Battle of Bulair

Prelude

The city of Edirne came under joint siege of Bulgarians and Serbians from the beginning of the war in 1912. Enver Pasha wanted to relieve the city by launching an offensive to hit the besieging forces from the rear.

Enver's plan consisted of combined naval and land assault towards the 7th Rila Regiment which occupied northern parts of the Gallipoli Peninsula. Elements of the 27th would engage the Bulgarian lines around Bulair while more units would land around Saor Bay and flank the 7th, effectively forming an encirclement.

The plan was revealed to the general staff of the 27th aboard one of the ships and immediately came under heavy criticism by Mustafa Kemal, who believed the delay in the offensive to be a strategic mistake as the landings would take a few days to prepare and initiate. Kemal offered to attack the unorganised Bulgarians in a night raid while they lacked any defensive cohesion. Despite this, Enver ordered the plan to be set in motion. Landing operations took 2 days to prepare, which gave Bulgarians valuable time to prepare defensive positions and to also bring in the 13th Regiment alongside their auxiliary artillery.

The Battle

The advance began on the morning of 8 February (O.S. 26 January) when the Ottoman Auxiliary Platoons made up of Irregular Reservists of the 27th Division headed from Saor Bay towards the road to Bulair. At 7 a.m. Bulgarian 13th Regiment uncovered the Ottoman attack and fired accurate volleys in addition to artillery fire. The Ottoman artillery simultaneously opened fire as well with little effectiveness due to the thick fog that formed. Some elements of Bulgarian Artillery repositioned on the hills overlooking Saor Bay from where they later fired shots on Doganarslan Chiflik.

The Ottomans captured the position at the Doganarslan Chiflik after routing the outnumbered Bulgarians there and began to surround the left wing of the 22nd Infantry Regiment. The Bulgarians made a counter-attack from the flank, which forced the Irregulars to pull back in a full rout.

The Bulgarian artillery now concentrated its fire on Doganarslan Chiflik. Around 3 p.m. 22nd Regiment counter-attacked the right wing of the Ottoman forces and after a short but fierce fight the Ottoman troops began to retreat disorderly. The Bulgarian center briefly regrouped and then struck the Ottoman left wing which broke without much resistance.

Around 5 p.m. regulars Ottoman units regrouped and attacked the Bulgarian center but were repulsed before reaching the lines.

Mustafa Kemal Pasha re-organised the forces and maintained an orderly retreat to establish defensive positions half a kilometre south. Bulgarians established a defensive line of their own around Tzympe Castle. No further attacks would follow.

References

• Пейчев, А. и др. 1300 години на стража, София, 1984, Военно издателство
• Марков, Г. България в Балканския съюз срещу Османската империя, 1912–1913 г., София, 1989, Издателство “Наука и изкуство”
• Колектив, История на Българите: Военна история, София, 2007, Труд,
• Косев, К., Подвигът, София, 1983, Военно издателство

Footnotes

References

1. [https://ataturkansiklopedisi.gov.tr/bilgi/Balkan_Savaşı%27nda_Atatürk "Balkan Savaşı'nda Atatürk" (Atatürk Ansiklopedisi)]