Battle of Macedonia and Occupation of Monastir

Bulgarian-German-Austrian Forces Defeated — Allies Seize Greek Navy

Salonika Army, 700,000
General Sarrail, Commander

French Land and Naval Forces
General Cordonnieu
General Guillemat
Admiral du Fournier

Serbian Force, 100,000
General Mishitch

British Force
General G. F. Milne

Romanian Force
General Averescu

Italian Division
Russian Corps

German-Bulgarian-Greek Forces, 800,000
Bulgarian Army — General Boyacljieff
Austro-German Army — General von Staabe
Greek Army—General Kovakes

The situation in the Balkans during the early months of 1916, was of such gravity as to fill the Allies with deep concern. Though nominally neutral, Greece nevertheless had been secretly aiding the Germans. King Constantine, the brother-in-law of the Kaiser, had winked at all evasions of Greek sovereignty attempted by the Bulgarians and the Austrians. When his Prime Minister, Venizelos, protested against these treacherous acts, the King had caused his removal. A new cabinet, headed by M. Daimos, had been chosen to fill the interior until the general elections were held in August.

Following the conquest of Serbia in 1915, the Bulgarians had driven the Salonika Army, commanded by General Sarrail, back across the Greek border to its base. Greece being then at peace with Bulgaria, the Bulgarian Army had not crossed the frontier in pursuit of Sarrail. At Salonika, General Sarrail had established himself in a strong position with a wide circle of intrenchments. But on the sea side, he was menaced by the forts at the entrance to the harbor. On January 28, 1916, Sarrail had seized these forts and driven the consular agents of the enemy powers out of Greece.

German Bomb Raid Angers Greeks

German activities began at Salonika on March 27, 1916, when a squadron of Greek airplanes dropped bombs upon the British and French warships in the harbor. Four of these aeroplanes subsequently were disabled by the fire of the Allied guns. Many of the bombs fel...