Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-01-22
irish FIGHTERS
SAVE ROUT or
Allies ARMY
Calamity of Sons of Erin Gets
High Praise in Official
Despatch

The British war office recently is
sued the following communique:
After sustaining violent attacks de.
livered by the enemy in the Balkans
in overwhelming numbers. the 10th
Division succeeded. with the help OF
reinforcements. in retiring to strong
position from Lake Dorian westwards
towards the valley of the Vardar, in
conjunction with our Allies.
The division is reported to have
fought well against very heavy odds,
and it was largely due to the gallantry
of the troops, and especially of the
Munster Fusiliers, the Dublin Fusi,
liers, and the Connaught Rangers, that
the withdrawal was successfully ac-
complished.
Owing to the mountainous nature OF
the country, it was necessary to place
eight field guns for the purpose of de-
tense in positions from which it was
impossible to withdraw them when the
retirement took place. Our casualties
amounted to some 1900 men.
The following vivid account of the
great battle In Serbia when the gal.
lantry Of the Irish Division, as men.
toned in the war office communiuue,
saved the main French and English
armies from being cut of by the en-.
envy was received from Reuters sDe.
cial correspondent with the British
headquarters in Macedonia:
Railway Destroyed.
"Suloyak ION the Vardar railway in
S. Serbia) was abandoned and,
after establishing a first bridge
head at Demir Kapu, the French
made a second bridgehead at Gradetz,
after withdrawing all stores and de-
stroying the tunnels and bridges at
various points on the railway.
But 1t takes longer TO evacuate
position If all the impedimenta is to
be removed than il does to advance
travelling light Moreover. the Bul.
garian forces rapidly increased from
two to four divisions with cavalry
corps
These now began to hear most
heavily at point in the junction of
the Franco-British lines and especial
ly threatened the Strumnitsa road.
which forms the main artery of our
position.
Their first onslaught was not
pressed with vigor. and was easily
repulsed. but with constantly increas,
ing strength and with the weather
conditions in thes favor, the Bulgar.
ians soon began TO make things hot
for our. first line.
Enemy's Murderous Fire.
Under cover of the mist which pre-
vented our longer-ranged field guns
registering with accuracy. they
brought numerous mountain-guns e.
positfsps which were impractieable
for our less mobile pieces, and opened
a murderous fire at close range.
"Of course. the same condition OF
mist told against the accuracy of their
fire, but. nevertheless, the superiority
in the number of guns in action was
bound to make itself felt
Exposed to this hot gruelIing, and
threatened partly on our flank owing
to the French retirement, our position
soon became untenable. and the men
of the Irish division were withdrawn
to the second line, which had been
prepared a long time in advance
During these engagements the
fighting often became very close, ow-
ing to the mists, but the gallant Con.
naughts, MINISTERS and Dublins proved
themselves better men than the Bull
CARS, even with the latter's own favor
lite weapon-the zayonet.
Hand-to-Hand Fighting.
Probably the cold made them al.
preciate, almost as luxury, this form
of exercise. hut certain il is that. time
and again, the enemy was driven on
In a series of hand-to-hand encounters.
But the enemy's superiority of mum,