The First World War by Cyril Falls

Author:Cyril Falls
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Bisac Code 1: HIS027090; Bic Code 1: HBWN; HISTORY / Military / World War I
ISBN: 9781473840997
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2014-11-30T05:00:00+00:00

8

Macedonia and Egypt

AN unrealistic light falls upon the international force based on Salonika at this period and imparts to it a ludicrous appearance. A writer of fiction who introduced the political and military complications would be reproached with disregard of plausibility. Britain had sent a strong force to a new theatre of war, but not to fight if it could be helped. She remained opposed to any offensive action. However, she felt she could not refuse Joffre’s demand to ease the pressure on Verdun, though in point of fact the battle was not affected by action in Macedonia. The obvious first step was to move the Entente forces out of the barbed-wire cage known as the Entrenched Camp and push them up towards the frontier.

There was no great risk in doing so when the advance was undertaken in April. By May, when it had approached the frontier on a narrow front astride the Vardar,1 only one German division remained. On the other hand, General Sarrail, the Entente Commander-in-Chief, had now five British and four French divisions at his disposal and was being reinforced by six Serbian divisions. After medical treatment and rest at Corfu, famous as a health resort, these troops reached Salonika by sea in April and May, and were re-armed and re-equipped by the French. The veteran Voivode Putnik had been incapacitated by the strain and suffering of the retreat to the Adriatic and his place as Chief of Staff to Crown Prince Alexander was taken by General Bojović. British and French officers, observing the ineradicable lines of semi-starvation on the faces of many Serbian soldiers, could not believe that they had recovered physically or spiritually from their harsh experiences. This judgement underestimated their toughness. In typical Balkan terrain they were fine troops and inspired by a passionate longing to recover their country.

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