angles. Two more horsemen, however, were close behind. The first rode him down and the second leaned out of the saddle and pierced him through as he scrambled to regain his feet.

“By this time the guards had loaded their rifles and stood round the Servians in a ring' with levelled bayonets, while huddled together, their' prisoners embraced each other, or sank in apathy to the ground. The cavalry captain rode up to the miserable throng ‘Each man will bind the eyes of his neighbour.’ he shouted in Servian. They did so. It took a long time, and was a pitiable sight. Some young boys were crying. Many of the men shouted defiance at the guards, who looked expectantly on, and at the cavalry, whose swords were drawn ready for the butchery. They blind-folded each other with strips torn from their waistcloths or whatever else they had. ‘Now kneel down,’ came the harsh order. One by one the victims crouched to the ground. ’lho captain turned again to his trooners. ‘Start work,’ was the order he gave. The infantry guards, still keeping a’circle to drive back any who might try to flee, drew off a little to give more room, and the Bulgar cavalry rode in among the kneeling throng of prisoners at a canter. With yells of cruel delight, they slashed at the unarmed victims. Some of the Servians tried to seize the dripping sabre blades in their hands. An arm slashed off at the shoulder would fall from their bodies. Others, tearing off the bandages that blindfolded them, attempted to unhorse their executioners, gripping them by the boot to throw them out of the saddle