Chapter 129 Artillery Assault

Although Constantine also understood that such a combat arrangement was actually a bit risky - once the first division fell into Salonika, the entire war situation would be reversed.

However, limited by objective conditions, there were really not that many Greek troops to help defend Salonika.

After all, the border area was the main battlefield of this war, facing the enemy's main army - the Ottoman army, which numbered 80,000 people.

Although its logistics line was cut off and it would fall into chaos in the next battle, it was still a regular army of 80,000 people. In a desperate fight, it was still possible to severely damage the Thessalian Army.

After deploying the 15,000-man First Division to defend Salonika, the Thessalian Army still had about 100,000 troops left. In order to encircle and annihilate the Macedonian Army as soon as possible, it was also stretched.

On December 29, the 15,000-strong Greek Army's First Division, which had been waiting in Keramigion, a small coastal town in northeastern Greece, used the cover of the navy to take a ship to Salonika.

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Former enemy headquarters of the Ottoman army

After receiving the news that the city of Salonika was lost, Edmund Pasha slumped in his chair like a deflated balloon.

"This this"

Wiping the cold sweat from his forehead, his trembling lips were speechless.

German consultant Goltz walked to his office, picked up the telegram, and after reading the content, his face turned pale as well.

He also felt before that in order to alleviate the passive situation on the front line, it was worth taking a little risk.

Even if the troops originally defending Salonika are deployed, it will only be a defensive gap period of more than ten days, and other troops will soon come to make up the defense.

Although Goltz originally felt that it was inappropriate to mobilize the defense forces of Salonika, he was an officer from the German Army, and Germany was not a naval power at this time, which made him insensitive to naval power.

They never expected that the Greeks would use the navy to bypass the front line and directly attack the city of Salonika.

The logistics of the 80,000-strong army were cut off, making it impossible to fight this battle.

No matter how powerful the artillery is, it is of no use without shells.

No matter how brave and fearless the soldiers are, they are still made of flesh and blood.

"Should we retreat?" After a long time, Edmund finally came to his senses and asked Goltz.

"Get the logistics director." Goltz didn't answer. He walked to the door and ordered the guard.

The quartermaster general, who was notified by the guards, hurried to the headquarters and saw Edmund Pasha and German advisor Goltz, both of whom looked very unhappy.

"Commissioner General Akyol, how long can our logistics supplies last?" Goltz asked hurriedly.

Akiolmo calculated for a moment and responded: "Mr. Goltz, according to the current consumption rate, the materials currently stored in our army's frontline warehouses can still supply the army's needs for fifteen days."

Edmund and Goltz looked at each other, and then there was silence.

After a while, Edmund said in a dry voice: "Mr. Akyol, our logistics supplies have been cut off. From now on, our army's material consumption must be controlled, whether it is food for soldiers or ammunition. Use as sparingly as possible”

Looking at the confused Akyol, he sighed, and Edmund continued: "This news must not be spread outside, so as not to shake the morale of the army. Anyone who spreads rumors indiscriminately in the army will be dealt with according to military law."

"Mr. Goltz, what should we do now? Do we need the army to retreat?" The frontline troops were inferior and supplies were cut off. Faced with such a bad situation, Edmund was a little upset.

"The two armies are now tightly entangled. If our army retreats suddenly, it will only give the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of it. The retreat is likely to cause chaos on our side."

"The enemy will definitely bite us tightly"

"The first priority now is to retake Thessaloniki."

"Pasha, please give the order immediately to have the troops mobilized from the Constantinople Garrison speed up their march and attack Salonika."

"And Ouz, who was originally stationed in Salonika, told him not to come to the front line again, and to turn around immediately, return to Salonika, and join forces from Constantinople to attack the city of Salonika from east to west."

"While the Greek army's foothold is still unstable, it must be quick," Goltz analyzed calmly.

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After bidding farewell to Manugianaski's First Division, Constantine, who was deeply pressed for time, immediately issued new combat orders.

Take advantage of his illness and kill him.

"Call the commanders at all levels of the Thessalian Army that from now on, the army should no longer be stingy with ammunition." Canaris nodded in agreement.

On January 3, 1897, after a week-long stalemate between the two armies, each division received an order: all bullet separators in the rifles were removed, and the rate of fire of the 75mm rapid-fire cannon was no longer limited.

Immediately afterwards, the artillery unit of the Thessalian Legion was deployed directly at the front of the battle line by the command headquarters. The artillery was bayoneted and carried out direct-aiming shooting at the Ottoman army.

After receiving the order from the general headquarters, the soldiers of the Artillery Regiment of the Second Division used mules and horses to drag the field artillery across the trenches of their own soldiers to build artillery positions.

Colonel Oles, the commander of the artillery regiment, personally commanded his artillery after receiving the order from his superiors. A total of 45 field guns crossed the front line defended by the soldiers of the 2nd Division.

"Report to the commander of the regiment, the artillery position has been constructed, please give instructions," the messenger walked up to Colonel Oles and said loudly.

Oles, who was observing the enemy position, put down the telescope in his hand and ordered; "Rapid shooting, target, Ottoman army position"

"Rapid shooting, target, Ottoman army position" The orders of commanders at all levels spread in the artillery positions one by one.

After receiving the order, the artillery teams, under the command of the squad leader, spewed out flames and made a deafening sound. The loaders took out the shells from the wooden box with quick movements. After a gunner opened the bolt, the loader held the shells with both hands and loaded them into the barrel. The red flag in the squad leader's hand fell, and the shooter immediately pulled the gun rope hard.

The other members of the team saw the shooter's action and quickly covered their ears with their hands.

"Boom"

The entire Ottoman Corps' position, a long front line with a width of five kilometers, was submerged in the dust produced by the explosion, and the front-line strongholds were severely damaged.

Given the mountainous and hilly terrain in northern Greece, although the battlefield of the two armies was chosen in an open area, the soil was thin, and the trenches dug by the infantry of both the Ottoman army and the Greek Thessaly Corps were not enough to protect their own safety.

In the face of artillery attacks, such temporary fortifications are not enough to rely on.

This is good news for the Greek army, which has an absolute advantage in artillery.

Taking advantage of the gaps in artillery bombardment, the infantry on the front line took the time to rest amid the rumbling explosions.

In the past, the artillery units that hid behind the front line and provided artillery support from a distance, now, contrary to their usual practice, ran to the front of the front line.

Facing the Ottoman army, the Greek artillery showed their bravery.