The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-06-19 00:00:00

THE FIGHTING ON THE TUE,CO-GREEK

FRONTIER.

(A GREEK ACCOUNT.)

A correspondent in Thessaly sends the following
ascount of the recent fighting between the Greeks
and Turks on the frontier. Writing on the 27th of
May, he says:
There has been serious fighting on the frontier; but
though I have made most careful inquiries, I have
not been able to discover the real causes which led up
te it. The Turks may possibly have desired to delay
the disarmament of the Greeks for reasons of their
own; but this is only speculation. The truth is that
the Greeks, on the eve of the disarmament, were not
at all prepared for any aggressive movement. Large
numbers of troops were still at a considerable distance
from the frontier, at Phanari, Domoko, Phersala, and
other places; for there exists d no idea of a collision with
the Turks. However it may be, I have been assured
that during the night of the 19th the Turks attacked
three small outposts at Nezero and Analipsis, on the
road leading to the Vale of Tempe from Ellassona,
and dislodged or killed the soldiers in occupation.
The following morning, the 20th of May, the Greeks
retook these positions, and, owing to considerable re-
inforcements being brought up on either side, the
affair became serious ; the Greeks attacking with the
bayonet and carrying a strongly fortified Turkish
position after considerable loss on both sides. Towards
evening the Turks sent out a flag of truce, and it
was thought the affair was terminated, M. Tricoupis
having telegraphed to give up the positions taken
from the Turks. So the 21st passed. On this
following day, the 22nd, the Turks having cencen-
trated their forces and leaving Nezero and Analipsis
on their left, attacked the Greek positions along
the whole line from Grigiovali and Miluna above
Turnavos on the east to Koutra, overlooking Zarkos
on the west. On all these points the at tack was made
simultaneously about four in the afternoon. The
Greeks thus suddenly assailed, held their positions
well. At Grigiovali and 3/Mune, where the Turks
had more than 12,000 men engaged, their assaults
were repeatedly repulsed. At the end of the day
they retired at all points, abandoning their entrench-
ments, and suffering severely from the fire of the
Greek artillery. The,r attacks on the side of Bey
Mylo and Itoveni, between Turnavos and Zarkes, were
promptly repulsed, and the Greeks pursued the
rstreating Turks as fas as Damasi. At the end of
the day the Turks had abandoned the whole of their
po,ition on the frontier from Grigiovali to Koutra, and
fallen back on their second line. On the 23rd, however,
at three o'clock in the morning, the Turks renewed
their attack with great vigour; the fighting listing
until eleven, in many places on Turkish territory;
when the Turks been to retire, followed up by the
Greeks. At this point the order was received by the
troops on either side to pease firing under direct
orders from their Governments. The whole of the
Turkish stations along that part of the frontier were
either burned or demolished by the Greeks, as also
their barracks at Damasi. The fire of the Turkish
artillery was remarkable for its inefficiency. It was
only at Koutra that the Greeks met a check. This
point is immediately on the frontier, but wad only
occupied by the Greeks, who had given it up pro-
visionally to retire below the crests of the h!lls for
shelter from the piercing north winds, when the
Turks suddenly took possession. To avoid disputes
the Greeks put up a small station about
fifteen yards off that of the Turks. Major
Loris, with 310 soldiers, held this position
when the Turks attacked at four o'clock on the 22nd;
as also two other hills on the same line, but a little
lower, and separated from each other by about five
or six hundred yards. The Turks, owing to the
restricted front, were unable to deploy their forces;
but they endeavoured, by repeatedly attacking with
new troops, to wear the Greeks out. The fight lasted
into the night, the men being so close tEat they threw
stones at each other; and at half-past one in the
morning the Greeks made a rush, driving the Turks
from two of their positions. It was in this charge
that Loris was mortally wounded. Later on the
Turks succeeded in bringing a mountain-gun into
play and destroyed the Greek work, compelling the
men to shelter behind the rocks, whence they continued
the fight. At six in the morning the Greek officer sent
out a flag of truce for an armistice, to which the
Turks agreed; and the Turkish soldiers, by order,
piled their arms in token of the cessation of hos-
tilities, calling on the Greeks to do the same. After
some hesitation the Greek Highlanders (Evzones)
obeyed the orders of their officers, who, at the invita-
tion of the Turkish commander, went over to take a
cup of coffee in his tent. Arrived at the tent, instead
of being offersd coffee, they were seized and their
swords taken from them. While this was going on
the unarmed Turks and Evzones were mixed up in
groups, when suddenly a large body of Turkish troops,
who had hitherto been hidden behind the irregu-
larities of the ground, appeared, and, surrounding
the unarmed Greeks, made a large number prisoners,
including seven officers. The Greek loss in this
encounter was 35 killed and 45 wounded. The colours
of the regiment escaped capture through the officer in
charge having been prevented by his men accepting
the hospitality of the Turkish commander. I have
these details from one who took part in the affair.
am unable to give you the exact number of the Greek
killed and wounded; but they are stated at about 300,
including six officers killed and five wounded, also a
doctor. The Turkish losses are estimated to be much
higher, as they are known to have suffered severely
from the fire of the Greek artillery. At one point
the Greeks buried 192 Turks.

"Ergo," remarked the professor to his class, after a
tong preamble. "Ergo "—then he stopped to take
breath. "Well, let ergo," sung out one of the students,
and the conclusion was ruined.
"flow was your son when you heard from him
last ?" (" He wrote me that he was so ill that he
could neither sit nor stand." "Then if he tells tho
truth he must lie.'