Romanian Campaign of 1916,Defending the Carpathians

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c)The Battle For"The Shortest Road " Towards Bucharest

The six passes

If the attacking of the Passes of Moldavia -the conception of the Austro-Hungarian Commandments -was for Falkenhayn a"missfortuned ideea",in exchange ,the attacking of the Passes which constitute the shortes way to Bucharest ,was the favorite ideea of the German Commander.It has made roots in the same time in the minds of Commanders of the Big German Headquarter and in to that of the Commander of the IX-th German Army.This conception has to be realised by a daring operation .Following the Romanians which were retreating after the defeat at Brasov ,the Armies of the enemy had to keep close contact with them and cross the mountains in the same time ,with them.The Mountain Passes will be ,in this way,forced by surprise .The battle will be given for conquering of the Passes at South ,like a handful of sun rays,six roads which cross over the impozant mountain massif towards Romania;they are the most direct roads towards Bucharest ,being disposed in to three groups :towards South-West it is the Road of Bran(Pass),which leads to Cimpulung;towards South is Predeal Mountain Pass ,which goes to Ploiesti,having close by the passes less important of Predelusului and Bratocei;towards South-East is Buzau Mountain Pass,which goes to Buzau,having near the pass of Tabla Butii.

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The Fights in Zone Bran-Cimpulung

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Falkenhayn made a new regrouping of the troops which fought at Brasov,and even in the second day after winning the battle ,at 9th of October,threw them in the pursuit of Romanians,on all directions.In this way to the three groups of mountain passes corresponded three groups of armies , each:towards South-West ,at Bran Pass ,has been send Morgen Corps ,made out of the 76th German Division and by the 8th Brigade of Austro-Hungarian Alpiners ,brought from the Front of Isonzo.Towards South ,against Passes Predeal ,Predelus and Bratocea ,has been send the bulk of the XXIX-th Corps-General von Staabs-made out of Divisions 51st Austro-Hungarian and 187th German.Towards South-East ,against Passes Buzau and Tabla Butii,has been directed the 89th Prusian Division-von Luttwitz .A new Division ,freshly arrived ,the 12th Bavarian ,was retained at Brasov,to be directed in the direction in which operations will announce more favorable ,to haste there and widen the breach.

The Romanian Commander was conscious of the gravity of the situation .The region attacked by the Germans was the most vulnerable ,because of the imediate vecinity with the capital city of the Kingdom,Bucharest,and of the numerous roads roving it.She had to be held with any price.Fortunately,abandoning the plan of the hit at Flaminda set to the dispozition of the Great Romanian Headquarter some divisions and a capable Commander.Troop and Commander has been send in the greatest haste to the endangered point,to ease the Kingdom of being invaded at one month and a half after our entering in the War.Of the former troops of the II-nd Army ,in retreat from Brasov ,the 4th Division was not capable to fight ;her remains ,which were retreating ,one part through Predeal and another through Bran,have been brought to Baicoi,for rest.The troops of the 6th Division ,allways harassed by the enemy ,have occupied the mountaineous positions of Buzau Pass and Tabla Butii Pass;the 3rd Division the ones at Bratocea Pass and Predelus Pass.The 21st Division has occupied Predeal Pass;for strengthening of this important point has been send also the 10th Division.In Bran Pass was also send the 22nd Division;the 12th Division ,taken out from the Front of Dobrogea will soon follow.In this way,four of the Divisions which were supposed to defend the Kingdom on the Southern Front,at the Danube and in Dobrogea ,were now send to defend the Kingdom and the Capital ,against the invasion which was threatening from the North.The Command of the II-nd Army ,reconstituted with this face,with five divisions ,was given again to General Averescu.The Country could wait with trust the unleashing of the storm:the guard of "the shortest way" towards Capital City was in safe hands ,just as it was the one at Moldavia Gates.

General Averescu ,arrived in the evening of 8th-9th of October at Busteni,to take the Command of the II-nd Army ,has found a very difficult situation ,consequence of disorganising of the desaster produced at Brasov defeat and the retreat in to the mountains.His energy managed to put order in the units.To realise a coordination in the action ,it is handed to General Averescu the mission to ensure the colaboration of the II-nd Army,Romanian,with the Northern Army,Romanian,making together a Group of Armies.The plan of operations of General Averescu is made out from a first phase ,defensive ,in which time the troops to be able to position in depth,such that they could constitute a reserve of six Divisions;the General also hopes to be able to count on the aid of four Russian Divisions .With these forces ,he thinks of retaking the offensive in direction Tirgu Secuiesc .But until then the things are pressuring in Bran Sector ,where there are signs that the enemy has taken the initiative of attack.

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First Battle of Cimpulung

Bran Mountain Pass

The driveway of Bran was one of the oldest roads which linked Romanian Country(Valahia) with Ardeal.It is the way of legendary unmounting of Basarabs.Through here have passed in the 13th century the Teutons Chevaliers with the thought of establishing a durable Germanic mastering.Also,through here ,further back,two times ,the proud armies of the Hungarians lead by the ambitious King Carol Robert [5],or by the strong Sigismund [6],the German Emperor ,have been attacked ,beaten and helped to find their country quicker,by the simple soldiers of Basarabs ,which were defending their "land ,needs and people".Through here,especially ,for centuries ,guests more peaceful ,the traders Sasi ,then brothers of ours ,handicraftsmen or simple shepherds ,have climbed and descended ,on horse back ,in wagoons ,or behind the sheep herds ,making tight connections ,which only the times and roads,new,have directed them in the wrong way,on the road of Predeal.

The Road of Bran is today a well build driveway ,masterpiece of engineering ,which roves through a land of complete pitoresque.Leaving Birsei Field and the Fortress of Bran with its old memories ,placed on an elevation from where it dominates the whole field ,the driveway climbs in large serpentines between rocks ,by valleys with ravines ,until it arrives on to the ridge of the mountains ,on the line of old frontier ,at Giuvala Frontier poin.All the time the rows of Piatra Craiului Mountain Massif acompanies us on the right hand side ,with a rocky wall ,vertical ,steep,and baldish.From Giuvala the driveway begins to descend near dizzing steeps .On the left side Posada pot ,reminds of the far away day [7] ,lost in the dawns of our national history ,a "day of shining shepherds victory over the Great boiards of the counquering foreigners"*.Large valleys begin to show here and there ,in which are placed big and beautiful villages :Dimbovitei Bridge ,Rucar and Dragoslave .On the right side ,the Canion of Dimbovicioarei opens like a dark breech between the vertical walls and leads to the celebre cave .At Rucar ,the driveway meets Dimbovitei Valley ,which will follow from now on.At Dragoslave ,the deiveway separates in two.On the left,she follows Dimbovitei Valley and straigthens up through Stoenesti towards Tirgoviste and Bucuresti.On the right,she passes forward,climbs into tight serpentines Mateias Hill-from where appear like in a feeric panorama Dimbovitei Valley and Cimpulung with its numerous churches-,then descends ,passing by Village and Monastery Namaesti ,to enter in Tirgului River Valley and with it,in,Cimpulung.

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The attacking and conquering of Bran Pass offered to the German Commander two perspectives :after the first one, it could open up the road through Dragoslavele-Stoenesti towards Tirgoviste ;in this case ,were turned the positions of Romanians from Predeal and then ,in colaboration with Staabs ,it would force the shortest way towards Bucharest,conform with the order of operations of the Big German Hedquarter.The second perspective was to occupy Cimpulung and opening up the road towards Pitesti ;in this latter case ,the action of Morgen Group went hand in hand with that of Krafft Group,which operated on Olt Valley,holding Pitesti,through Curtea de Arges .The course of the events would decide which of the two directions would be followed.In anay case ,the mission given to Morgen Group was of an overwhelming importance for the operations of the enemy.So ,the task of the Romanian Army for defending would be made,such, more difficult and full of responsibilities.

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*N.Iorga,"Villages and Monasteries in Romania"

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The surprise at Rucar

At 10th of October ,Morgen begins the advance with the 76th Division ,to force the Bran Mountain Pass.The German Commander thinks he has in front of him only the remains of the defeated Division.But ,already ,for three days now ,the troops of the 22nd Romanian Division -Commander General Aristide Razu-disembarked at Cimpulung and were replacing at Giuvala the troops of the 4th Romanian Division;at 10th of October ,the advanced elements of the 22nd Division collide with the enemy at Moieciu,small locality of Bran,between Giuvala and Bran,on Ardelenesc territory.The enemy is repulsed;its advanced is thus delayed and the thick of the Romanian troops use this time ,to unfold on to the mountaineous ridge of the frontier,occupying the strongholded positions ,during the time of neutrality.In the next days ,the troops of the 76th German Division were able to occupy all localities on the Transilvanian versant of the mountains around Bran Pass and to set in position a strong artillery.Behind the Division,at Zarnesti ,the 8th Alpine Austro-Hungaria Brigade ends its preparatives to execute a surprise hit in to the flank and back of our Army.

Against the Romanian positions on the elevations at Giuval ,the German attacks prove verry soon,hopless.At West of the Pass ,on the heights of Sirnea ,as well as to the East ,the bad terrain between frontier and Dimbovitei Bridge -Posada-were fortified with wit.The strongholds did not correspond ,certainly,to the necessities created by the Great War;amongst others ,the lack of materials made that the barbed wire fence to be replaced by thin wood fences and weeds.The small domes of 53 mm taken out of the fortified positions of Bucharests and Siret,could not resist to the German mortiers .Still,the reports of German aviators brought to thinking the German Commander ;he has reached the conclussion that the Romanian position cannot be attaked frontal.The Germans appealed again to the classic manoeuvre of veiling ;the operation at Sibiu repeats itself.The 8th Alpine Austro-Hungarian Brigade ,brought from Isonzo Front ,was a suitable unit for this purpose.It was made out of Stiriens and Bosniacs ,mountain populations ,equiped and trained for mountain warfare .The brigade had also a numerous special material-mountain cannons -mounted on over 3000 donkeys.At 8th of October the Brigade was at Zarnesti.From here it was send to surround West the Chain of Mountains Piatra Craiului,at 10 miles in the flank of the Romanian positions for to fall in their back.The march of the Brigade is executed through the superior valley of Birsei,then crossed the ridge of Tamasel Mountains and descended in to Dimbovitei Valley.Through very steep valleys ,through secular woods ,paths and tracks known only by the locals ,the enemy,lead by German spyes ,which during peace times have lived in Rucar ,unobserved -and under the pretext of hunting they rove through the mountains and valleys -managed to sneak behind the Romanian positions .In the day of 13th of October ,the enemy appeared on the line Rucar-Podu Dimbovitei(Dimbovitei Bridge).The surprise was complete.Attacked with strength in front by the troops of the 76th German Division ,which were supported by a strong artillery,attacked by surprise-in the back and in flank by the Alpine Brigade ,which had numerous mountain batteries ,General Razu saw himself forced to order general retreat ,with the leaving of the positions at Sirnea and Posada.this has been executed quick ,without any loss of prisoners or of war material.Even the small canons ,mounted in the fortifications of Posada ,have been taken out of the strongholds and took by the Romanian troops in retreat.At 14th of October ,Rucar has been occupied by the enemy after a violent fight .Bran Pass was forced!

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The Front at Dragoslave-Mateias

The unexpected,quick success ,of the hit at Rucar,filled with hopes the German Commander.Falkenhayn thought that he is on the brink of making the breakthrough and decided to apply the blows with maximum of strength in the weak uncovered spot.It was time and occassion to use the 12th Bavarian Division ,kept in reserve at Brasov.The division has been set to the disposition of Morgen and received the order that,by forced marchings ,to enter the fighting front .In truth ,at 16th of October ,she was already at Podu Dimbovtei.

Without lossing time the enemy ,taking advantage by the confussion in which the surprise at Rucar and the precipitated retreat ,have thrown the Romanian troops ,intensified the blows.At 15th and 16th of October ,violent fights take place at Dragoslave ;the position is lost by Romanians.At 16th of October ,the Germans attack Capitanu Mountain ,defended by 50th Putna Regiment .Their strong artillery bombards from Dragoslave the Romanian positions ,smashing the trenches and mutilating the troops of the defenders.By evening ,the defence cedes ;the Romanian troops retreat in Arges Valley.In the same day ,the Germans attack with power at Mateiasi and succeed to master the slopes from the North of the Hill.They are 5 Miles from Cimpulung.A beginning of panic produces through the Romanian troops.A break is made in the front;the 50th Romanian Regiment leaves the position and retreats in disorder at Cimpulung ,where they give to unorders.But the Romanian Commander did not lose his head;in this difficult moments he rose up to the situation.The breech is filled up with troops of reserve .The soldiers recollect,the defence is organized.Romanians attack with the fury of disperation .At 17 th ,18th and 19th of October ,the enemy is repulsed with great losses from Mateias ;Mateias Peak (elevation 1242 meters) remains solid in the hands of Romanians .The entrench is dug on to the slopes of the hill transforming it in to a strong position,by which the attacker will crush helplessly.In his turn,the enemy organizes his positions,this side of Dragoslave ,which are in his hands.The Front Dragoslave -Mateiasi,goes -from West to East -from Arges Valley-at North of Namaesti-in Pravatului Valley ,then bends towards South over the Magura Peak and on the slopes of Mateiasi,descends in the valley ,crossing Dimbovita Valley and the national driveway ,then climbs again on Mountain Prisaca .The pressure of the enemy is big,especially at the two flanks ;Prisaca Mountain is conquered by the enemy and reconquered by Romanians.In the critical time ,of the retreat from Rucar,and of the fights at Dragoslave and Mateiasi,the local population has brought great services to the troops.Especially the women ,the proud Muscel-ence ,have ensured the provisioning of the troops,leading entire convoys ,many times until under the fire of the enemy.

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General Averescu intends to take the counteroffensive with the aid of a Russian Division-the 3rd of Tiraliori Siberian,which has been retreated from Dobrogea ,were it had just arrived -to form the general reserve.A Brigade of the Division is directed to Pietrosita ,the other one at Busteni.But only as they disembarked ,the Great Russian Headquarter telegraphs that they did not aprove this use of the Division and orders resending it back to Dobrogea.Averescu executes the order pretaining the Brigade at Busteni ;the one at Pietrosita is in course of executing of the disposition for the offensive at Namaesti and cannot be withdrew.Still,the telephon orders are pressuring and the Brigade has to be taken out of the Front and expediated.Besides,the Brigade found out of these orders and was already in Pietrosita Train Station,ready for embarking ,putting on the retreat a haste so great as the slowliness with which it arrived.The recalling of the Russian Division makes no use in Dobrogea either ;she does not arrive there in time to take part in to the Great Battle ,which had as result the breaking of the Romanian-Russian Front.As in other circumstances,in the most dangerous moments ,the necessary troops for obtaining a result were in terrain.The help could only come within ourselves.At 18th of October disembark in Cimpulung Train Station also the first units of the 12th Romanian Division,which was supposed to take part next to the 22nd Romanian Division ,at the defence of Cimpulung.She was coming from Dobrogea ,where ,she took part in the Fight at Cocargea.The Division took position on a line which stretched towards East the front of the 22nd Division ;she had in the first line the 70th Regiment ,made out of men from Muscel,which were enetering the fight even in the day of arrival,to defend their villages ,mountains and valleys.The arriving of the Division was made in time:in the same time the fight begun ,on the part of the enemy,also the 12th Bavarian Division.The Commander of the Division ,12th Romanian was General Gaiseanu,to which it was handed the Command of the Group of the two Divisions from Cimpulung;they will held chest at two Divisions and one Brigade of the enemy.

During the night of 18th of October the snow fell in abundence on to the mountains .The War will go on now in a fairy landscape of winter,but on snow storms and freezings.

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The second battle of Cimpulung

The fights in Cimpulung region have taken the aspect of war of position ,wich exhaust the forces ,tireds and enervates them.The Germans have brought a very powerful artillery ;have climbed with ropes cannons with long gun on to the dominant heights ,have installed in Dragoslave Valley two batteries of 210 mm ,have seeded the trenches in the entire length with trench mortiers and projectors.The Rumanian positions are subjected the whole day to a continuous and violent bombardment .But this does not advance the Germans one step,and their mission is not a defensive one ,but offensive.And because the frontal attack has not given any result,he combines it this time with an offensive turn.The successes at Sibiu and Rucar were surrounding.

For executing the new offensive ,while the 12th Bavarian Division and the 76th German were harassing by the front the position at Mateias by continuous attacks ,the Alpine Austro-HungarianBrigade has been send to go around the left wing Romanian through Riului-Tirgului Valley.At 20th of October ,the enemy appeared at Leresti ,in the flank of Romanian position;two days later ,he attacks with more powerful forces a little to the West,at Albesti ;Magura Hill,between these two villages ,has been occupied by Bavarians.The trial did not catch ;the alpiners have been throwed back with heavy casualties.Enervated by the resistance encountered,the enemy troops stretch further the front towards West;in the day of 23rd of October they attack Cindesti Village ,also without success.Hevy fights are given for mastering of Hills Bughei and Gresiei.The panic cought some units of Regiments 10th and 50th;it propagates to some of the Commandments ,at civilian authorities and population.Fortunately,General Averescu arrives at the scene ,stimulates the Commanders of Divisions ;the counterattacks made ,close the breech and sides completely the danger ,away-ing the enemy of threatened Cimpulung.

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The Romanian troops have remade their moral and better their positions.When,at the center,the enemy retakes the attack and gives,in the day of 26th of October ,an extraordinary violent attack against the Romanian position on Mateias ,prepared by a long and strong artillery bombardment ,and the infantry columns of the 12th Bavarian Division have started through the valleys of Clabucet,Arges and Pravatului;they have been received in the fires of our artillery and then attacked at bayonet.The enemy has enormous casualties .All the attack columns must retreat in the starting points.Pravatului Valley is scattered with the enemy's dead bodies.

But the Romanian troops do not content with this victorious defensive;they prepare for offensive.At 27th of October the right wing of the enemy is attacked in force at Leresti.The enemy is throwed beyond the Northern edge of the Village;he has to leave the entire line which he conquered and to leave in the hands of Romanians 300 prisoners ,two trench mortiers and five machineguns.The defeat of the Germans is now complete .Amongs many felt losses ,they have to mourn the death of General Pecht ,the Commander of one of the Brigades of the 12th Bavarian Division,killed by the explosion of a Romanian grenade ,during a reconnaissance ;the General has been buried temporarily at Dragoslave.

The trial of brakthrough at Cimpulung ,started in such a lucky way,has failed completely;the enemy himself is forced to admit the bravery with which the Romanian fight:"They defend without hope ;for each squared meter of their pretious fields ,fight with a surprising stubborness.Since they have been pushed back from Bran Pass by a brilliand surrounding move,they protect very well their flanks.They are clever men and compensate they insufficient military education by fast intelectual and a faculty of adapting miraculous ".

Falkenhayn records the defeat of Morgen,noticing that his army is not able to take the position of Mateias,he declares himself content ,that at least he was able to hold on the principal position occupied.The enemy has learned -at the school of defeat-to be modest.One moment ,Falkenhayn thinks to cease the offensive in Cimpulung direction and to use a part of the troops from here ,to attack the back of the Romanian troops in Prahovei Valley,croosing ove Leaota Massif.Not trusty in the success of this ideea,he leaves it;he will wait the victory from somewhere else.

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(Romanian machine gun position on Oituz Front,1917)

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(Romanian Army carrying artillery through the mountains)

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( The Command Post of the 3rd Artillery Regiment,near Marasesti Train Station,1917)

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Predeal Battle

Predeal mountain pass

As the German troops of General Morgen were trying hard to open up at Cimpulung the road towards Pitesti and towards Tirgoviste,the bulk of the XXXIX -th Corps ,of General Staabs,was attacking Predeal Pass and the neighbour roads with it.The communication line ,direct of Brasov with Bucharest ,goes through Predeal Pass,the most comod and frecvented of the five passes.A beautiful railway and a driveway climbs in tight serpentines towards Predeal Pass ,along Timis Valley through a splendide fir tree forest.The region of a beauty without pair ,is well known.There is no one fron Bucharest to not have made at least a trip with the "pleasure train" on Prahovei Valley and to have not admired ,from the heights of Predeal,the fairy panorama of Timis Valley,with the serpentine line of the driveway and of the railways,going around the rocky walls lossing in the depth of the fir forests.Towards East of Predeal road ,at the exit of Satu Lung of Sacele,another driveway goes South ,along the Valley of Talungu.At Santu Vechi,she separates into two branches :one enters the country through Predelus Pass in Dofteana Valley,and the furthest one towards East,goes through Bratocea Pass in Teleajen Valley .There are two roads of secondary importance ,with primitive driveways and without railway.

The German Generalisim set to General Staabs disposition the 51st Division Austro-Hungarian,together with parts of 187th German Division ,with the mission to attack and conquer Predeal Pass ;the rest of the 187th DIvision will give attacks for fixation ,in regions Predelus and Bratocea,such that it would not permit to the troops of the 3rd Division to intervene in the principal attacked sector.What made more the real power of the Army of Staabs was an enormous mass of artillery,which comprised of a great number of cannons and mortiers of big calibers.

The defence of Predeal was given to Predeal Group of the II-nd Romanian Army.On the ridges of Predeal was the 21st Division ,and in the left ,of Risnoavei Valley until Piatra Arsa(Burned Rock),above Sinaia ,with the face towards West ,was the 10th Division .Both divisions have been in the Army of Flaminda .The 21st Division was a new unit ,constituted in the greatest part of Bucharest reservists,from Ilfov County and Dimbovita County.It was Commanded by General Lambru ,penssioneer soldier which,at the outbreak of the War ,re-entered in the ranks with the joy and energy of a young.The Division has been transported from Flaminda to Brasov and suffered felt casualties at the defence of Stejeris Hill.The 10th Division ,Commanded by General Arthur Vaitoianu,was made out in the greatest part of men from Dobrogea County and Vlasca County.The rests of the 4th Division heavily trialed,have been retreated to Baicoi,for remaking.

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The attack of Predeal

In the days of 9th-11th of October,the arierguards of the 21st Division have sustained continuous fights with the enemy;at 12th of October ,the Romanians were solid established on the line of the old frontier .The enemy climbs in pursuit Timis Valley ,sheltering his formidable artillery in lateral valleys ;he had the unpleasantness to notice that the road is closed and that he has to begin a difficult fight ,to be able to force the passing through.The surprise planned by Falkenhayn did not work here either.In the day of 12th of October started the attack of the first line of strongholds,which stretched along the frontier.Having the impression that is difficult to attack Predeal frontal,the enemy concentrated its fires over one of the lateral sectors,and namely over Susai Mountain (height 1483 meters),at East of Predeal on the frontier line.Once this position taken ,the Romanian line of strongholds,West of Predeal, could be attacked by flank.In the days of 12-13th of October an infernal bombardment with cannons of all calibers came over the ridges, unforested of Susai.The Romanian fortifications have been dug out ;our weak artillery did not help the defenders .In the afternoon of 13th of October ,the enemy gave a general attack and managed to occupy Peak Pristocolului(height 1159 meters),of Susai Massif ,in front of the train station.The next day,however,troops of the 21st Romanian Division have attacked the enemy from Polistoaca Valley and Limbaselului valley and have reconquered the lost position.But at 17th of October the enemy opened again formidably from heavy artillery ,which destroys all the improvized works ,by the defenders.The two Companies of the 5th Vlasca Regiment ,defending the position on Susai ,have been decimated and crazed.When the attack of the enemy infantry produces ,the remains of the two Companies have been scattered through the woods,part of them captured.

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(British soldiers on Northern France Front)

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Susai is in the hands of the enemy;he wants to advance for to turn the defence of Azuga.He is ,though,stopped by 10th Hunters Regiment ,which barriers the road,taking position on Limbaselului Valley,and throws him back .The Romanian troops maintain on the belly of Susai Mountain ,towards South and West,covering the rail ways and Predeal Train Station.Against the train station and Village of Predeal ,especially against the neighbourhood of villas from the North side of the village the enemy enterprized a bombardment of an extraordinary violence.Ten days in a row have blasted fire and metal over poor Predeal.It was the fury of destruction in the most barbarian primitivity.The heroes of Louvain and Ypres ,from Reims and Arras [8] were again at work.The were spirited by an imense thirst of vengence over the beautiful group of villas:"the somptous summer residences of the Patrician Bucharest-ers ,which wanted and fired the War".Up the top,exactly on the frontier line , a small villa ,hanged on a peak of a mountain and almost hidden between fir trees ,excited mostly the fury of the enemy.It was the villa of Primeminister Bratianu,"The principal culprit" for the entering of Romania in the War.Bursts of shells have transformed the villa in to a pile of rubble and briks ,for the great satisfaction of the enemy.Two years later,the man of state cuold say:"I had a house ,and next to it a frontier.The house went down,but the frontier went too !".Nothing justified the ferocity against Predeal :the fortification line was beyond the village,on the frontier;the Village itself was not fortified.It was needed though that the thirst of destruction of the enemy -German virtue eminamente-to be completely satisfied,at the first step on Romanian soil.A German correspondent visitting later Predeal writes:"During the War ,I have seen in Galitia and Pland many cities which have suffered enourmously in the wake of the War,but those have only suffered as Predeal has been smashed"*.

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Theatre of Fights from Predeal ,Clabucet and Bucegi

dotted line=successive lines of the Romanian Front

arrows =principal directions of the enemy attack

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(improvised shelter for Telephon Post)

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(Predeal Train Station after the battle)

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Time of ten days ,from 13th to 23rd of October ,with all the destroying flood ,of heavy artillery,thrown from the mouths of the monstrous mortiers,Predeal could not have been seize.In the day of 23rd of October it is given a great attack with big forces ,after a powerful prepare of artillery.The trenches on the hills covered with orchards of Pristocolului,the last height of Susai in front of the train station ,are crushed by shells ;they are abandoned only after any resistance has become impossible and after the positions have been surrounded and attacked in flanks and behind.The bayonet and hand grenades of Romanians cut down the enemy which ,hoever,makes the decissive with the artillery and great number of troops.Columns of Hungarians ,in the North part and Germans towards South ,attack Predeal from East ,going for the train station and the railways.A Hungarian column,coming from the North,breaks the front between Reegiments 45th and 46th ;another column of Germans descends from the East ,breaks it in the place occupied by a Battalion of 5th Vlasca Regiment .Through the breeches made the crowd storms inside ,turning the uncovered flanks .A handful of men with a machinegun ,defend Predeal Train Station till the last bullet and life .A German correspondent witness of the fight describes the adventures of this heroic episode :"In the afternoon at 3 ,the railway has been touched .The building of the train station was occupied with machineguns .From the window of the restaurant of the station a machinegun was firing ,such that closing in on to the wide of the platform was impossible .Again the artillery has to be brought in .Guided by observers ,hidden at a distance of 200 meters of the said building ,our cannons ,placed far down in the valley ,were firing over the train station and over anything that moved in its surroundings.This fire ,well directed,killed many Romanians ;the rest have been bewildered .By evening ,our line advanced ,and took the station with assault.The servants of the machineguns are defending it until the last moment".The histiry could not record for the posterity the names of the unknown heroes which gave their life at the windows of the train station Predeal,once the machineguns bullets were finished.

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Another German correspondent visits the next day Predeal train Station and stories his impression:".....I don't really think to be someone left of those who have fought on the East side of Predeal,as brave soldiers,till the dreadful end ,to be able to tell about this last part of the fight .And bravely hve behaved Romanians on Mountain Pristocol and in Predeal Train Station.I have visited firstly the Station.As point of departure of the Romanian railways ,had an imposant and spacious building .A long row of buildings ,one near the other ,in which were the Chief 'sbureau ,with the staff ,the Customs,the waiting rooms and the restaurants .The blows of our cannons,in full,have produced terrible ravages in this row of buildings .The entire content of the different rooms is in disorder and destroyed by the earthquake produced by the projsctiles explosions.The Romanian soldiers have installed themselves in here seeking of shelter;when we aimed our fires over the Train Station they have left it,going back in the chaos of rubbles and ruins ,when the whole Predeal was only a hell,in which everywhere exploded shells.In the old restaurant ,in which the viligeatourists of other times were gatherin during the evening to small celebrations ,they lay now between ruins and between glass;in the room with Offices of the clerks ,their rigid bodies and cold stay clenched.The hand granedaes and riffle beds have said here the last word.A pile of train tickets multicoloured finds here in this chaos indescriptible:Predeal-Brasov(written on the tickets);red blood have been spilled over this small green tickets and two cold and ash like hands are thrust in them.On the other side ,another dead body in the middle of the siutcases of the travelers .Death have put them down ,laying them in unnumbered tableaus of a terrifying grotesque.It seems,in tha face of this might,that nothing is real and that I only see horrible wax figures of a panorama of a Sunday feast. ".

Travller ,who from the windows of the carriage look the newed walls of Predeal Train Station and enjoy that you got rid of the bore from other times ,of passport visa and luggages ,think about that for buying this cheap pleasure ,lives of young men have finished in torments between these walls ,that blood have smeared the walls and flowed streams on the stones of the platform where people walk now in a hurry , carelessly.Recollect yourself and raise a prayer in penitent.Predeal Train Station is not a border anymore;it is for Romanians a temple of the most clean martyrs**.

*Dr.Bassel,in "Neue Freie Presse" from 20th December 1916.

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[razu]

Romanian Cavalry-1905-3rd Rosiori Regiment,took part in the Independence War against Otoman Empire 1877

[Heid the Ba]

razu; I may be being dim here, and I admit I haven't read all your posts in the thread, but is this a book you have written? Or are you translating someone else's work?

[razu]

razu; I may be being dim here, and I admit I haven't read all your posts in the thread, but is this a book you have written? Or are you translating someone else's work?

Heid the Ba

Yes,just translating.

Andrei

[razu]

** Not a monument,not a comemorative plaque ,not even a simple inscription on the walls of Predeal Train Station ,dose not call today the memory of the traveller ,indiferent over the hollyness of this temple.

Those who have defended Predeal

After occupying the train station ,all evening till late in through the night have continued the fights ,the most ferocious ,for to occupy the Village of Predeal.Under the Command of the unfearful and full of heart Colonel Stefanescu Stefan,the soldiers of the 61st Regiment ,formed of rezervists from Ilfov County and Dimbovita County ,have worked under the formidable fire of the enemy ,building trenches between houses and through the empty spaces in the city.The enemy ,stopped in front of the train station ,restarted the bombardament.House by house had to be assaulted .The ruins of the villas destroyed in the bombardment of the Northern Neighbourhood of Predeal ,firstly ,and the peasant houses from Southern Predeal ,latter,have been defended with a stubbornes which made the enemy to pay very dearly each step he made on Romanian soil.The Romanian positions in the North-West edge of Predeal have been searched by the terrible fire of heavy sheels .The dug out terrain ,filled with deep holes ,reminds of the terrifying battle fields in the West.The soldiers of the 61st Regiment did their duty with an uncomparable heroism.And the confessions do not miss.Foreign war correspondents which acompanied the enemy armies with the sense of hate and despise ,cannot stop themselves of giving to the Romanian bravery the certify ,most pretious and sincer ,because it is of the enemy."Romanians make a duty to use for defence all the advantages of the mountaineous region ,gather all their bravery,all the stubborness and despise for death ,to keep the gates of their houses".

"The Romanian positions of Predeal shows how the soldier can fight brave even for a politics which is stupid and murderous (in German opinion)...From the trenches ,leveled by bombardment ,from within the ruins ,appear the dead bodies of the defenders ,smashed between Earth and the wooden rooff .They have fought like braves days after days,with the face turned towards Ardeal".

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