Romanian Campaign of 1916,The Campaign in Dobrogea

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The troops of Varna Group ,crossing the frontier along driveway Varna Bazargic ,at 2nd of September ,have occupied Balagea .The aim of this action was not the offensive against Bazargic ,but to come in the aid of General Kolev,which was attacking Curtbunar,attracting Romanian forces in this sector.The Commander of the 19th Romanian Division attacks the Bulgarians with troops of 40th Calugareni Regiment and with the 5th Mixt Brigade ,retakes Balagea Village and rejects the Bulgarians towards South in disband.General Kantargiev has to run personally to the scene to stop the disband.The Bulgarian inhabitants of the village have attacked the Romanians with weapons of fire,with axes and forks ,which determined the Romanians at severe repression.An order of the 19th Division retreats again the Romanian line on a stationary position South of Bazargic.For the following day ,3rd of September ,Arghirescu projects an attack over Curtbunar ,which has been occupied by the Bulgarian Cavalry Division.For this operation is destined the 6th Mixt Brigade which,from South of Caraomer ,has been brought at West of Bazargic.In the evening of 2nd of September the Brigade is at Carapelit ,on the road towards Curtbunar.

In the morning of 3rd of September ,the 19th Division has two fights.At West of Bazargic ,the 6th Mixt Brigade starts from Carapelit ,to attack in direction Curtbunar ,and at South of Bazargic ,the 40th Calugareni Regiment attacks the troops of Varna Group,which advance again from Balagea and Opancea.The 5th Mixt Brigade is kept in reserve near Bazargic.The action of the two corps starts to unfold favorable.The 6th Brigade unfolded, mounted on horses on to the driveway Carapelit-Curtbunar.Two battalions advance along the driveway,occupies Villages Conac and Cocimar .The avanguard has reached South of Curtbunar,threatening the back of Bulgarian Cavalry Division .The action at South of Bazargic is also in victorious progress;Bulgarians have been repulsed South of line Opancea-Balagea.

But the Commander of the 19th DIvision is an impressionabil character and inconstant.Although he receives favorable news from South and West ,he is concerned by the isolation he thinks he is in to.The Russian Cavalry Division,which he expected from the North,does not arrive,and from South -East itis sigannaled to him the aparition of columns of 6th Bulgarian Division at Vladimirovo.Afraid of not being surrounded ,Arghirescu is taken by panic and makes ,all of a sudden , the fatal decission :breaking of the two fights ,evacuation of Bazargic,retreat.

At Cocimar,the entire Bulgarian Division of Cavalry,started from Curtbunar,strenghtened with infantry and artillery,engages the fight with the two battalions from the Romanian avanguard which,receiving the order of the Commander of Division,begin to execute the retreat.Bulgarians ,astouned by this unexpected attitude ,think that the retreat of Romanians is the result of panic produced by their attack.The retreat is dezastrous;surrounded by Bulgarians ,one of the two battalions is destroyed;the other one is spread .The lateral battalions execute the retreat in order and reject with bloody losses the Bulgarian cavalry.

In the evening of the day the entire Division is at 13 Miles north of Bazargic .It is the result of inertia ,lack of initiative and understanding between Russian General and General Commander of the 19th Romanian Division.Time of five days ,this one has spread it units and exhausted them by marchings -only the 5th Brigade made 76 Miles in some 55 hours ,in which time has given also the Fight of Cocimar-and attacks,unjustified interrupted ,worning them out ,of material and morally against an inferior enemy.

In not knowing about the voluntary evacuation of Bazargic,Bulgarians start the next day in the morning ,4th of Sptember ,a convergent offensive against the city,with Varna Group from the South,and with the 6th Division from Vladimirovo and with the Cavalry Division from Curtbunar .At 4 p.m. they can "conquer" without fight the city,evacuated in the eve,as small units ,disembarked by boats ,occupy Balcic and Cavarna .The few Romanian clerks ,which did not had the time to retreat with the troops ,have been masacred by the most classic methods .At the post office ,one sentinel,forgotten there without retreat order,has stayed in place ,example of one's duty and died defending with the rifle the post.

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[razu]

Fight of Sarsinlar

Faced with the situation of Turtucaia,which became almost disperate,General Aslan gives order to General Basarabescu,at 5th of September ,12 o'clock,to take the "vigorous offensive" towards Turtucaia ,to unblock the bridgehead.In SIlistra ,had to be left only four battalions ,for the guard of the fortress;the whole rest of the Division had to take part into the offensive action.At the left flank,the Russian Corps had to take part at the offensive with the same direction.

The offensive action executed,from order,by General Basarabescu ,is made with insufficient forces .Out of the 16 battalions of the Division ,the General is leaving only with six.The others are spread :five have formed the Detachments Condeescu and Paulian,five are left in Silistra.Seven batteries of artillery acompany the infantry.Detachments Condeescu and Paulian -too strong for the actions of secondary importance given to them-are missing now from the principal action.The Commander of the Division wants to unite them with the bulk,but cannot find them anymore.Condeescu Detachment has collisioned with a thin curtain of Bulgarian cavalry,panic , and was finding in retreat towards Silistra,even in the evening of 5th of Sptember .Paulian Detachment have occupied Alfatar at 5th;the next day went towards West ,but not finding Condeescu Detachment,has imobilized in the day of 6th of September in front of the same Bulgarian cover.None of these detachment could.thus ,take part into the fight.

The organizing of the aid expedition is Commanded from the beginning to failure,because it is made with ignoring the most elementary rules of campaign service ,of the guard service and reconnoitre in marches.The troops of the expedition are stretching in a column,very long in which,between fighting units ,are intercalated rows of wagoons of ammunition and provisions ,carriages and luggage.Even the archive of the Division ,the treasury and the etuve join the long caravan.Counting ,imprudent,on the presence of the two detachments ,which they thought to be on their left flank,the Commander does note take measures of precaution.That is why,no flanking detachment covers the column from the South ,from where the enemy may yield,from one moment to another.It is lost pretious time ,until the elements of the column are gathered and are also lost few clocks during the night marghing.The next day in the morning,the avanguard-two battalions with two batteries -is attacked between Arabagilar and Sarsinlar ,by the enemy which occupied positions at Sarsinlar ,11 Miles from Turtucaia .It was the 3rd Brigade from the 1st Sofia Division -Colonel Zafirov-strenght of five battalions of infantry with three batteries of artillery.The infantry of the Romanian avanguard starts to attack with elan but,even from the first moment,it is foreseen a complete unconnection between weapons(arms).The Romanian soldiers are hit in the back by their own artillery which have not elongated her firing range.The avanguard is attacked frontal by a Bulgarian regiment,with Sarsinlar direction and forced to retreat in disorder to the bulk of the column ,at avanguard,the three battalions of the bulk find themselves attacked also in the left flank by other Bulgarian troops .Threatened to find herself pushed toward Danube River ,and with the retreat cut,the troops receives the order for general retreat In the beginning the retreat is made in good order,but only as it passes Arabagilar ,and the aparition of some Bulgarian cavalry detachments produces panic in the intermediary columns .The divizion of munitions and the divisionary ambulance starts to run back,producing crowding,deorganize and drag with them troops.The retreat is transformed in disband .The artillery almost has the time to harness and retreat ,loosing some few cannons .One battalion of hunters from the arierguard arrives on the fighting theatre ,unfolds West and South of Arabagilar ,attacks and stops the Bulgarians ,giving in this way time to Romanian units to retreat and aways thus the peril of complete desastre.

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[razu]

In this way it has been lost the fight after a short skirmish.The Commander ,which has given the proove of his complete incapacity to lead a fight ,makes no attempt to stop the shameful disband and/or retaking the fighting.With the conscience of fulfilling one's duty,he starts back towards Silistra.

10 Miles to the West ,Turtucaia Fortress ,was playing the last card .With all the grave situation ,the game could have been easily won by Romanians.In the Eastern sector of the bridgehead ,Nedelkov Brigade was in a very critical situation .Three times,General Draganov ,the Commander of Sofia Division,have received desperate appeals from General Kiselov ,which has Commanded the attack against Turtucaia ,to have send at least one regiment of the Bulgarian troops from Sarsinlar,because Nedelkov was keeping hard against the Romanian counterattack from that part.It is easy to imagine the effect would have had the apparition of the aid troops from Silistra,behind Nedelkov Brigade!But,for this it was needed other men....

Left drifting,to the will of faith,with the last of the glimpse of hope out,Turtucaia was giving her soul.And ,exactly in the hour when General Teodorescu ,the Commander of the Fortress was crossing the Danube on a vedette,leaving his Command Post,the Fortress and the Army,to put his own person in safety-on the driveway Turtucaia -Silistra ,the automobile of General Basarabescu was running with the fastest speed to put to shelter of the forts the Commander of the 9th Division.Behind him,the Army was coming back humiliated and in disorder on the road of defeat.

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[razu]

Battle of Bazargic*

After occupying Bazargic,the Bulgarians have placed themselves into defensive ,deepening the trenches of the old Turkish strongholds ,from the time of the Russian -Turk War 1877-1878,situated on the hills North of the city.For the defence of the city of Kantargiev it has only,for the time,four battalions with three batteries ,but close by,at Carapelit ,it is in reserve the Brigade of the 6th Varna DIvision,and at Curtbunar it is the Cavalry Division.From the South are closing in the Turks.

In the evening of 4th of September ,the Commander of the III-rd Romanian Army,misslead by the wrong informations communicated by the Commander of Turtucaia -"that the situation is getting better"-turns his eyes towards Bazargic and orders to General Zaioncikovski to reoccupy the city.The situation of the Romanain -Russian troops from th Eastern Dobrogea Group was not favorable.The concentration has not been made.The Russian Headquarter was at Medgidia ,Serbs-Croat Division was at Cocargea ,the 61st Russian Division was close to the old frontier .The Russian Cavalry Division was towards Cartbunar ,excentric of Bazargic.The three brigades of the 10th Romanian Division ,retreated at Bazargic were South of Caraomer .No strategical necessity did not reclame the possesion of Bazargic Because ,if in the Romanian plan of operations,Turtucaia and Silistra had to " resist with any price" to cover the Romanian -Russian concentration for the next offensive of Bazargic ,very isolated ,could have been abandoned ,in the case of a strong attack,as it already happened.

Still,in the wake of the received order ,the Russian General decides to take the offensive against Bazargic ,without to wait for the arriving and concentration of his troops.After his own request,General Arghirescu was tasked to execute the operation.He started in march,in the night of 4th-5th of September ,only with the 17th Brigade from the 19th Romanian Division,having the 5th Calarasi Brigade at left ,and on the right side a Regiment of Rissian Lancers .Apreciating the Bulgarian forces ,defending the city,at about two companies ,General Arghirescu was sure he will occupy Bazargic,without fight.The ease and unprecaution of the ally Commandments had this time ,as well,engaged troops in an inutile ,bloody and especially ,badly conducted battle.

The Battle of Bazargic was an event of great historical importance .For the first time ,the Bulgarians were in front of the Russians ,as enemies .Ingratitude it is not a too rare phenomenon in the history of people,but never it has manifested in a uglier way,as at Bazargic.At almost 40 years after Plevna ,where the Russian and Romanian blood had flow in streams for liberating Bulgarians from the Turks slavery ,reappear on the blood arena of history ,the same people.But what astonishing changes of roles !The Bulgarian ,liberated ,seats now at the side of its ex-executioner,the Turk,rising the killing weapon against his yesterday liberator!

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[razu]

Some uncertainty and fear mastered for some time the souls of the Commanders Bulgaro-German,pretaining the attitude the Bulgarian soldiers would have ,when they will find themselves with the rifle in hand in front of their liberators(the russians and romanians);many hopes where building the Russians on this attitude.The probe was made though quickly.The Bulgarian psychology was not well entered.The weapon rose with fury against those which with their own blood unslaved the Bulgar people,and the Bulgarian press has hedlined the gesture with equal savagery:"The Bulgarian has never been more proud than when he saw kneeled in front of him (!?) the orgolios and coward protector of yesterday,the murderer and enemy neighbour ,hereditary.",wrote the nationalist Bulgarian newspaper "Kambana".

After a night march,the 17th Romanian Brigade arrives in the dawns of the day of 5th of September ,in front of Bazargic strongholds.To the surprise of Romanian Commander,Bazargic is not occupied by only two enemy companies ,but by numerous troops ,well retrenched ,which receive the Romanians with lively fire .Romanians start to attack,under the protection of the two batteries acompanying the Brigade.At the Eastern Romanian wing ,the soldiers of 9th Hunters Regiment away the Bulgarians at bayonet and occupy Gelengic Train Station.,as at the center ,a battalion of 40th Regiment ,attacking towards Caralez ,have occupied the first ridge of heights at North of the city.But the resistance of Bulgarians ,covered in the entrenches and well sustained by artillery,is stuborn.The attackers begin to hesitate.

At the right wing ,the Russian Cavalry starts in to an impetous storm at assault against Bulgarians ,hidden in the trenches.The, not well thought , charge is smashed by the fires of the rifles and machimeguns of the enemy.The horses ,scared ,could not be hold by the horsemen.Part of them spread on the field ;few of them together with the Commander of the Regiment ,have jumped ,in their crazy gallop over the Bulgarian entrenches and reached the midst of the Bulgarian batteries ,where they have been made prisoners.

At North of Bazargic ,the fight with Romanians is violent around 10 o 'clock in the morning ;arriving at attacks and counterattacks at bayonet ,the Bulgarians have to put into the fight all their reserves ,even the service soldiers and from intendence as well.For the provissions services ,have been confiscated civilians inhabitants from the city .General Kantargiev,very tightened,asks for reinforcements from the 6th Division,neighbour;it is send a battalion and a battery.

The Commander of the 19th Romanian Division ,General Arghirescu,arriving at around 11 on to the field of battle ,notice that the enemy is much stronger than he had thought;thinking he is not permitted to engage a fight of fond ,has given the order for retreat to the North,until Caraomer.As the bulk of the Brigade begun the retreat ,appears at the West wing the 5th Romanian Mixt Brigade ,of the same Division,which prepares to enter the fight ,to help the mates,but receives as well the order for retreat .A little to the West,the 6th Mixt Brigade ,does the same.With this face,the 19th Division,which would have had a crushing superiority ove rthe enemy,is turned around ,after only one brigade begun the fight and forced to renaunce at a battle,where there was certain victory.At East of Bazargic ,the 9th Hunters Regiment tries a new attack over the city;without support to the right ,where the 40th Romanian Regiment has begun the retreat ,the attack did not succeed,and the hunters have to,at their turn,to fallow the general retreat.Although the retreat has to be made until Caraomer ,still ,by evening,the order has been revoked and the troops brought to a stand still on line Nebi Cuius-Cerchezchioi-Cioban Cuius.The 61st Russian Division has arrived at Musu Bei and general Zaioncikovsky counted that-with this important aid-to retake the offensive.

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The day of 5th of September has brought to Romanians ,in this way,in front of Bazargic an unjustified defeat by nothing ,made possible only by the bad conduct of the Commandment.The troops of the 19th Division were demoralized and tired ;they had made marches and countermarches of 25-38 Miles.

As ,in front of Bazargic ,General Arghirescu was giving the inutile fight,so undeserved lost,General Zaioncikovski was receiving the well known telegram from Bucharest(se the preceeding chapter),Turtucaia was attacked by superior forces and in danger.An offensive to take off the burden,started by the III-rd Army ,in this direction was indispensable.The Garrison in Silistra has been ordered to start towards Turtucaia-it was the march which lead to the shame of Sarsinlar.Zaioncikovski received the order to occupy Bazargic with the strictly necessary of forces,and with the rest of the troops of the Eastern Group to go on forced march to Turtucaia.The Cazacs Division had to cover the left flank of Basarabescu's column ,in its way towards Turtucaia.

But Zaioncikovsky sees things diferently.Turtucaia is too far away;an action in that direction he considers inoportune.As Bazargic is close by,and in this direction seems to him that the victory is a sure thing,it will also rise the moral of the 19th Romanian Division,shaken by the adventures happened until now.So for the day of 6th of September the Russian General,which has at his disposal all the troops of the Eastern Group of the III-rd Romanian Army,does not want to carry on with the order of his superior,the Commander of the IIII-rd Romanian Army,and takes dispozitions for operations against Bazargic.One brigade from the 61st Russian Division and one from the Serb-Croat Division,will advance on the right side ,and two brigades from the 19th Romanian DIvision on the left of driveway Caraomer-Bazargic;the rest of the troops are kept as reserve at the disposal of the Russian General,which will personally conduct the fight.

On their part,Bulgarians have strenghtened themselves by the arriving of a regiment and two Bulgarian battalions and of a Turk regiment.In this way ,Kantargiev has at his disposal in this day of 12 battalions and three batteries ,under his direct order,and close by,of another six battalions and four batteries of the 6th Bulgarian Division,at which he can make appeal,in case of need.Again are set troops in march towards South.The two Romanian brigades -the 5th and the 6th Mixt-have to slow their peace to give time to the Russians and to the Serbs ,from the right side,to arrive on the same line.Only about five in the afternoon the Romanians and Russians arrive,tired by marching,in front of the Bulgarians lines and unfold in fighting formation ;at 7 in the evening ,in the sound of trumpets and with the flags unfolded begins the attack.The unwellthought retreat in the eve has given the Bulgarians the Village Gelengic ,for which recuperation ,the Romanian troops had to blead again.Ahead of he IV-th Battalion of the 51st Regiment ,falls killed the Officer of Staff Major Kiriacescu Paul,a treasure of the Officer Corps.With all the strong defence,the Bulgarians are taken out of their strenghtened positions and fom the village and rejected towards Bazargic.Gelengic is for the second time occupied by Romanians.All of a sudden the fatality wich follows the 19th Romanian Division appears again.In full victorious fight the troops receive again the order of retreat !At 4 in the afternoon has fallen Turtucaia and,as a result,the Commander of the III-rd Romanian Army has send to General Zaioncikovski ,by telegraph,the order of braking the fight of Bazargic and retreat,on the strenghtened line South of the railway Medgidia-Constanta.General Zaioncikovski,which untill now has showed himself so rebell to the orders from the III-rd Army,this time,without aknowledging the situation he was in to,with a victorious fight begun which,at least as moral effect ,could have couterbalanced the effect of the fall of Turtucaia,gives imediately to the troops the order to retreat.Astouned ,at first,concerned and then demoralized ,the soldiers begin again the march of retreat,which becomes more and more disorganized.During the night ,the Bulgarians have attacked with the whole 8th Regiment ,Gelengic Village ,in which has remained only a small Romanian detachment and reoccupy it.In fight ,falls killed the Commander of the Bulgarian Regiment ,Colonel Minkov.

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[razu]

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A new and very important turning of things appears now in the unfolding of events.Deeply impressed by the fall of Turtucaia ,the Big Romanian Hedquarter ,dose not count,however ,the game lost enntirely,at the Southern frontier of Turtucia .With all the loss,of almost two divisions ,the Romanian and Russians have numerical superiority over the enemy.All troops on the right shore of Danube River and namely:four Infantry Divisions (9th and 19th Romanians ,61st Russian and Serb Division) and one and a half Cavalry Division(the 3rd Russian Division and the 5th Calarasi Brigade,Romanian) are constituted in a single corps ,which is taken from under the Command of General Aslanand and set under the Command of General Zaioncikovski,with the mission of"Attaack the enemy as soon as possible towards Turtucaia,covering towards Bazargic by a detachment destined to delay the enemy,if this one would seek to gain terrain towards North".Zaioncikovski countermandates imediately the order of retreat of the troops in front of Bazargic .But his order does not arrive in time to the Commander of the 19th Romanian Division.such that the retreat of the Romanian troops begun at 11 in the evening ,is continued the whole night and the next day in to the morning,when the entire Romanian Division ,tired and completely disorganized ,has reached Caraomer.A military mission send with a special train by the Big Hedquarter at Medgidia ,communicates in the night of 6-7 of October to General Zaioncikovski the dispozitions of the Big Headquarter .She had to notice that ,the situation on the terrain was different than the one supposed at the Big Romanian Headquarter.The Russian Corps was not in a central position between Silistra and Bazargic .Tempted by the perspective of an easy victory he sliped to South -East and was now 11 Miles from Bazargic,very far from Silistra and in fighting contact with the enemy.Following this situation ,it was decided firstly to continue ,with all strenghts of the Eastern Corps ,the fight already begun,to occupy Bazargic and then to turn back with the bulk of these forces towards Silistara-Turtucaia.

So , the day of 7th of September has to bring a victory at Bazargic ,which had to repair the moral effect of Turtucaia .The superiority of the Romanian -Russian effectives over those of the enemy made to be considered victory a certainty.With the foresight of it,General Zaioncikovski gave this single order :"Today being the first day ,since 1877 (Russian-Turk War),when the Russian -Romanian and Serbs troops fight together ,in order to not atribute the victory to only one of them,I have decided to attack with equal forces taken from each"

And,truly,Zaioncikovski sends a Russian Brigade ,to attack at the center ,towards Bazargic ;at the right of her,a Serb Brigade will attack towards Osman-Fachi;at the left ,a Romanian Brigade from 19 th Division has to attack towards Gelengic.With this,the Russian Commander acomplishes the strange conception of the attack with three brigades of the three ally armies ,wich will separate between them in a friendly way the flowers of victory!In reserve ,the Russian Commander has a Russian Brigade and a Serb one.With all the curiosity of the manner of action of General Zaioncikovski,the Russian -Romanian attack has perspecives of success.Because the Bulgarians are completely disoriented and proceed without an unitary plan.General Kantargiev place himself into defenssive ,retreating his troops tired ,by two days of fights, in to the entrenches in front of Bazargic .At his left ,Popov,the Commander of Vidin Brigade ,starts to offensive towards Arabagi.A little to the left ,Kolev ,the Commander of the Cavalry Division from Curtbunar prepares to leave to Beibunar ,in Silistra direction.But things went differently.The fight engages very lively at the West wing of the fighting front.

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Bulgarians advance towards North ,thinking they have to face forcess less important,but they collision with the Serb Brigade ,which attacks them with violence.The casualties of Bulgarians are very big.The 36th Kozlodui Regiment losses more than half of its effectives ;the remains retreat few Miles ,behind the line Arabagi-Osman-Fachi.Vraca Regiment has also very grave csualties.At the center ,Kantargiev is in fight with the Russians ;the Russians attacks are not so violent ,though,and the Bulgarian General can send to his comrad on the left aids of infantry and especially of artillery,to dam the advance of Serbs,This especially that at the Eastern wing is quiet;the 19th Romanian Division is at Caraomer,at 19 miles distance ,and the Brigade destined to take part into the action is not acquainted with attributed role,but only in the afternoon of the day!

As the left Bulgarian wing is threatened by a desaster ,it is produced an important event towards West .Announced by this grave situation the Bulgarian Cavalry Division ,which was preparing to leave towards Beibunar ,changes direction ,turns towards East ,and strenghtened with two battalions of infantry and with many machineguns starts in the aid of Vidin Brigade.At 4 in the afternoon ,the Bulgarian cavalry falls in the back of the Serbs,caught in fight with the Bulgarians.The intervention of this mass of cavalry is decissive.The situation of the Serbs is critical.They don't receive aid from nowhere.The Russian Cavalry Division ,which had contact with the Bulgarian cavalry ,could not observe the move of this one and stands on still.The Russian center is too occupied with its own situation ,and the two brigades Ruso-Serb from reserve did not move .Serbs resist with manhood until Zaioncikovski,reminding himself that ,in the eve ,he has received from the Big Romanian Headquarter the order to leave with the army in direction Silistra-Turtucaia,gives the order of breaking of the fight and of general retreat to Caraomer!Bulgarians ,happy that they escaped cheap,dose not pursue.The Battle of Bazargic was now defenitely lost for the allies.Not because they would have been beaten by Bulgarians ,to which they kept permanentlly superiority,but because of the sufficency of Commandemnt .Zaioncikovski did not now to use this superiority and,hesitating from one day to another has tired the Romanian troops in marches and countermarches ,exhausting,he has always presented himself in the face of the enemy with not enaugh forces and have never continued the fight until the decissive,which would have to come undoubtfully.The Battle of Bazargic is a model of indecissiveness,of inconsecvence and incoherence .The Russian -Romanian colaboration has presented from the beginning under less encouraging perspectives.The weakness of the Russian Commander at Bazargic had two results .First,has used important forces which were placed under his Command ,in another direction than the one which was most utile and which was indicated leaving,by this attitude of him,to be acomplished the reparable dezaster of Turtucaia-Silistra.Second,he did not know to obtain moral success even at Bazargic,for which he had in hand all the necessary elements.

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[fritz]

Hello razu,

I am admiring your busy doing about this theme very much. Perhaps some day your informations will be very valuable to me. My Great-Uncle had been with Alpenkorps there. Don´t know very much about his time there. Never found the time to research about it. But there are existing sources about the employment of his unit.

Good luck!

Fritz

[razu]

Fritz,

Thank you.

Andrei

[razu]

A hisoric fortress

The fall of Turtucaia made available enemy troops which had occupied against her.They have been very quickly send to Silistra Fortress.The situation of this fortress has become desperate.

Silistra has been organized as a bridgehead ,as well.Happier than Turtucaia ,she was connected with Calarasi by a bridge of pontoons,throwed over the Danube .The topographical situation of the city ,surrounded by heights ,was more favorable for organizing defence than it was Turtucaia.

Silistra has been,because of the way it was placed ,from very old times ,one of the most famous bastions of defence in the numerous wars which have bleed the ground of Dobrogea.The enemy which was coming from the North crossing over the Balkan Peninsula ,as the enemy coming from the South,advancing on this classic road of invasions ,had to stumble on to the walls of the fortress ,which guarded the enter in to the narrow corridor between Danube River and Black Sea.In "Durostorum" has seated the Roman Emperor Traian the Legion XI-th Claudia ,brought from Superior Germania for the guard of Inferior Moesia,against the babarians incursions from the North .The military center of a flourishing region and fully Romanized.Durstorul resists like a rock in the middle of the barbarian waves ,until the weakening of the Roman power make him to suffer the faith of other fortresses.Goths,Alans,Huns have been its plundering masters .With Justitian[16],passes again under the mastering of the Romans,to be then drowned ,unfelt,in the Slav current .A new conqueror appears;it is the most "cruel and menacing hood" of the Bizantin chronicles:the savage Bulgars(Bulgarians) .They place themselves in Moesia Inferior and thrust in to Dirstaor.Here,their Zar Simeon,seats locked,as other plundering barbarians ,of the same hood with them,Hungurs(Hungarians) send by the Emperor in Bizant,plunder and steal the country.

Twenty years before the Pecenegs,allied with the Romanian inhabitants of Dirstor ,under the leadership of Tatul,siege the city.Dirstor has seen the attack of the Russians of Sveatoslav[17] over the Bulgarians then,the big and celebre siege of the Bizantins ,Commanded personally by Basileu Tzimiskes,which retakes Dirstor from the hands of the Russians.At the year 973,Dirstor has become Bizantin metropola.

But the turmoiled times begin again.Dirstor changed one master after the other ;again Bulgarians ,then Pecenegi,Cumans-the ancestors of today Gagauzs,Romanian-Bulgarian.By XIV-century we find it mastered by Dobrotici[18] then it is part of the crown countries of Mircea cel Mare(Mircea the Old).With Baiazid[19] we arrive at Turkish Silistra.Five centuries the semy-moon will master the Lower Danube River Valley from the height of Turk swords .Silistra is well connected to our history.Wallachians,Moldavians ,Polish,Russians, have found themselves under the walls or inside the walls of the strong fortress,and in the numerous wars Russian-Turk,the siege of Silistra Fortress makes an inevitable episode.There are famous,the Siege of 1828-1829 of General Diebici,super-named "Zabalkanski" and the one of 1854 of Princip Paskevici[20].The Berlin Congress of 1878 made the unjustice of giving us Dobroge without the key of its gate,Silistra.Our armed intervention in 1913 has put us again in the legitime possesion of Silistra,the old Dirstor of Mircea,Dutostorum the base of the Romanian hood,Emperor Traian.

Our great war for wholing the nation has not brought a new flower in the crown of historic celebrity of Silistra.A war council,kept at Silistra in the night of 7th -8th of September ,has thought that,in the wake of the events that took place,the defence of Silistra has become inutile,and dangerous.The resistance against the enemy had to be organized with more chances of breakthrough,to the North,with the aid troops send from the Kingdom.So,Silistra has been evacuated by the authorities and by the Romanian population ,in the day of 8th of September .The bridge over the Danube has been rise the same day and the 9th Romanian Division has been retreated at Cuzgun.After two days the Bulgarian-German entered the abandoned Silistra.

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Roman helmet,fragments of chain shirt with golden ornaments(discovered atCetateni, Dimbovita),sword with case,umbo of shield,pieces of harness,knife for fight with case,heads of spears discovered at Radovanu(Ilfov),Republicans Roman Dinars

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The Pursiut

On the track of Romanian-Russian troops ,Germano-Bulgaro-Turk forces ,master now on all strenghtened positions of New Dobrogea,are concentrating by reestablishing the connection between the groups that fought separately and by shortening of the front between Danube River and Black Sea.In the region of Silistra the front is only of about 63 Miles ,as at Turtucaia it was of over 78 Miles .Mackensen is in a hurry .He realizes that Romanians have noticed their dangerous situation taht,day and night the military trains pass continuously over the big bridge of Cernavoda ,throwing into Dobrogea big masses of troops .Soon they will unite into a strong army.That is why,the German Generalisim wants to go ahead, because profitting by his actual superiority,to crush the enemy army before she can strenghten and enter into the heart of Dobrogea.He has to put his hands on to the vital artery of Dobrogea :the line Cernavoda-Constanta,with the first bridge and the last harbour.(the Cernavoda Bridge and Constanta Harbour)

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Cernavoda Bridge over Danube River(before flowing in to the Black Sea) with 6th Romanian Hunters Battalion after Ruso-Turk War(1905)[photos by Al.Antoniu and Lt.Eliad]

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4.The Battle on the Old Dobrogea Frontier

The fight in Oltina defile

If Mackensen was in a hurry to give the decissive strike to the adverse armies ,Romanians and Russians on the contrary had all the interest to gain time ,to operate the concentration of the forces retreated from the South and of those brought from the Kingdom,on the principal line of resistance.This had to turn the equilibrium of forces and give the Romanian -Russians the superiority that now the Bulgarians had.The advance of the enemy had ,thus to be delayed.That is why the available forces of the armies in Dobrogea has been brought on to a line which corresponded apoximatively with the old Dibrogean frontier.At the two wings were the Romanians and namely:at the Western wing ,supported by the Danube River ,in the region of Lake Oltina,the troops of the 9th Romanian Division,retreated from Silistra ,were occupying the heights of Caraomar -Parachioi-Dobromir.They were,in this way,barriering the drive way which,coming from Silistra ,rove through a long forested defile ,to aim towards Cusgun and Adamclisi.At the Eastern wing ,the 19th Romanian Division,retreated from Bazargic ,was occupying the strenghtened position of Caraomer.The two divisions have changed their Commanders .The Commander of the 9th Division,General Basarabescu,has been replaced by General N.Petala,and the Commander of the 19th Division ,General Arghirescu has been moved on to the Transilvanian Front;in his stead was now Colonel C.Scarisoreanu.the center was occupied by Russians ;from East to West were:first,the Cavalry Division,then the 61st Russian Division and after her,the Serb Division in contact with 9th Romanian Division.

The Ruso-Romanian Front was bend towards South ,the Russian Division having the most advanced position.The Commander of the entire army in Dobrogea was given to Russian General Zaioncikovski.Two brigades of the 5th Romanian Division ,taken from the Carpathian Front ,disembarked in Dobrogea and were send in forced marchings to strenghten the front line.

The enemy forces ,which fought isolated in Turtucaia and Bazargic,have reconstituted on an unique line ,bulking also the new troops arrived from interior.At the left,Mackensen have constituted with German troops ,newly arrived ,Bode Group,of the strength of a brigade*,which he pushed with power ahead ,along Danube River ,towards Cernavoda.in close contact with him was the 1st Sofia Division,in front of the 9th Romanian Division;at the right of it ,the 4th Preslav Division,which have made a long march and delaying ,was a little behind.Followed then the 6th Vidin Division(a brigade),dobricean Brigade ,entered with the first Turk regiments arrived,finally,the Cavalry Bulgarian Division,which had occupied the right enemy flank ,in front of the 19th Romanian Division.The interval to Black Sea was occupied ,at both adversaries ,only by small detachments.

*Bode Brigade was made out of 45th German Regiment of reserve,a battalion of the 25th German Regiment ,an Ulan Regiment ,two heavy batteries and a long range Austrian battery.

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The arched dispozitive of the fighting front was very avantageous for the enemy:it caught the adversaries between the two arms of a right angle ,being thus able to attack by the flank at our right wing (Western).Against this wing ,along Danube ,decided Mackensen to apply the principal strike.

Mackensen plan was dearing.He makes the principal attack with German-Bulgar troops over the right Romanian wing ,with the intention to detach her of Danube River ,pushing her towards East ,to throw her behind the Russians and of the left Romanian wing ,detained on to a stand still by the Bulgarian attacks .With this face ,the entire Romanian-Russian army would have been turned and rejected with the back towards the Black Sea ,between the marshes of the sea shore ,cut by the base and condemned to a rapid and complete extermination.But the things did not went according to the wish of the old Marshal.In the day of 13th of September ,on the whole length of the front ,the enemy was stopped in its advance by cannon shots and forced to assume positions at few Miles in front of the Romanian-Russian lines.The principal action unfolded at the Western wing.The German Bode Brigade has attacked with outstanding violence the troops of the 9th Romanian Division.In the long and twisted defile,tightened between Oltina Lake on the left and the forested heights on the right ,between Lipnita and Ghiuvegea ,the Germans have tried during the night, an attack(12th-13th of September),against the Romanian troops ,with Ulans troops ,unmounted ,but have been rejected back,with very heavy losses ;during the fight has fallen a German Prince :Friedrich Wilhelm de Hessa,nephew of sister of Emperor Wilhelm.

The next day,13th of September ,the enemy came back to the attack.This time the fight is given by the troops of the 1st Bulgarian Division and by Bode Brigade ,with infantry, artillery and cavalry.After a ferocious fight ,which lasted until midday,the enemy is rejected with bloody losses.unfortunatelly our Commander do not realise the success and do not seek to exploit it,attacking the beaten enemy.This one remakes himself,receives strong reinforcements ,brings heavy artillery and attacks the whole front of the 9th Division from Caraorman-Ghiuvegea,as well as the right wing of the Serb troops ,which assumed position at the left of the 9th Romanian Division.The enemy bombardment is strong ;it brings panic into the Romanian troops of infantry,unused with the fight and manages to reject them,with all the beautiful defence of the 3rd Artillery Regiment.A brigade of the 5th Romanian Division,arrived just then from the Carpathians Front,being tired,attacks weak and cannot change the situation.This esay success was counted by the enemy as enaugh to evolve the next day 14th of September ,the decissive attack,which supposed to push the Romanian-Russian Army from West towards East ,to throw her into the sea.

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The day of 14th of September

The plan of the dicissive battle from this day was made by Mackensen and Tosev as follows:at the two wings ,the enemy units will give against Romanians, veiling attacks ,to fall in to their flanks and back,and in this time the units in the center will atack forward.

At his turn,Zaioncikovski wants to go to offensive.With the 9th Romanian Division ,which yesterday did not fight badly,he wants to keep the enemy at his right .At the left ,to attack with the 19th Romanian Division and with a brigade of the 1st Division ,towards Bazargic.The principal attack he will give with the center -Russian Corps-with the direction towards Danube River .At the Eastern wing ,the Bulgarian Cavalry Division,strenghtened with two infantry battalions ,with seven unmounted escadrons with machineguns and with two companies of cyclists ,advancing from Ciufut Cuius ,has attacked the Romanian positions from the South of Caraomer,occupied by troops from 19th Division.Received with heavy artillery fires,the cavalry detachments,which were advancing in manoeuvre formation are dispersed and they have to search their escape ,hiding in to gulleys.A second attack given by infantry with cavalry ,unmounted ,in the Western sector of the Division has the same faith.Followed by the fires of Romanian artillery the Bulgarian cavalry troops have to retreat;counterattacked by Romanians the infantry troops retreat as well,by evening.The entire Bulgarian right wing is forced to retreat with heavy losses ,at Cernaoc and Rogojina ,more than 7 Miles South of Caraomer.

The principal action was given at the center.A ferocious fight took place betwee Russians and Bulgarians at Aptaat,where a large valley separated the two adversaries .Going ahead of the Bulgarians ,the Russians attack with violence ,sustained on the right side by the Serbs ;they reject the Bulgarian troops of Divisions Sofia and Preslav ,between Dobromir and Aptaat,and separate the two divisions.Pushing with strenght towards Granovo through the breach in the front line,they managed tu turn the internal flanks of the Bulgarian divisions.The Bulgarian Commander has put into the fight all his reserves managing to,with the price of big losses , stop the advance of the Russians and to occupy by evening Apaat.the Russians have retreated at Saragea.To ease the situation of Preslav Division,the troops of the Brigades of Vidin and Dobrici,strenghtened with Turk troops ,disposed at the right of the Bulgarian center ,have received the order to attack strong ahead of them.At Musu Bei,the Rusian Cavalry Division,which has fought unmounted,together with the Romanian troop of the 19th Romanian Division,have resisted with energy to greatly superior forces ,producing heavy losses to the enemy;between the Bulgarian wounded was also the Commander,General Kantargiev.

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Against the Vidin Brigade ,has been send the 36th Romanian Brigade ,made out of the 51st Galati Regiment and 52nd Birlad,under the Command of Colonel Georgescu Christodulu.The brigade ,only arrived on the theatre of fight,after three days of marchings ,in which,in the eve has made 34 Miles in a day and a night ,it is engaged in a violent fight on the hills with grape growings near Carali Village.Biladenii(men from Birlad) fight with manhood and succeed in occupying the village ,rejecting the Bulgarians ,but the strong enemy artillery catches Romanian troops ,placed on uncovered hills,in a crushing barrier fire and produces them heavy losses ,destroing all of their machineguns and a part of the cannons.The Romanian counterattacks ,made with energy and heavy losses ,have brought to a stand still the enemy,the whole day.The blood sacrifice of the 36th Romanian Brigade could not be made of use by the Russians at the right ,which did not manage to conquer Aptaat and to develope their initial success.In the wake of the retreat of the Russians ,the brigade had,at her turn ,to start ,with the fall of the evening ,the retreat towards Cobadin.The Bulgarian Brigade of Vidin had two officers and 168 soldiers dead ,5 officers and 368 soldiers wounded*.

At the Western wing ,the veiling attack which had to be executed by Bode Brigade and Sofia Division,has failed.The right wing of Sofia Division,made out of Lovcea Regiment ,has been smashed by the Serbs attack at Dobromir ;with great difficulty ,the Bulgarians could remake the threatening situation.This occurence,though,did not permit to the enemy to trial and advance with the left wing German-Bulgarian.He edged himself only to a bombardment very violent with heavy artillery,directed by aeroplanes ,which throwed panic within the Romanian troops of the 9th Division,as well of those of Regiments 8th and 9th of the 5th Romanian Division,arrived in the eve and placed in the elongation of the left wing of the 9th Romanian Division,on the line Caranlic-Parachioi-Calaici.Because of this disorganizing ,produced by this panic and unsuccessfulness of the attack given by the center, Russian-Serb,the troops of the 9th Division begun the retreat on successive positions through Cuzgun,Cogeacoru towards Adamclisi,mixed with the convoys of refugees of the villages in the South of Dobrogea ,which have left their homes.Troops of the 9th Division have tried to stop and resist on to the forested heights of Cogeacoru.But the heavy enemy artillery has bombarded the forest with violence ,tearing the old trees or ripping them off their roots ,an the Romanian troop,unused wth the fire of fight and unawoken by the panic ,has left the positions here.The retreat has not been obstacled by the enemy.

The following day ,in the morning ,Germano-Bulgarians have been forced to notice that there was nobody in front of them.The Romanian -Russian troops were executing a retreat in good order towards line Rasova-Cobadin-Tuzla.

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*Official Bulgarian relation.

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A "decissive" victory which is not decissive

Mackensen thought that he has to celebrate.The general Russian-Romanian retreat gave him the impression of a great and decissive victory.The German official comminicate was annauncing:"A decissive victory have crowned the operations lead with ability and energy in Dobrogea.The German troops ,Bulgarian and Turkish are pursuing the Romanian forces and Russian ones,beaten"(16th of September).The whole rigor program of great German victories has been set in to execution:telegram of well done from the Kaizer towards the victorious Marshal and towards the Empress ,guardian of public edifices in Berlin etc.The deception came quickly.There was no victory,especially a decissive one .The flags are descended,and the text of telegrams is not reproduced anymore by any of the war publications.The German public,which was expecting a new "Sedan",to bring an end to the war ,begins to read desillusioned at the official press."When we talk about decissive victory-writes one of the most important German newspaper-we understand a victory which would stop the enemy to follow the operations planned, and which have modified ,in a decissive mode,the situation on some of the war theatres"*.

The German military critic Fr.Endres writes:"(...)The attack intended by Mackensen on the left wing was given,from motives which cannot be yet established,lacking the needed energy,such that the battle,conceived as decissive battle ,has not been a complete decission.The enemy managed to sneak out from extermination and to retreat on general line Rasova-Cobadin-Tuzla,where he,which was of most importance for his defence,could support his left flank on Black Sea.This position can only be attacked frontal."A lively polemic begun between the German Commanders and Bulgarians ,the first accuzing the last,and the last that they have compromised the success by the delay with which they advanced and attacked ,and the last ones ridiculizing the combative importance of the German detachments ,presented by these ones in an exagerated light.

In fact the battle on Oltina-Caraomer was only an episode ,intermediary in the big duel begun between the two adverse armies.The goal pursued by the Commanders of the Russian-Romanian Army,postponing the big battle which had to be given for the possesion of Southern Dobrogea and of her principal artery of communications ,was acomplished.It will be given in the next few days in the positions and conditions which the Russian -Romanian Commandment will choose as best.

*"Kolnische Volkszeitrung",19th of September 1916,qouted in Andre Hallys,L'opinion allemande pedant la guerre("Revue de deux Mondes",1918)

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5.First Crisis.Changing the Plan of Operations

Days of emotion and thinking

The missfortunate events which took place in Southern Dobrogea have surprised and emotionated -as it is easy to understand-the leading circles of the army.The first reaction against the threatening situation which drew in this part ,was a considerable moving of troops ,to face the danger.During the first emotion in the wake of Turtucaia desaster ,some believed that the enemy would try a crossing of Danube River and a straight attack over Bucharest.The enemy has bombarded,in truth,the left shore of Danube and especially Oltenita,arsoning the deposits on the shore and the petrol reservoirs.The local population has been taken by panic and started to retreat towards Bucharest,filling the trains ,together with the wounded evacuated from Turtucaia,with the run aways and with those escaped from catastrophe,spreading all kinds of alarming news.

In truth,the temptation was great for the enemy which obtained the victory so easy.Bucharest was at 38 Miles away from the place of desaster ,which swallowed two Romanian divisions.Soon ,though,the leaders of our armies have regained their cold blood,when they could notice that,faced with the forces that the enemy had and of their dispozitive ,a trial like this would have been madness.Still,three Romanian divisions were send South of Bucharest,to be ready for any eventuality.The unfolding of the events shows soon that Mackensen was not the man for risky enterprises ,and mad.He has opposed categorically ,before our entering in the War to the plan of Conrad von Hotzendorf,which forseen the crossing of Danube and of fast attack over Bucharest.The real danger for us was the methodical and energic invasion of Dobrogea and with this,the threat of the entire flank of Romanian dispozitive.

Quick decission has to be made.

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The ally help and our help

Faced with the bad turn of the events,it was obvious that the initial campaign plan could not be maintained entirely.Thr repartition of units on sectors had to be modified ,to strenghten the Southern Front ,threatened.At 7th of September ,the Great Romanian Headquarter suspends the offensive action of the three armies which operated on the Transilvanian frontier.General Alekseev was asked by telegrapf to strenghten the Russian troops in Dobrogea with two divisions more.General Joffre was asked to give the go to the beginning of the offensive of General Sarail,conform with the convention.A council of generals is met at the General Headquarter at Peris;took part also two old Generals ,without Commandment,General Iarca and General Crainiceanu.General Averescu opinions to stop the offensive at North and to be grouped a strong army for the offensive in Dobrogea.General Iarca proposes to be retreated two divisions from Oltenia ,to be formed reserves for the troops fighting at North,to be sent in to Dobrogea four divisions ,of those concentrated at South of Bucharest;the principal and urgent thing is that to to obtain in Dobrogea a fast and decissive victory .

The painful sacrifice of reducing the offensive army in Transilvania ,to strenghten the devensive front in Dobrogea ,is fulfiled .South of Bucharest is constituted under a new form ,the III-rd Army of Divisions 16th,18th,12th(taken from the I-st Romanian Army),half of the 10th Division,half of the 15th Division,Bucharest Detachment (Colonel Sturza and Alexandria Detachment.It is taken the Command of General Aslan and it is handed the Command of the III-rd Romanian Army to General Averescu;instead of General Averescu is named at the Command of the II-nd Romanian Army General Crainiceanu.The Command of the Russian-Romanian troops of Dobrogea is handed to General Zaioncikovski;all troops in Dobrogea receive the order to retreat,concentrating on the line Cuzgun-Caraomer which corresponded aproximatively with the old Dobrogean frontier.For strenghtening of the army in Dobrogea ,it is send the 2nd Division from Oltenia and the 5th Division from Brasov.Because Alekseev communicated that he cannot send anything to Dobrogea ,the decissive front being the one in Galitia ,it is decided to be sent to Dobrogea also the 12th Division from South of Bucharest,as well as the 15th Division which,in reality ,was a Brigade.It is renaunced at the ideea of sending the 16th Division and of a Brigade from the 1st Division of Cavalry,because it would have left Bucharest not enaugh defended from the South.The 8th Division which was intended to be brought to Bucharest,was engaged towards Miercurea Ciuc and could not be moved anymore.The transport of the troops in Dobrogea is done in order and fast.The spirits start to calm down.The Great Headquarter decides at 11th of September ,to begin in part,the offensive in Transilvania ,pushing forward the front of the II-nd Army,such that to connect the Olt Group with the Northern Romanian Army on a shorter line.Still,grave preocupation are linked with the Dobrogea matter.The eventuality of losing Dobrogea and the plan of evacuation of Oltenia begin to enter in the calculus of the High Romanian Commandment.Keeping the communication line with Rusia ,by strenghtening of the Northern Army is the principal concern.

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In the French Council of Defence of 1th of September ,Mr.Briand reminded that ,by the protocol Briand-Loyd George of 11th of August 1916-which forseen the rising of the Russian aid in Dobrogea from 50 000 to 200 0000 men-,it is the moment to ask Russia for suplementary forces .General Jofrre replied that it seems difficult to ask Russia for this,when France needed troops on the French Front.Besides,the principal objective of the Romanian-Russian forces,consigned in their military convention ,remained Austro-Hungary;it could have not been prepared an offensive against Bulgaria before finishing with Austria.

Few days after this intervines the defeat of Turtucaia.At the telegram of the high Romanian Commandment ,General Joffre respounds at 11th of September .The French Generalisim admits the movement of the center of the action of our War over the Danube and the threat menacing in Dobrogea.First ,he thinks that "it must be strenghtened the troops in Dobrogea to obtain there a incontestable numeric superiority".General Joffre shows also that he has given the order to General Sarrail to take offensive on Macedonian Front ,to fix there Bulgarian forces on Grece territory and announces that will also ask General Alekseev to examine the possibility of sending new troops in Dobrogea.The French Generalisim admits that strenghtening the troops in Dobrogea will have as effect burden of the offensive in Transilvania ,but is of opinion that later ,when the situation would have reestablished in Dobrogea ,the initial plan-offensive in Transilvania-would have to be retaken with all strenght.

Towards General Janin,the military attache near Stavka[21],General Joffre ,exprims with more sincerity his opinion.Without taking into account of the Russian inaction on Moldavian Carpathians Front ,General Joffre thinks that the Romanian manoeuvre against the Austro-Hungarian has fallen because the advance of Romanians was not executed neither in time ,nor with the necessary energy.It has ,then,to be suspended this offensive ,with the solid instalation on most favorable positions of an economically offensive ,to assure the gained territory,and the Romanian forces which become available will have to be transported at the South where,together with the Russians ,to attack the Bulgarians in combination with the Orient Army.Because General Alekseev shows Romania an hostility which he doesen't even try to conceal,General Janin,has to make use of all his ascendent to determine the Russian Generalisim to have a more conciliant attitute towards his ally.To enable the Russians sending the necessary aid in Dobrogea,General Joffre declares through General Janian that he renaunces of the four brigades taht has to be send to France *,asking in exchange that they are send without delay in to Dobrogea.

In the same time ,the British attache ,Mr. Thompson communicates to the Great Romanian Headquarter the views of General Robertson,the Chief of the Great Staff of British Army.The decission on the Oriental Front cannot be obtained neither at Lamberg,nor at Przemysl,but at Budapest.That is why ,Russians have to send big forces into Dobrogea ,which-together with Romanians-beat the Bulgarians ;then to retake vigorous offensive to the North(Transilvania).

The measures of aid ,indicated by the French and by the British,have been realised in a very small measure.The Army of General Sarrail did not have the necessary strenght to enterprise an action in great style.She begun an offensive in an excentric point of the front ,whch have culminated finally with conquering of Monastirului[22]; then it has ceased entirely,without constituting for a moment a serious threat,as to necesitate the retreat of Bulgarian troops from the Dobrogean Front.As about the Russian aid,General Alekseev edged to send a new Division-the 115th Division-which has arrived when the big battle of Dobrogea was near the end.In exchange ,the Zar has telegraphied ,in His turn,to General Joffre,asking him to prescribe to General Sarail a more energic action.All these showed that the only salvation could only come from our own strenghts.

*Russia has obliged to send to France 6 brigades of infantry.One of them has already arrived and has been pass to reviste at Mouilly by General Joffre.At 20th of August 1916,at point of embarkation at Marseille,to be send on Salonic Front ,the soldiers of one regiment mutiny and murder their Colonel.

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General Averescu's criticism

The unsuccess of the battle on the old Dobrogean frontier brings again unrests.Some Romanian units ,unused with the fire ,have resisted weak and been overwhelmed by panic.

A new War Council is held on 15th of September .Takes part the King,Prime Minister Bratianu and Generals ,Iliescu,Culcer,Averescu and Prezan.General Averescu has sustained the ideas which he has written few days before in a report and a memoir,addressed to the King;they contain a harsh criticism of organizing of the army and of the plan of operations.After Averescu,the plan of operations which foresaw the offensive on two fronts ,is unrealisable and dangerous .It has to be given up to this plan and adopt defensive on one front and offensive on the other.As defensive front is imposing the one at the North,because it has limited vulnerable points ,the nature of the terrain makes possible the resistance with less forces ,defending the terrain step by step,and the adversary dose not dispose ,for the time being,of forces ,his concentration of forces could easily be threatened from flank by the Russian offensive.The offensive has to be taken from South,because on this front the enemy finds himself in strenght and threatening ;the terrain is favorable ,and the Capital of the Kingdoom is very close to the frontier .A victory on this front would have favorable repercussions over the operations enterprised on the allied front of Salonic.

Stretching his criticism over the matters of organization ,Averescu notices that a vigorous action is obstacled by the mixture of the units grouping-almost no division has not maintained the old fromation-of introducing of battalions of gathering-even of police with old weapons-of modifying of the battle order ,such that rare are the units which kept their Commanders that prepared them in the first place and have with the troop soul connections.Because of the strange and unstopped multiplying of the units,the assigning has weakened ,introducing at the bossom of the troop corps ,real elements of weakness.There are very weak units ,with updated weapons,without training ,real elements of panic,The experience of wars shows that the value of a troop is not measured by her strong elements ,but by the weak ones.

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Pretaining the startegic conduct,it has been made the error that it has been mixed covering of mobilization with strategic unfolding,pushing the gathering of the troops beyond the border as,already,the covering troops were numerous enaugh.Because of this we have found ourselves with the Army stretched in a continuous cordon ,from Bucovina frontier to the Black sea ,without other disponibilities in depth ,but only the two divisions of "general reserve",the 10th and the 16th,the latter one being a very weak unit.

General Averescu propeses as a solution;a rectifying of the strategical dispozitive of the forces ,keeping on the Carpathians Front of only the strict necessary of troops for defence;to destine all availability into mobile troops to take an offensive in depth against Bulgaria.Apart from this he proposes a series of measures for organization ,especially taking out the formantions of gathering from the operational armies,to be taken into instruction camps,concentration of the units and commandments a.s.o.

General Prezan maintains of,on the contrary, the pursuing with energy of the initial plan,by increasing the forces of the IV-th Army(Northern),to threaten with veiling of the enemy front and oblige him to retreat behind the line of Mures .This solution not only broadened the neutral zone and of the operations and sided the danger of a strangling from Ardeal,on one side and from Dobrogea on the other side,but ensured in Moldavia an utile solid base of operations and a shelter towards Russian Army ,in case of defeat.

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Reviewing the operation plan

The admitted solution was an intermediary one.It has been admitted the proposal of General Averescu to try a strong offensive on the Southern Front .To mask this principal operation ,it has been decided to continue also the offensive in Transilvania with our shortened forces.So,offensive on two fronts!The Romanian Army would had to operate on interior lines ,in two divergent directions ,with the forces stretched on an imense front.Daring decission,when in Dobrogea the phallanx of Mackensen was strenghtening more and more by new and strong units ,when in Transilvania heve started to appear the avanguards of German forces which were constituting under the Command of General Falkenhayn ,and our own army was missed of a strong reserve and,so,forced to lend forces from one front to the other ,in case of need.

For the new offensive it has been established a new group,under the name of "the Group of Southern armies".The Command of the group has been given to General Averescu.The group comprised of two formations :the Army from Dobrogea,made out of Romanian and Russian divisions,under the Command of Russian General Zaioncikovski.At the Danube ,South of Bucharest ,the III-rd Army has constituted ,under the direct Command of General Averescu,as a Danube Army,made out of six Romanian divisions ,with the aim of a daring offensive.In the distribution of troops on Dobrogean Front has been taken into calculus of the observations made during the first fights.The Russian troops ,being in continuous fights with the enemy for two years now,were less impressionable under the enemy fire,proceeded more methodically at building strongholds and were giving a better importance to the connections between units of all kinds and commandments,as did the Romanian troops,which were seeing for the first time the fire,and were made ,for a good part ,by elements with a military instruction, very modest.That is why,the Commandment has disposed for,on Dobrogean Front ,the troops to be mixed,intercalating Russian units between the Romanian ones .It will be seen later on, how the result of this measure has been the contrary of the one expected.

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6.The Battle On Line Rasova-Cobadin-Tuzla

16th-21st of September

Concentration on to the fighting line

Mackensen continues with speed the advance towards North,on the tracks of the enemy which he thought defeated decissively.The pursiut has been made in the land of Southern Old Dobrogea.The terrain is of hills and gulleys, towards the ground sandy ,on a fundament of calcareous rocks ,on which the eye losses itself in the distance,without to meet even one tree.From distance to distance a terrain ondulation;a transversal valley,in which dose not flow no water on the surface but can be found at a small depth :there have been established the rare villages.Here and ther a conical ground mound,the old Sciti(Sciti or Sceti-population of Iranian origin established in the Northern Pontic Tundra in century 8th B.C.,according to Herodot) tumuls(graves wihich have a mound of ground over them).In the midst of this desolant plateau ,on the edge of a hill,is the ruin of Adamclisi,rising majestic,afirming the ancient right of the Latin people to the mastering of the land.And a little to the North,Roman Emperor Traian's Wave,the Roman Bank ,by which for centuries the barbarian hoardes have been brought to a stand still,it is a symbol and an encouragement.

The Romanian -Russians troops in retreat ,have been received by the units arrived from over the Danube River, and occupied a line of defence ,prepared beforehand,stretched acroos Dobrogea,perpendicular,from the Danube to the Black Sea.On this line ,General Averescu has decided to receive the battle.The line begins at the shore of Danube ,at Rasova,passes near villages Arabagi,Mulciova,Enigea,Cocargea,Cobadin,Topraisar,Tuzla until it meets the Black Seea .She follows ridges of hills and is made up of several rows of trenches.Some of the points as:Cobadin and Topraisar,are strongly organized ,beeing foreseen with barbed wire nets.From Rosova until Cocargea there are two Romanian Divisions:the 2nd Romanian ,arrived from Oltenia(General Socec),and the 9th Romanian ,retreated from Silistra(General Petala).Behind them disembark Divisions 15th Romanian(General Grigorescu) and 12th Romanian(General Gaiseanu).At Cocargea is the Serb Division;at Cobadin ,the 61st Russian Division.At Topraisar is the 19th Romanian Division(Colonel Scarisoreanu) ,retreated from Bazargic;between this one and the Russians ,the units of the 5th Romanian Division.A division of Russian Cavalry and a Brigade of Romanian Calarasi(horsemen) completes the Romanian-Serbian-Russian Army,which is Commanded by General Zaioncikovski.

Of the Romanian divisions,Divisions ;2nd-made out of nine battalions-5th and 12th are fresh units.The 9th Division has suffered felt losses at Silistra and in her retreat through Lipnita,Parachioi,Cuzgan,Cogeacoru and Adamclisi,in which time she has given continuously bloddy fights.Same as this ,the 19th Romanian Division which,retreating from Bazargic ,it almost did not have one day without fight.Bothe Divisions were tired and with the effectives halfed;their fighting strenght was shaken.The 15th Romanian Division,reconstituted after the Turtucaia desaster,it is in reality a brigade of seven battalions ,without artillery.

The Bulgarians are advancing against the Romanian -Russian line ,having at the left wing,along Danube River,the German Bode Brigade,and at the right wing ,towards the Black Sea,the Cavalry.The thick of the forces occupies the center :from left to right are 1st Sofia Division,4th of Preslav Division and the 6th of Vidin Division and Dobrici Corps ,which contains also the Turkish units arrived till now.The first two are big divsions of 6 regiments each.The forces of the two adversaries equivalizes numerically.The enemy ,however ,is superior in weaponry.Their units have many cannons -especially a lot of heavy artillery-German and Austrian one,as well as unnumbered machineguns.They have armoured cars and a big number of aeroplanes ,which bombards the front and the formations behind them and keep under continuous nerve racking the population of Constanta,Medgidia and Cernavoda,where their attacks ,made daily and without any scrupul,make numrous victims .The enemy has risen moral in the wake of the last victories and is lead by a famous General.But also the Romanians know well ,that by the faith of the battle which begins ,hangs the faith of Dobrogea and of the War.The fight will be given "over life and death".

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