The Salonika Front

The Salonika Front was formed as the allies’ attempt to provide support for Serbia in autumn 1915 in its fights against a joint attack of Germany, Austro-Hungary and Bulgaria. However, the aid came too late and in an insufficient number to prevent the fall of Serbia. The front was established a year later, after the Serbian army had recuperated and the Serbian government restored in Greece.

The Salonika Front operations started in autumn 1917. The British army attacked Turkey once again, and the French and the Serbs moved north.

The Salonika Front breakthrough started on 15 September 1918, by the order of battle issued by the French Marshal  Franchet d’Esperey. The Serbian army performed an incredible deed by breaking through 700km towards their country in just 15 days.

The key battle was at Dоbrо Pоlјe, when the front was broken. By the order of King Alexander, the Serbian advance had to continue ever so forceful. Soon, Bulgaria capitulated and the German army tried to reorganise with some new troops.

In the fight around Niš, forty seven German battalions could not stop the twenty seven Serbian ones. Commander Pеtаr Bојоvić defeated the 11thGerman army, the same one that in 1915 conquered Belgrade, to march into Niš on 12 October. After the victories at Pаrаćin and Krušеvac, Serbs arrived at Belgrade on 19 October.

GEOGRAPHY

The Salonika (Macedonian) Frоnt stretched from the Albanian Adriatic Coast to the Struma river in Macedonia. The soldiers killed at the Front were buried on the Serbian military cemetery of Zеitinlik in Salonika.