Romanian Campaign of 1916,The Campaign in Dobrogea

[razu]

b)Amzacea Battle

Romanian-Russian preparations

The offensive action of the Russian-Romanian Army in Dobrogea ,which was supposed to begin and evolve simultaneously and convergent with the one at Flaminda ,has been conceived in this way:at the right flank (Western) of the Army,the Romanian Group-General Radian-made out of 115th Russian Division ,strenghtened with heavy artillery,will maintain with determination their positions at Cernavoda-Sofular,South of Cobadin ,making only demonstrations with artillery and infantry patrols ,to fix the enemy and not let him send reinforcements in the attacked sectors.

At the center ,Simanski Russian Group-made out esentially by the 61st Russian Division -will attack the enemy and occupy the heights in region Casici-Enghez.The principal strike will be given by the left wing ,Eastern-Romanian Group General Hartel,made out from Divisions 5th and 19th Romanians in the region Amzacea -Topraisar.At the extreme left wing ,a Russian Cavalry Regiment had to supervise region Tuzla ,on the shore of the Black Sea;the rest of the Cavalry Russian-Romanian was concentrated in region Osmancea -Ebichioi,at the disposition of the Commander ,to begin the marching towards South through sector Sofular -Amzacea ,in case of breaking of the enemy front.The Russian force on the Sea had to keep under her cannons region Perveli-Mangalia .In reserve were kept the 9th Romanian Division,General Petala at Ivrinez -pestera ,behind the Demonstrative Group,and the Serb Division,at Biulbiu Mic ,behind the Attack Group.

In the conception of General Averescu ,the enemy front must be broken in the Eastern Sector ,towards the Sea and the enemy army repulsed towards West ,towards the Danube ,on the direction of advance of the III-rd Romanian Army which,after the succeeding of passing at Flaminda was supposed to fall behind the enemy army.The superiority of the Romanian-Russian forces of Dobrogea was ensured:124 battalions (80 Romanians and 44 Russians ,next to 73 enemy battalions -in reality there were 79-,89 artillery batteries against 62 enemy ,31 Escadrons of Cavalry next to 29 enemy.One of the principal conditions of success was fulfilled .The effect of the strike at Flaminda ,given behind the enemy,it will shake his moral and the tactical dispozitive ,influencing decissively the faith of the Battle.

....

[razu]

Enemy preparations

In the same time the enmy was taking dispositions ,as well, foreseeing an offensive ,which had to be decissive for operations in Dobrogea.It has arrived the Marching Brigade from Varna and the 15th German Division.Between Mackensen and Tosev restarts the dicsussion over the oportunity and direction of the attack,the first one asking the imediate beginning of the offensive with the direction towards Topraisar,the second one asking to be waited for the arrival of the 217th German Division,and the attack to be made in the center of the Romanian-Russian dispozitive,at Cobadin.The divergence has been sided by the intervention of the Bulgarian Inheriter Princip Boris,deciding thus that until the arrival of the 217th Division,the army in Dobrogea to be strenghtened with garrisons from Turtucaia Fortress ,Silistra Fortress and Varna,in which stead will be brought troops of militia from Rusciuk,Sumla and Varna.It is known that this movement of troops ,have given the chance to Bulgarians to have in hand few troops which to oppose to Romanians ,which had croosed the Danube at Flaminda.With the 79 battalions ,62 batteries and 29 escadrons ,the Bulgarian-Germano-Turk Army was inferior numericaly to its adversary.The superiority,however ,was in heavy artillery,which had also a great number of German and Austrien heavy batteries and of heavy cannons captured at Turtucaia and transported on the Dobrogean Fighting Front.With this face ,the Romanian-Russian offensive has hit an enemy which was himself prepeared to take the initiative of an offensive movement.

.....

[razu]

The Fight at Preveli

At 1st of October ,the Romanian-Russian offensive unleashed from the South of Cobadin until the Black Sea.After an artillery bombardment of a few hours,to which the enemy respounded with equal strenght ,the troops set to move.Advancing in uncovered terrain ,under the crisscrossed fires of the enemy ,Romanians and Russians have had great losses,paying dearly each palm of terrain they conquered.

The biggest advance was made at our left wing from the Sea direction.Advancing from towards Musurat ,troops of the 5th Division have attacked villages Muratanu Mare and Muratanu Mic,which they seized one after the other as weel as the heights of point 74,rejecting the troops of Bulgarian cavalry,unmounted ,which were occupying them.The Romanian line advances under the formidable enemy bombardment and arrives on the Northern edge of Perveli Village ,strongly strenghtened with several rows of barbed wire fences,intact;the positions was prolonging to the west on to Caraluc Hill(elev 90).The left wing of the Division of Cavalry ,Bulgarian,is retreating in disband;to face the danger,the Bulgarian Commander sends 1st cavalry Regiment to charge.In two lines,with two escadrons on to each line,followed at distance by reseves ,are throwing to charge the Bulgarian Cavalrists ,with galloping horses ,in savage shouts,against Romanians.But the Galati and Birlad soldiers,o the 37th Brigade were not a defeated and demoralised troop,to be set to panic by the storming of the Cvalry,but a troop full of elan of success.The Romanian shooters place themselves on to the ground,letting to pass between them the Bulgarian Cavalrists,which then they attack from back,as from front and flanks receives them another stormrain of bullets.The Bulgarian Charge is crushed;horses and soldiers ,dead ,cover the battle field;the rests of the regiment run in diorder towards West*.With the reinforcements of infantry ,Bulgarian and Turkish,received towards evening ,the Bulgarian Commander tried a night attack,but the enemy units prefered to ramble at night through the fields and turn back in the morning in their positions.

The attack of the 17th Poetas Brigade and of the 61st Russian Division have gained terrain in front of the Turk positions of the 25th Turk Division and of the Mixt Bulgarian Division,but they have been obstacled by the numerous troops brought by Bulgarians in the aid of the Turks an especially to the precise firing range of the long German batteries and of Austrian howitzers.The Russians have occupied with the 61st Division Sofular Village with the ridge of heights from North of Enghez,The heavy artillery fire of the 61st Rusian Division ,aimed over Amzacea Village ,have made possible for Poetas Brigade the advance close to the village.

The Bulgarian resistance strenghtened more in the day of 2nd of October ;all reserve units have received during the two days ,as well as other units tken from the demonstrativ sector of Wes,have been send to strenghten the Turk Corps,and the Cavalry Division.The unsuccessfulness of the Russian attack of Hartel Gorup,and the stopping of operations at Flaminda have obstacled the evolution of th initial succes of yesterday.The Romanians have been brought to a stand still in fron of the strongholds at Preveli and Amzacea.

Crossing the Danube at Flaminda have emotioned the Germano-Bulgarian Commandment.Mackensen have given the order to cease the planed offensive ,of strenghtening of the resistance and supervising role,and called at Bazargic the Commanders ,to discuss overe the measures to be taken in the case of an eventual necessity of regrouping of the troops in Dobrogea,to face up to the danger.

*The enemy Commander describes the attack in this way:"On an open terrain filled with holes from harvestings,the divizions have attacked the enemy ,which,surprised ,started to run from flank ,but the support that was at the right side have opened strong over our cavalry,protecting the run aways.The horses were very tired and there was nothing else to do but the Regiment to make left ,to go in time away from the infantry fire and artillery one unleashed by the enemy".

............

[razu]

The Attack at Amzacea

In the center of the attack sector,Amzacea Village ,formidable strongolded with deep entrenches and with nets of entanglements on several rows ,constituted the key position of the enemy,commanding the principal road towards Mustafaci and Caraomer.It was occupied by the 25th Turk Division ,strenghtened with Bulgarian units and with a strong artillery.In the first days ,the position could not be attacked because there was uncertainty over the right wing ,where the Russians attacks were continuously rejected.In the third day of the battle ,was,however brought to the right a Serb Regiment ,and this was a guarantee of solidity of this wing.The attack of the position of Amzacea was fixed for 4pm and will be given by the troops of the 17th Romanian Brigade Poetas;at the riight will be the 9th Hunters Regiment ,and at the left ,mixed troops ,of which the greatest part from 40th Calugareni Regiment,Romanian.The spirit of the attack troops is great.The Hunters have in their temple ,Major Rasoviceanu,a Commander of which energy is overtaken only by the flaming and despise for death.The troops of Poetas Brigade start to attack in waves ,advancing with spirit towards the enemy positions ,under the rain of projectiles which crisscross above thir heads .From time to time a quick stop and a salve of rifle fires towards the enemy and the rows,aligned again start in jumps ahead.From the ridge of Eski-iuc Hill,covered within the trenches ,behind the entanglements ,the Turks fire storms of fires.But the Romanians pass careless through the curtain of shrapnels and bullets ,descend the valley in front of the position,climb the ridge Eski-iuc,sneak between the barbwired nets broken by bombardment ,and jump ahead with bayonet over the Turks ,take them out of the entrenches and set them tu run.The artillery of the neighbour positions is flowing its killing fire in the lines of the assaulters.The Officers and Soldiers fell one after the other ;ahead of his Battalion of Hunters ,dies Captain Gheorghiu.

In vain the Romanian Commander try to bring to a stop the soldiers which go to far away.In vain they shout the commands ,sound the signalls from trumpet and whistle.The elan of the soldiers cannot be controled anymore.They pass as a hurricane and with blows of bayonet and rifle beds tear down anything in their way.Now they have entered the batteries of enemy artillery.Sublieutenant Stefanescu throws himself mounted on to a cannon :"They're ours brothers!" and falls ,with his hands in the air ,pierced by bullets.The Turks servants are runthrough bayonet ,set to run,and the Hunters enter Amzacea Village and seize it.The prey at Amzacea is seven cannons ,two flags ,five officers ,a major and over 300 soldiers prisoners.

The defeat of the enemy is complete;the panic spreads to the right and to the left ;the whole 25th Turk Division leaves the positions and begins a disorderly retreat towards Mustafaci.The disaster of the Turk Division alarms the Commander of the III-rd Bulgarian Army,which sends in haste ,in Amzacea all the Bulgarian troops at his disposition,in which time the Bulgarian Cavalry is making desperate forcings to stop the Turk disband and gather the groups of run aways.A bloody body fight begins now on the lanes of the village between Bulgarians and Romanians.The Romanian troops ,in the turmoil of their success,advanced to far ;they were isolated ,at big distance ,both by the behind reserves and by the neighbours in right and left.The darkness creeping in made more difficult the reconning of the situation and orientation.That is why ,the soldiers have received the order to retreat a little and,leaving the village,have established on the Norther outskirts of it,where all through the night they have constituted strongholds.

.....

[razu]

Ceasing of the Battle

With all the success at Amzacea ,the result of the offensive in Dobrogea ,which lasted three days,was weak.The Army in Dobrogea has managed to advance at the left wing with almost 6 Miles,and at the right wing imposed its advanced posts with 1 Mile.Of breaking the enemy front could not be talk.General Zaioncikovski reports to General Averescu in the night of 3th -4th of October ,that he has executed with energy the ordered offensive ,but for its continuation, he will be forced the next day to put into battle the last reserve ,meaning the 9th Romanian Division and the rest of the Serb Division.He says that the influence of the III-rd Romanian Army ,which was operating at Flaminda ,did not manifest ,which has caused for the enemy to oppose stubborn resistance with all its strenghts.During that day,the operation at Flaminda ended ,taking the character of a demonstration ,for the next day to be completly given up.As a result it has to be prescribed also to the Dobrogea Army to cease the ofensive ,pass in to an active defensive attitude ,to fix the adversary forces in front.That is why ,in the following days have been given by the Romanian and Russian troops isolated attacks ,without important results .The action of the troops of the 10th Romanian Brigade (8th Buzau Regiment and 9th Rimnicu Sarat),against Preveli Village,could not reach the conquering of the village ,with all the difficult moments they made for Bulgarians .Numerous machineguns ,hidden through the roofs of the houses ,were cutting the rows of soldiers.The Romanian artillery has bombarded and set to flames the village ,but the advance of the rows of soldiers rared and bleeding was stopped by the strong wire entanglements .The action of the Russian fleet has been null,as that of the Russian troops between the left of Romanians and Black Sea,although the Russians had here ,without the Cavalry and mounted artillery,hunters and cyclists.

At 4th of October have been given violent fights North of Amzacea between Romanians and Turks,helped by Bulgarians ,with alternative successes.Not being of any use to maintain the too advanced position at Amzacea ,the Hunters have been retreted in the old positions ,starting positions,South of Topraisar.The heroic Poetas Brigade was left ,in the wake of the violent fights given so far,with 800-1000 men for each of the two Regiments .General Scarisoreanu's DIvision -th 19th -has lost in the fights of 1st-5th of october 45 Officers and 3150 men.

At 5th of Ocober ,the Command of the Romanian Group of Divisions 19th and 5th passes to General Rascu.

....

[razu]

The results of the Romanian-Russian counteroffensive

The counteroffensive on the Southern Front has finished with a general failure(both sides).At this failure contributed :the insuficient technical preparation for crossing the Danube ,te stubborn resistance of the enemy,he himself ready for offensive ,on Dobrogean Front,but especially the unfavorable strategical situation on the Romanian fighting fronts.

Together with stopping the offensive action at Flaminda ,and with the sending of the three Divisions from there ,to the Carpathian Front ,are also suspended the fights in Dobrogea.From full fight ,Divisions 12th and 15th are withdraw from the front and send to strenghten the defence of Carpathians mountain passes ,Bran and Oituz.The place of the Romanian Dovisions ,left ,was taken by Russian troops :The 3rd Siberian Division .With our heart aking was to be received this fatal situation :the defence of the land of the Kingdom was going on the hands of Russian Army,Tzarist Army which has given in Dobrogea the proof of a lack of energy and indiference ,which were forecasting for the futer the worst expectations.

The failure of the counteroffensive on the Southern Front provoked a spiritual depression in raport with the great hopes which have been put in it.The following events ,have prooven that the action at Flaminda ,at that epoch at which it took place,has been a fatal strategical mistake.In Transilvania ,the enemy has finished its concentration and begun its offensive.Exactly in this moment ,the Romanian Army in Ardeal is left with 11 Division instead of 17 and a half of the enemy.The past twoo weeks from the taking of the troops from Ardeal(Transilvanian)Front to be transported to Danube ,till the retaking them back to the Carpathians Front,have been used by the enemy to strike ,disorganize and demoralize the Army in Ardeal and prepare its invasion.In this critical time ,a great part of the Romanian Army was in trains ,transported from the mountains to the Danube and then from the Danube to the mountains,back,.The unsuuccess of the offensive at the Danube and in Dobrogea -were we had superiority of forces over the enemy-has been to our luck;it saved us from catastrophe.If the Bulgarian and the Germans would have not opposed us resistance,and if by their retreat would have dragged our army South of Danube River ,then the enemy army in Carpathians would have found the III-rd Romanian Army engaged with the enemy in its country(Bulgaria).The divisions engaged in the fight would have not been retreated in due time ,to fill up the gaps on the Northern Front and the invasion of the Kingdom would have been produced one month after our entering in the War.One missfortunes escaped us from a greater one.

.....

[razu]

Mackensen prepeares the big offensive

After the ending of the Romanian counteroffensive on the Southern Front ,in Dobrogea reestablishes quiet.Time of two weeks have taken place only small local actions .The Romanian Supreme Commander used this break,to focus his atention on to the Northern Front ,very threatened in this time ,and to organize the defence along the line of the mountains,with the aids send from Dobrogea and from Danube.They are the turmoiled days from Oituz,from Predeal and at Rucar.It has only been succeeded to be made the defence at Carpathian Mountains ,when the storm unleashed again in Dobrogea.The silence here was only aparent.Behint the curtain of its front,Mackensen was prepearing with febrility and method the great offensive,which was to put him master over the longed objective:the line Cernavoda-Constanta.His army has received important reinforcements in troops and material.Numerous contingencies,Bulgarian and Turkish,as well as a new German Division-the 217th,Commander von Galwitz-made out of men from Eastern Prusia ,they have strenghtened his fighting front.The Germans were positioned in front of Topraisar ,sector destined to be the most important.The Turks ,counted as less worthy of trust,have been moved a bit to the left,in Cocargea sector.The effective of the army was now 96 Battalions and 28 Escadrons.Its dispozitive was this:the left wing,at the Danube ,was made by 1st Sofia Division,then followed the Turk Corps (Divisions 15th and 25th),then the 4th Bulgarian Division in front of Cobadin;at its right the Mixt Division (made up of the 6th Division and Dobrici Detachment);at the right of this one,in front of Topraisar,the 217th German Division and,and more to the left the Bode German Brigade.At the right wing ,until the Sea ,the 1st cavalry Division ,Bulgarian,strenghtened with infantry.The heavy artillery has been the principal object of preocupation for the German Maarshal,and has received considerable reinforcements.Mackensen had now in his hand a formidable offensive force.In the purpose of the Great battle ,he took in his hands the Command of the II-rd Bulgaro-German Army,which he has separated in to two groups:the Western Group-Commander in suborder General Tosev-comprising of Bulgarian and Turkish troops ,which had demonstative role and the Eastern GroupCommander in suborder General Kantargiev-made out of German and Bulgarian troops ,which will give the principal attack.The whole heavy German artillery and two Regiments of heavy Bulgarian Artillery have been concentrated in front of Topraisar.In the same time and on the Romanian Front have been produced som dislocation of troops.After the leaving of the 12th and 15th Divisions and the replacement of them by Russian troops ,the units have grouped in the next way:at East,left wing,leaned on to the Sea and defending Constanta,was made out of Romanian Divisions 9th and 19th,constituting the group of General Rascu.At the West,the right wing ,leaned over the Danube River and defending the bridgehead at cernavoda ,were the Romanian Divisions 2nd and 5th;it has been constituted also for this group a Commandment ,which has been handed to General Radian.The center was made by the Russian Divisions ;the Russian Group was mounted on line Medgidia-Cobadin-Bazargic.The 3rd Tiraliori Serb Division has been wthdrew from Dobrogea and send on carpathians Front ,at Busteni and Pietrosita.between Russians and the 19th Romanian Division ,which occupied the position at Topraisar ,was the Serb Division,remade after the Fight at Cocargea ,under the Command of General Zivovic.The Command of the Romanian-Russian Army was also that of Russian General Zaioncikovski,of which General Headquarter was at Medgidia.

....

[razu]

The Fight at Topraisar

At 19th of October Mackensen unleashed the offensive on the whole front line ,long of 44Miles.A hurricane of fire and metal ,started from hundreds of mouths of fire of cannons of all calibers ,came over the Romanian lines ,at 6,30 in the morning .Short time after the beginning of the action ,the intention of the enemy was clear :he was giving the principal attack over the left Romanian wing ,especially over Topraisar Sector.Here was concentrated the mass of his heavy artillery,here was placed the 217th German Division ,to which it was added as strenght,the Bode Brigade.From an Earth mound ,from where the eye embraced all Dobrogean field ,Mackensen himself ,seconded by his Chief of Staff,General Tappen,was conducting personally the fight.At the right side ,in the tail of the Bulgarian Cavalry troops ,Prince Boris ,the inheriter of the Bulgarian Throne ,was making his compulsory exam of bravery.

The Romanian position at Topraisar was build in shaved field,between this village and Amzacea.It was a strong position,build by the rules of modern war.The first line of defense was made out of entrenches for shooters and individual shelters for observers .Behind it, was the line of barbed wire fence ,placed on four rows.At about 150 meters behind it ,were the works of the principal line of resistance .It was made out of sinuous rows of trenches ,dug deep to cover the shooters in stand up position.They were connected between them ,communicating with the back by long subterrain corridors.behind the position were shelters for reserves ,well protected by roofs and beams in to the ground.Above the technical execution ,was strong by the value of its defenders.It was the 19th Romanian Division,Colonel C.Scarisoreanu which,from the beginning of the Dobrogea Campaign ,was continuously in fight with the enemy.Under the conduct of a Chief with beautiful military qualities and spiritual ones ,this Division,with all the losses she has suffered so far-became a unit to count on ,in difficult moments.In the center of the position were the troops of Poetas Brigade-the brave soldiers of 9th Hunters Regiment and 40th Calugareni,heroes of Amzacea.In the morning of 6th of October ,the officers and soldiers of the 40th Calugareni Regiment have asked to be brought in the trenches the flag of the Regiment.They have unfolded it and rove with it fluttering in to the wind , through the warriors ranks.All af them sworn with the hand stretched ,that nothing will make them back away,that they will die sooner than to leave the position in the hand of the enemy.And they kept their word.

.....

[razu]

....

The formidable bombardment of the Romanian position from Topraisar was surpassing everything seen till then on the Dobrogean Front.It was executed with cannons of 105mm,150mm and two batteries of 210 mm.The firing range was directed by a squadron of five aeroplanes ,which were diving and turning over our shelters ,sometimes letting them very low. The artillery of the 19th Romanian Division was made out of 6 batteries ,of which two with slow firing , which firing range was obstacled by the smoke.The effects of the heavy enemy artillery are trumendeous .The shakings of the explosions are deranging the mechanisms of our cannons taking them out of service.Whole batteries ,framed by the enemy firing range,are taken out of the fight,by killing the men and the animals.The trenches and shelters are smashed to pieces and men buried under the ground.At the cover of the frightening bombardment ,the German infantry attacks ,trying to close in to the Romanian positions.At our left wing,towards Muratan,the Romanian Detachment occupying the position,having all machineguns destroied and lossing 2/3 of men ,have retreated on the principal line of resistance.At seven in the evening all troops of the Division were on the principal line ,at the Southern outskirts of Topraisar Village.In the principal position ,the brave troops of Colonel Poetas ,have kept themselves strong two days and two nights.The waves of the attacker were exterminated ,as soon as they got close to our lines.Two days and a half,the adversary bites the dust ,without being able to get close,just a little by night.The Germans addmit the extraordinary difficulties of the fight in front of Topraisar:"The greatly celebrated assault of St.Privat* has found here the repetition.The terrain was at Topraisar,however,much more difficult then at St.Privat,and the strenght of defence of the enemy much greater ,by the modern technic equipment.At night ,the companies got close to the entanglements .They were trying to cut in these wires the openings for assault.The enemy observed the action and throwed his fire waves on the terrain.From a patrol of officers made out of 24 Officers ,send in reconnoitring ,came back only three men.Are hours of excesive nervous forcing."

The enemy Commander sends to the 217h Division the order:"If you count on a decissive success continue the attack for seizing Topraisar;in contrar case ,strenghten strong on the actual position".And with all the forcings made in the days of 19th and 20th of October ,with all the crushing bombardment,the brave troops of the 19th Division remained uninched at their posts.The enmy could not advance anymore,and buried himself,as well in the entrenches ;his most advanced positions were 300 m from ours.

In the center of the Russian Front,the 61st Division has fought moistured ,and the 115thDivision has disbanded and left the psition,retreating towards Cobadin.The Bulgarians have obtained ,with this face ,an easy victory;the 4th Bulgarian Division has made 24 officers and 2800 soldiers prisoners,of the 61st and 115th Division.Theh Russian Division repercutes to the right side ,until the 2nd Romanian Division.Zaioncikovski takes the Command from Radian,which he replaces by General C. Petala.The 3rd Division Tiraliori is recalled to Busteni and pietrosita and resend to strenghten the Russian Front in Dobrogea.

*Locality close to Metz,where it has been given at 16th of August 1870 a great battle between French and Germans.The culminant moment of the battle was the assault of the Prusian guard against the French positions occupied by Canrobert Army.6000 Prusians have fallen along the uncovered glacis in front of St.Privat Village.

.....

[razu]

.........150 mm Skoda system,model 1915,used by the Austro-Hungarian Army,captured by Romanian Army of the Great War,in 1918.

.......

[razu]

.......

[razu]

155mm ,1877, de Bange system,,used by the Romanian Heavy Artillery during the Great War

[razu]

.......

[razu]

420 mm Howitzer of Great Power ,with quick firing ,system Skoda ,model 1916 Austro-Hungarian Heavy Artillery,captured by, Romanian Army of the Great War,

[razu]

The Fight between Muratan and Tuzla Lake

While the position at Topraisar is defended with undefeated heroism by the soldiers of Colonel Scarisoreanu Division,sustained on the right side with equal strenght by the Serb Corps,the offensive of Mackensen droves strongly also over the left wing of Rascu Group,made out of the 9th Romanian Division.This division was on the Muratan -Perveli-Tatlageac-shore of the Black Sea.Just like in the neighbour sector ,a strong artillery ,made out of 12 field batteries and four heavy batteries flow the frightening fire over the Romanian positins.The artillery of our two Regiments answers shot by shot ;there are however only cannons of small caliber ;half of the batteries are with slow firing.Two batteries of Russian howitzers ,added to the division end the fight even in the first day,after few hours of bombardment and leave the field of battle.

In the day of 20th of October ,the enemy focuses its blows between Perveli and Tatlageac,in the defended sector of the 19th Brigade .He succeeds in breaking here the front and provoke a general retreat of the troops of the Division,which establishes by evening on to the line Muratan-South of Urluchioi-the Western corner of lake Tuzla.The fight continues with increasing violence at 20th of October.Numerous attacks of the enemy given towards Urluchioi are bloody rejected.The enemy concentrates its heavy artillery fire over Muratan,where the troops of the 40th Brigade maintain with difficulty.Other two heavy batteries ,installed on Tuzla Hill in front of the light house,at the entering of the ground tongue which separates Tuzla Lake by the Black Sea ,occupied by the Russians ,fire-over the lake -the flanks of the hills at North of Urluchioi and take out of service ,one after the other the pieces of 3rd Regiment,buring cannons in the holes in the ground caused by explosions and killing the servants and the officers.

At 21st the resistance of the defence troops weakens.The infantry is demoralized;for three days now, the replenisments have not arrived.A mass of 20 enemy aeroplanes throws continuously bombs over the services behind our lines ;the villages in this region are distroied and evacuated;the water pits are exhausted by the men and horses thirst,they have only mud to give.The connections with the Commandments have been destroyed.From 7 in the morning ,three Bulgarian Regiments ,supported by a very strong artillery,attack on two columns Musurat(Mulciva);with all the Romanians counterattacks ,the Village is conquered by the enemy at 12 o'clock.The infantry of the 19th Brigade begins to retreat in disorder ,the movment propagates to the right,being comminicated to the 40th Brigade as well.The whole front of the 9th Romanian Division is in retreat,infantry and artillery.The retreat is hastened by the go around the left flank.By the land tongue between Lake tuzla and Sea,the Bulgarian Cavalry managed to advance and occupy Techerghiol and Agigea ,although numerous Russian troops were there,and on the Sea was the Russian Fleet of Admiral Patton,made out of cuirasats ,armed with heavy cannons .The Russian Admiral avoids though an effective participation to the Battle,by fear of the Germans submarines and torpeedo-boats,which he knows or thinks in the close by.

The retreat is now general on the whole front of the 9th Division;on the line Mahometcea -Hasiduluc ,the 20th Brigade of the Divisin,Colonel Frimu,kept as reserve of Rascu Group,intervenes and manages to stop by evening the enemy and cover the troops in retreat.In the trenches of the driveway,in water and mud,the soldiers of the 7th Hunters Regiment sustain the retreat,over the railway of the rests of the other two brigades of the 9th Romanian Division.

.....

[razu]

Losing Constanta (city and harbour)

As at the right side of the Dobrogean Front ,positions at Rasova were still solid in the hands of Romanians,defended by the troops of Cratero Brigade and by the monitors of Danube Escadre,covering the bridgehead at Cernavoda ,on the rest of the front the enemy started ,even in the afternoon of 21st of October ,the pursiut of the Russo-Romanian troops ,in retreat.

A storm ,acompanied by a torential rain ,came over the field of battle.The thunder was mixing with the sounds of bombardment and the lights of the lightnings with the shrapnels explosions .Towards Constanta ,black clouds of smoke rose up like a panas,then widened surrounding the city like a black veil.On this dark fond ,the tongues of fire of the petrol trucks and carriages in the Constanta Harbour were lightning sinister.Behind the Romanian troops ,decimated and demoralized ,the enemy was advancing,sustained continuously by artillery,which didi not stop its bombardment but only for the necessary time to move to a newer position.The retreat of the Romanian infantry was very badly protected by the Russian cavalry,rushed to run first from the battlefield.In the morning of 22nd of October ,the remains of the Divisions 9th and 19th,Romanian and of the Serb Division were retreating to the North of the railway Murfatlar-Constanta,which long trains were carrying towards Cernavoda the authorities and the inhabitants which were leaving their ownings and houses,prey for the invassioneers.On the driveways which go North,on the dug out roads by torential rains,convoys of wagoons and carriages were passing in great haste ,mixing up with the military columns and with the troops in retreat.It was the sad spectacle of the population frightened ,which was taking the road of refuge,leaving in the hands of the barbarian hoardes the whole crop of a lifetime of work.From the South,big curtains of fire and clouds of smoke were showing the advance of the enemy.The Russian friends and Bulgarian enemies were contesting in the art of destruction on the back of our misfortuned region ,brought in a fluorishing state by Romanian labour.The enemy aeroplanes were circling like big birds of prey ,trowing bombs over the city in agony,over the trains and train stations,over the Cernavoda Bridge (Carol Ist ),over the hospitals,over the convoys of wounded.At the midday of 22nd of October,the infantry columns ,Germano-Bulgar and the Bulgarian cavalrymen made their apparition in Constanta,abandoned and devastated.The seizing of Constanta has had also a grotescue episode ,characteristic for Bulgarian mentality.As the Germans ,practical people,were occupying the wheat barns and the petrol tanks in the harbour,the Bulgarians were giving themselves in the city at cruelties and banditisms ,then stormed over...the Statue of Ovidiu.

To demonstarte in material forms ,the superiority and their victory over the poet of "Sads" and "Metamorphoses",the Bulgarian soldiers tied the statue of Ovidiu with ropes and tore it down the ground ,from the postament,carrying it with oxes harnesses of their heavy artillery.As they were dragging in triumph the victim towards the Sea ,the Germans have intervene ,ashamed by the deed of their accomplices of arms,and rose up back Ovidiu on his piedestal of Secular glory.

....

[razu]

.....

The Romanian troops at the Eastern wing have continued their retreat ,in continuous fighting contact with the enemy,in direction Caramurat-Babadag.In the day of 23rd of October was occupied by the enemy also Medgidia ,the General Hedquarter of General Zaioncikovski,from where the Russian troops have retreated in disband.The 3d Tiraliori Division,Siberian is transported with great difficulty in Dobrogea because of the slowliness with which the Russian were embarking and of the long stops in stations.In the evening of 21st of October,only three trains arrived at Fetesti.The Division has missed the day of the great battle ,such it did not fight nor in the mountains from where it has left,neither in Dobrogea ,where it has arrived.Disembarked at Medgidia in the days of 22nd and 23rd ,she cannot unfold in fighting position and it is dragged in the retreat of the other two Russian divisions of the Russian Corps.

The 5th Romanian Divsion,which was keeping the front in Mircea Voda sector,has been strongly attacked by the enemy,at 23rd of october ,in front and on the left flank ,where the Russian Brigade Meder has retreated to Medgidia ,leavinga big hole.The Romanians have been forced to reteat beyond the railway.The 5th Division was reduced to 4000 menHer retreat was covered the next day against a fiercely enemy attack by artillery and of the 2ndDivisionneighbou,which has remained intact.24 Romanian batteries have executed the whole day barrage firing ,which kept in respect the enemyad allowed the flowing of the convoys and troops towards North

At the Eastern wing ,the Romanians have stopped at Caramurat,where it has been tried to be organized the first serious resistance during the reteat,with the remains of Divisions th and 19th under the Command of Colonel Scarioreanu ,made General on the battle field.Big gaps have also produced in the Romanian Commandments Colonel Frimu,the Commander of the 20th Brigade ,of which speed and action have saved the retreat of the th Division,has fallen prisoner as Colonel Tarnoski ,the Commnde of the 40th Brigade ;Colonel Constantinesci the Commander of the ,the Commander of the 23rd Regiment has fallen dead in the fight.The effectives of the brigade were not bigger than a battlion,and of the divisions ,as a regimntBut the soldiers tired and demoralized are not capable o resistance Scarisoreanu has to retreat in the day of 24th at Terzechioi,and the next day at Daieni and then to Ostrov.

The retreat is made penible on roads filled with sad convoys of the refugees.The place of the Romanian troops is tken now by the Russians.

.....

[razu]

Cruiser Queen Elisabeta(Crucisatorul Elisabeta,manufactured in Great Britain),and some river monitors of the Danube Escadre,

[razu]

.......Elisabeta Cruiser built in Elswick Yard byArmstrong, Mitchell & Co. Ltd" of Newcastle upon Tyne

[razu]

The heroic defending of Cernavoda

At 24th of October ,the Romanian front has taken the form of an angle with the peak towards North.At the Western wing ,it started from South of Cernavoda ,passing to the East of it,to head towards North-East ,until region Dorobantu-Carol I-Caramurat,from where it turned towards South-East to lean over Lake Tasaul.Cernavoda was hold strong in the hands of Romanians .In the morning of that day ,Mackensen ,enervated and contrariated by the resistance of Cernavoda ,sends to general Tosev,the Bulgarian Commander of the sector the order:"You will enter in Rasova and Cernavoda .I wait for them to be taken by nightfall..."

The defence of Cernavoda was made with an incomparable bravery by the troops of the 2nd Division and especially the 32nd Brigade under the Command of Colonel Cratero.The monitors Escadre of Danube River,has given to the defence of Cernavoda a concur more efficient than has given the strong escadre of Russian cuirasats to Constanta ,on the Black Sea.

The troops of the Bulgarian Division 1st of Sofia have taken with great difficulty Rasova and then they have been stopped in front of Cochirleanca Pond.The strong resistance of the 66th Romanian Regiment has given the Bulgarian Commander the impression that he has to deal with a formidable Romanian-Russian Army.*That is why General Tosev ,which was Commanding personally the operations against Cernavoda bridgehead ,has obtained for this operation,next to the 1st Sofia Division also the Divisions 25th Turk and 4th of Preslav,Bulgarian,as weel as a strong heavy artillery.The resistance of Romanians has been fiercely South of Cochirleanca Pond,on Mare Hill and on Irvinez Hill,as well as on Podului Hill,between Danube and Cochirleanca Pond.Overwhelmed by the number of the attacker ,the Romanians have retreated North of the Pond,occupying line Valu lui Traian,between Danube and Carasu Pond.

At 23rd of October the Great Romanian Headquarter was not yet considering the situation in Dobrogea as lost.With the help of the 3rd Division Siberian and of other troops which were expected ,it was thought that it will go to counterattack and reoccupy Constanta.That is why General Zaioncikovski have received the order to defend and keep with any price Cernavoda.The Russian disband at Medgidia has demolished all the hopes rose up by the heroic defence of Cernavoda.At 2 in the afternoon,Zaioncikovski reported that he is completely turned at the left wing ,which has retreated towards Caramurat and asked permission to leave also Cernavoda.The Great Headquarter,considered that Zaincikovski,having alone the responsibility ,is the most capable to apreciate the situation and take the measures imposed by it.Te principal thing is to be saved the Army.The Russian General reported again,by evening,that he keeps solid Caramurat and hopes to to keep longer Cernavoda-thanks to the determined resistance of Romanians;this will permit him at least to save the munition deposits there.

At 24th of ocober the defece of Cernavoda has reached the most critical phase.The concentration of the enemy is now complete and the small city almost invested(conquered).Tosev has attacked with the 1st Division from South ,as the Turk Division and the 4th Division have executed a movement of conversion ,to sit facing West and attack in convergent mode cernavoda.The 4th Bulgarian Division advances to East until Tortoman,in the flank of the 2nd Romanian Divison,as from the South ,numerous columns of infantry,supported by the bombardmen of the heavy artillery,advances one side and the other of Cochirlancea Pond.

.........

[razu]

........

General Rascu ,to which it has been handed the Command of Divisions 2nd and 5th ,Romanians,defends Cernavoda with the whole artillery of the two Divisions.;he has ,though ,small infantry and is overwhelmed by the enemy.Surrounded almost from three parts ,with all the heroic defence ,the faith of Cernavoda is sure.The drama from Turtucaia threatens to repeat.To obstacle the catastrophe ,the Romanian Commander orders at 6 in the evening ,the retreat towards Hirsova.And as Tosev was taking measures as "the units of the 1st Division Sofia to strenghten on elevations 114 and 121,for as to,even in the same night ,the artillery to be able to install on position ",and the decissive attack was postponed for the next day "given the exhaust of the soldiers",the Romanians were evacuating during the night of 24th-25th of October the bridgehead ,by men and materials.only in the next morning ,the Bulgarians find out from the liaison German oficer that the city is empty and the Bulgarians could make their entrance by 10 o 'clock.However,the occupation of the city was mad only after a very bloody fight ,on the streets ,with detachments of the Romanian arierguard.The Bulgarians have to notice with envy that at the "conquering" of the bridge head Cernavoda they coul only capture few dozens of prisoners and three cannons of 53 mm,broken.From the heroic 32nd Romanian Brigade there were only 200 men left,and the 2nd Romanian Division numbered 23 officers and 1505 soldiersof infantry,70 officers and 2342 soldiers of artillery,the cannons were almost all saved.

A painful necessity is imposed now.The great bridge "King Carol the Ist",the pride of Romanian civil engineering,had to be destroyed ,for not to serve to the enemy for crossing its troops to Muntenia.Fortunately ,the bridge resists to all the attempt of destroying it ,made with the weak technical means of the field army and remained almost intact.In the day of 26th has been destroyed the Bridge of Fetesti,over Borcea,as weel as the intermediary bridge over Balta,by our teams of Navy and Geniu,which used the floating mines of the Navy,heavily loaded with explosive(dynamite and tnt).

With the collapse of the bridges ,a big abyss separated us by our misfortuned province ove rthe Danube.

*According to Tosev the "Garrison of Cernavoda Fortress" was made out by a Division of Infantry,four Fortress Companies ,Four Reserve Battalions ,Four Militia Battalions ,Four Reserve Battalions of reserve from 9th Division,82 cannons of 10,5 cm and an undetermined number of cannons for flanking and counterattacks!Further:"In the direction of the Fortress have retreated some 2 Divisions and 2 Russian Regiments."

In reality,the defence of Cernavoda was made out by the following troops:South of Cochirleanu was the 32nd Brigade ,reduced at two battalions of Regiment 66th;at East was the 4th Brigade ,reduced at 1500 men.At her left ,a battalion from 66th ,filled the gap between 2nd Division and 5th Division,occupying Villages Azizia and Carasu Pond.As artillery there was: Regiments 9th and 14th Artillery ,a divizion from 5th Howitzer Regiment and a battery of 53 mm.

......

[razu]

9.The Defence of Dobrogea Let To The Russians

The new Russian Commander about Russian Army

The Russian-Romanian armies have continued the retreat towards North of Dobrogea ,keeping in permanent contact, of fight ,with the pursuer.A part of the Romanian troops have poured over the bridge of vessels from Hirsova,after which the bridge has been lifted and transported down stream,between Macini and Braila.Hirsova was occupied by the enemy at 26th of October .The Romanian Divisions 2nd and 5th ,19th and 9th very trialed with the effectives considerable diminished ,have been taken out of the fight.The 2nd Division has remained with an effective of 52 officers and almost 3000 men ;the 3rd Olt Regiment had 3 officers and 600 soldiers .Some units were unbirthed ,other had to be combined ,2 units into 1,or more in to one.Of the 4 Divisions ,have been made two:2th/5th and 9th/19th.The rests which could constitute the two Divisions have been gathered in the North-Western corner of Dobrogea ,then have been crossed to Braila ,to be completed with elements from deposits and be ready again for battle.

Instead of the Romanian Divisions have been brought Russian troops .In this way ,the guard of what was left from Dobrogea has been given entirely to the Russians .This time ,finally,the Russian Stavka decided to send big effectives,reinforcements into Dobrogea .Together with the two corps in Dobrogea ,the effective of the Russian Army will rise up to four Corps: General Alekseev announces that will arrive in Dobrogea ,IV-th Russian Corps and IV-th Siberian Corps.They constitute the VI-th Russian Army.An important change took place at the Russian Army Command.general Zaioncikovski which,by his incapacity ,have lost Dobrogea,has been replaced.His successor was General Zaharov,set under direct Command of general Alekseev;Zaharov had a good reputation;he has been one of the three Commanders with which Brusilov has given the Offensive of Summer 1916.General Zaharov has conquered Dubno and Radzivilow.It is true that he has won his fame by fighting against the rotten Austro-Hungarian Army.His reputation suffered a great deal in Dobrogea ,because with al the effectives set at his disposition had not made a better thing than his predecessor.

In form ,he showed severe and energic .At the receiving of the Command of the troops in Dobrogea ,he has given to his army a day order ,remained celebre:"Prikaz No. 1, 17/30 October 1916.The Commander of the Danube Army I order:The shameful running away to cease imediately.We have been send here,if not to win at least to fight,and not to contest ourselves in running away.I have taken measures that the machineguns and artillery to fire on the runners away.The officers which will not fulfill their duty will be courtmartialed,regardless of situation or position.The soldiers must not follow the strategical movement of the peasants,which run away with their elan.His Majesty have send us here to win ,not to make economy of our blood or that of the enemy.Our Front is in this moment :Ostrov-Topolog-Babadag.Forward!God does not help cowards and poltrons".The Day Order of General Zaharov is characteristic:it is the official confession ,made by Russian chiefs,of the incapacity and cowardice of our allies ,which have lost for us Dobrogea.

.....

[razu]

......Stabilizing of the Dobrogea Front

thick black line,the Front Line at 4th of October

[razu]

Queen Elisabeta Cruiser(or N.M.S. Elisabeta in Romanian)

"During 1916 Romanian Campaign,being poorly equiped in artillery,by the imposibility of obtaining from abroad modern armamaent....It has also been used material of heavy artillery of position,batteries of long cannons and howitzers , disembarked from Elisabeta Cruiser".

[razu]

on board...