HOW ADRIANOPLE FELL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 3792, 1 April 1913, Page 5

HOW ADRIANOPLE FELL.

SERVIAN STORIES OF THE

ATTACK. TROOPS’ GALLANT ASSAULTS. CAPTURE OF FORT TEPELAR. [UNITED PRESS ASSOCIATION—COP fEIGHT) (Received Mar. 31,. 11.10 p.m.) BELGRADE, Mar. 31. ' Servian soldiers, state *that the sufferings of the besiegers wore at their worst during January and February, when there was six feet of snow on the ground. Many were frostbitten in the sharp ioe, but tliey stormed the first entrenchments and captured 800 Turks, wliile 3000 more surrendered.

The besiegers were unable to advance owing to the concentrated fire of three forts, and remained entrenched during the night, when three attempts to storm the Papasteps were made, the troops scaling the walls under the fire of 24 Turkish macliino guns'. The Papastepe was captured on Wednesday morning. Early on Tuesday tlio Danubian division got within 500 yards before the Turks discovered them, and opened a terrible fusillade with machine guns and forced the Servians to entrench under fire, one battalion losing 30 per oent. of its numbers though the Turkish fire was without precision. The Danubians at 11 o’clock at night renewed the attack, though the Bulgarians at first refused owing to their terrible losses. Servian bomb-throwers with officers ten paces before th© companies crept up cat-like, and the Turks discovered them too late. llbo bomb-throwers rushed the trenches. The Turks were reinforced and expelled the Bulgarians, who lost 12 officers.

Commanded by non-coms, the Bulgarian retirement exposed the Servians, who retired on Maritza. They were, however, unable to escape Giving to the bridge being broken. Meanwhile the Timok Division was in serious plight at Fort Tepelar. When 500 yards distant from ihe fort the mines exploded, killing hundreds.

A regiment of Bulgarians retreated, leaving the Servians alone and in great danger. The Turks brougnt eight m.-ibme guns within 50 yards and thrice coun-ter-attacked, until they were forced on Wednesday to fire the stores and ammunition "and abandon Fort Tepelar.

HEROIC TURKISH CHARGE. BULGARIANS DRIVEN I'A(.J\. (Received Mar. 31, 11.30 p m.) LONituN, Ma.. 31 Mr. Donohoe, the correspondent, telegraphing to the “Chronicle” from Hadekeni, states that 20,000 Bulgarians attacked and carried the Turiis’ advanced positions with the bayonet in. a rainstorm on Friday night. The Turks at daylight bombarded the captured position, making it impossible to entrench. Then 6000 Turks, in a blinding rain, gallantly crossed the plateau exposed to a withering fire and stormed the muddy slope. A desperate bayonet fight resulted in the Bulgarians being driven down the other slope. Fog prevented further fighting. Chukri Pasha, the Turkish commander at Adrianople, states that he could have held out for 20 more days on reduced rations. The Turkish losses are estimated at 10,000.

" AUSTRIA DETERMINANT __ O £ CJ A - TRO.Gr ?x/JGOYNIA 2-ftONTIER. %'*

(Received March 31, 11.20 p.m.) VIENNA, March 31. Austria has three Army corps on the Hertzegovnia frontier.