Chapter 123 Border Battle

On November 19, Constantine's train arrived in Larissa, a city in northern Greece.

After the declaration of war, the General Staff recently mobilized nearly 40,000 Greeks to join the army. The original army numbered about 50,000 people. After the arrival of the indigenous African troops, the total number reached about 130,000.

Under the protection of guards, Constantine entered the Larissa train station and saw soldiers filing out of the train, holding luggage in hand and looking around.

The personnel maintaining order shouted loudly and directed the soldiers.

The soldiers lined up in a long queue and came to the table to listen to the commander's instructions.

These newly recruited soldiers will be directly divided into various units after getting off the train to supplement capable divisions and strengthen the strength of standing divisions.

At the Larissa Army Command Headquarters, Constantine entered the staff meeting room. The senior officers who were sitting at attention stood up with a brush.

Constantine came to the main seat and looked at the main officers of the Thessalian Army: the commander of the 1st Division of the Greek Army, Major General Emmainur-Manujianaski, the commander of the 2nd Division, Metaxa Brigadier General Si, Commander of the 3rd Division Mavrov Charles;

The commander of the 4th Division - Brigadier General Amans Gebe, and the commander of the four Congolese divisions, Brigadier General Brut; the chief of staff of the corps, Major General Canaris.

He waved his hand and motioned for everyone to sit down.

"At present, the total number of our Thessalian Legion has reached about 110,000, and the entire legion is currently being renovated and replenished." The chief of staff of the Thessaly Legion first reported to Constantine.

"Quickly prepare, we don't have much time," Constantine demanded expressionlessly.

"According to the schedule, when will we be able to deploy the entire army?"

Everyone present leaned forward to discuss with each other for a while, and finally summarized it to Canaris; "Currently we need to arrange new soldiers, coordinate logistical supplies, medical supplies, etc., at least, it will take three days to organize the troops. Finished, Your Excellency, Legion Commander"

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Three days later, the entire Thessalian Army, totaling about 110,000 people, marched towards the northern border.

There are tens of thousands of people, covering the mountains and plains. The 110,000-strong Thessalian Legion lined up in a long line, with an invisible head in front and an invisible tail behind, winding its way through the rugged mountains in northern Greece.

Constantine, who was riding on his horse, looked at the soldiers in the queue around him, with rifles on their shoulders and bedrolls on their shoulders. Under the command of the officers, they sang songs with great interest. The soldiers passing by Constantine took the initiative to Hats off.

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In the border area, the cavalry company commander Motos was ordered to conduct reconnaissance activities in front of the legion. Taking advantage of the darkness, his forty cavalrymen crossed the Os River.

It was a cold moon and the water was so wet that after crossing the river, everyone tied their horses to a tree and found a dry place to rest for a while.

In the thick darkness of the night, Soldier Willis was so tired that he leaned against a rock, lit a cigarette, took a heavy puff, and blew out smoke rings with relief.

Motos looked at the sudden fire around him and was about to speak to stop it when he heard a "crash" sound, breaking the silence of the night.

Willis fell to the ground.

"There is an enemy." The soldiers who were sitting on the ground to rest were in a mess, looking for rocks and trees to use as cover.

Motos, who was leaning against a rock, asked in a low voice to the people around him, "Which bastard dares to smoke on the front line and risk his life?"

Willis, who fell to the ground, stumbled and stood, lying on the ground, not daring to move. His eyes eagerly searched around, and he responded to the company commander: "It's me, company commander, Willis."

Hearing that the other party could still reply, and his tone sounded very confident, and it didn't sound like he had been shot, Motos breathed a sigh of relief: "Do you understand the rules? Smoking while on duty, I didn't shoot you to death." , I wish you good luck as a kid."

Willis kept groping on the ground until he touched his helmet. He knelt on the ground, picked it up, touched the location where he was shot, a deep crater, and took a deep breath with a hiss. , secretly thought: Fortunately, I was wearing a helmet, otherwise I would have been told here today.

After Constantine saw the soldiers in the army wearing ordinary hats, Constantine placed an order with the steel factory and asked to assemble them for the soldiers as basic soldier equipment to improve the survivability of the soldiers on the battlefield.

Although the performance of the helmet is affected due to the steel material, it does improve the soldiers' defense capabilities.

"Did anyone notice the direction from which the enemy fired?" Motos asked in a low voice, thinking of his soldiers.

"Company Commander, it seems to be the direction of eight o'clock." Willis, who was lying on the ground, put on his helmet again. He touched the position of the crater with his left hand. It was at the edge. The warhead scratched a long and thin scratch on the helmet. , estimated and said.

"Everyone be careful, we have encountered a scout from the Ottoman army."

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On November 22, Constantine received news that the Thessalian Army and the Ottoman Empire's Macedonian Army met near the Os River in northern Greece.

After the Thessalian Army crossed the river, both sides immediately formed their formations, and the soldiers began to look for bunkers and dig trenches.

The cannon roared and the smoke filled the air. The divisional artillery regiment of the Thessalian Army poured gunpowder towards the Ottoman army's position.

Under the operation of the artillerymen, the 75mm rapid-fire cannon gradually suppressed the enemy artillery due to its superior rate of fire.

On the first day of the battle, the two sides engaged in fierce artillery battles, followed by small-scale feints by soldiers from both sides, trying to find loopholes in the other side.

After the first day of the battle, it was getting dark, and the fighting between the two sides was on hold. Constantine, accompanied by his guards, went to the trenches for inspection.

He carefully changed into the uniform of an ordinary soldier and told his guards: "When you get to the trenches, don't salute me. Tell the soldiers on the front line to take good care of you. Do you understand?"

Seeing the captain of the guards, Rostock looked confused and could only explain unhappily: "If the enemy saw the soldiers saluting me, what would they do?"

The positions of both sides were devastated. The originally sparse woods had disappeared without a trace, and gravel and loose soil were mixed together.

Stepping on it, one foot deep and one foot shallow, the central defense line that had suffered a day of bombing from the front line during the day, Constantine walked into the simple fortifications and saw the soldiers leaning against the bunkers supported by sandbags, wearing helmets, half lying there.

A soldier noticed Constantine and several guards behind him.

He entered the bunker with his body bent, and saw the rank of major general on Constantine's shoulder, and said respectfully: "General, it's nice to meet you"

Constantine walked over carefully and noticed his rank: "Hello, platoon leader"

"Is there anything you need to report to me?" Constantine said gently.

"General, the Ottoman bombardment was very fierce today. The trenches dug by the soldiers, plus the piled sandbags, are not enough to completely defend against the bombardment"

"How are the casualties of the soldiers?" Constantine said in a low voice.

"Four died and six were injured. It was mainly because our simple fortifications had limited resistance to bombardment"

After a moment of silence, Constantine questioned: "Then why don't you dig deeper trenches?"

The trenches are only one meter deep now.

"There are too many stones, and there is no way to dig deeper"