Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-22
Son Of Atlanta Pastor Declares
He Is Willing to Return to
Scene Of Struggle,

1T was just struggling people
Highland thunder-and. corpses!"
That's the way George Petrides de-
scribed Balkan battle in which sew
eral hundred people were killed and
he barely escaped with his own life
Just 23 years old, and quite shy Of
notoriety he is Atlanta's only Balkan
hero. He is the son Of the pastor Of
the Greek Church here, and is just
back from the seat Of war. As
souvenir Of a fierce fve-day con-
flict between the Turks and the
Greeks, he bears an injured leg from
a shells explosion and a strained
back, where he was trodden upon aft
er he had fallen helpless on the bat
tlefeld.
What is my own life if l can
help my poor country"
That sentiment led him to Join a
regiment Of $50 Greeks who left
Philadelphia to aid their native coun-
try after the war broke out.
Tells of Army's Trials.
His own experiences as a member
of regiment Of a thousand soldiers,
includes weary marches across coun-
try and over notwithstanding icy
streams, conptant fighting with noun
tain rebels and a final battle with the
Turks. in which several thousand
soldiers on either side took part and In
which his own lieutenant was killed
before his eyes. as well as large num-
bers of the front rank, in which he
fought Four hundred Turkish SOL
diers we're taken prisoners in the bat
tie. the Greeks being victors shortly
before nightfall, after fighting from
daybreak
Although just getting strong again
from his injuries Petrides says that
If the war now rumOred between
the BulgaTians and the Greeks breaks
out he intends to volunteer
1T is a soldiers duty to go not only
once. but every time his country calls
II he is needed" he declared.
1t was in broken English he told
of his Balkan journey:
Several months before the war
Greek young men of Philadelphia had
organized a regiment. We had no
particular plans except to learn tao
ties or to fight some time, if neceS-
sarv. for America. When the Balkan
news came though, all who could
volunteered. We went over on the
same ship.
we bought our uniforms in Phil
adelphia. for it was our plan not to
be any expense to our government
Most of the time We also bought our
own food We had to get guns in
Greece as we were not allowed to
take them out Of New York.
Reaching Athens, we were all as
signed to regiments. Although there
were a thousand men IN mine, there
wasn't a single home boy in it.
All Anxious to Fight.
"Au Of the thousand were young
fellows and anxious to fight, so we
asked that we be sent out first. For
this reason il was not more than
three or four days till we were on our
way TO the battle field.
I'VE left Athens at night because
the people in the streets were too
prone in the day to shout 'Hurrahs'
and raise disturbances, hail us as he
roes and block our progress. So 1t
was about o'clock in the morning
when we set out along the deserted
streets. can still hear how the tramp
Of the soldiers feet sounded on the
Cobblestones! We we're headed for a
little port just out Of Athens. Bound
for the opposite side of Greece, we
had to go by ship. 1t was dawn when
we went aboard.
1T was several DAYS before we land J.
ed at Previsa to begin our march
into the mountains When we finally
arrived it had turned very cold-for
it was in Northumberland we had to
provide ourselves with blankets.
Next morning we headed across
the country For four days we
marched, having to fight our way, and
not being able to sleep when We stop
ped at night because Of the Turko-
Albanians While our forces were al
ways larger than theirs, they killed
many soldiers for us, and we We're
continually compelled 10 chase them
When we finally reached our scene
of battle with the Turks we were only
about S00 men. We had killed many
of the rebels too, but l do not know
in how large numbers for we did not
have time to stop and worry about
them. They would surprise us when
we least expected, and We're like
wolves at our heels, picking of some
of our soldiers before we could turn
on them.
"TJavi1v 70 fight So continually