Bulgarian Artillery in WW1

[MCP]

Gun model : Schneider-Canet 150mm mod. 1897
Calibre: 150mm L/8
Weight : 491 kg
Weight in action : 2300 kg
Tube Lenght : 1200 m
Shell Weight :
Muzzle Velocity : 200 m/s
Max. Range : 3000 m
Elevation :
Remarks : Slow firing mortar

[MCP]

Gun model : Schneider-Canet 120mm mod. 1897 Long Gun
Calibre: 120mm L/26
Weight in action: 3080 kg
Shell Weight: 18 kg
Muzzle Velocity: 575 m/s
Max. Range: 8400 m
Remarks : Slow firing long gun.


Serbian Army have some old fortress guns (65 in 1912), used in fixed batteries. The principal defensive works are at Nish (an old citadel with seven bastioned forts, two groups of old Turkish fortification near Vinik and Goriza, three moder forts: Kamara, Markovo-Kale and Detljak), Pirot (five forts and some redoubts built in 1885, for the war against Bulgaria), Zajechar (three groups each with three modern forts) and Vranja (tventy works of various strengh). They were armed with a mix of old guns and mortas, some of them dating back to Russian-Turkish War (1877-78) and Serbia-Bulgaria War (1885). There were also some La Hitte 6 pdr. bronze guns (dating back to 1850s), nearly obsolete. At the beginning of the war some fortress guns were used in the defence of Belgrad, but many guns were captured by Bulgarian in Nish and Vranja. They were of no utility in a modern war and it is very unlikely that they were used by Bulgarian Army.

Many thanks to The Edge for the correction.

[MCP]

French captured guns

In autumn 1915 French Armee d’Orient was composed by two Infantry Divisions and as for artillery had (C means canon court = howitzer; L means canon long = gun) :
15 batteries with Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns (156e D.I. : 6 batteries; 57e D.I. : 9 batteries)
2 batteries with Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
1 batteries with Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
1 batteries with De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
Later a third Infantry Division (122e D.I.I) with 9 field batteries was attached to the French Army in Macedonia.

In 1915 during the heavy fighting with Bulgarian Army, the latter captured 6 field guns. In 1916-18 ASIK Bulgarians had no chance to capture more French guns. According with some sources a little number of French field guns were used as improvised anti-aircraft artillery. It seems also that Germany shipped some French 75mm field guns to Bulgarian Army.

[MCP]

Strenght of French Artillery in Macedonia during the war

In spring 1916 French Armee d’Orient had :
36 Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
154 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns
48 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
56 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
56 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers
24 Schneider 155mm Mle. 1877/1914 guns
42 trench mortars

In spring 1917 French Armee d’Orient had :
49 Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
160 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns
19 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
56 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
40 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers
35 trench mortars

In autumn 1917 French Armee d’Orient had :
99 Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
241 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns
11 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
60 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
35 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers
66 trench mortars

In spring 1918 French Armee d’Orient had :
72 Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
231 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns
11 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
43 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
53 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers
12 De Bange 240mm Mle. 1884 C howitzers
42 trench mortars

In autumn 1918 French Armee d’Orient had :
100 Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns
244 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns
11 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns
60 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns
38 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers
65 trench mortars

[MCP]

ex French guns

Gun model : Puteaux 75mm QF M. 1897
Calibre : 75mm L/36.6
Weight : 460 kg
Weight in action : 1138 kg
Tube Lenght : 2.721 m
Shell Weight : 5.55 kg
Shrapnel Weight : 7.24 kg (290 balls)
It used different kind of shrapnels with 228, 240, or 261balls of different weight.
Muzzle Velocity : 529 m/s
Max. Range : 6820 m
Elevation : + 18° / - 11°
Remarks :
Quick firing field gun. It was the first true quick-firing guns, and French presents usually it as the best field gun of World War I. In fact in 1914 it was outperformed by guns designed in 1910s. In spite of this, French Army did not replaced with a more modern weapons and it remained the principal armament of the French Army also at the beginning of World War II. It was so magnified by French writers that its performances were sometimes exagerated (you can read that its range was even more than 10000 m and it could fire even 28 shells/minute). Serbian, Romanian and Greek Army received a lot of this gun during the war and rearmed many artillery regiment with it.

NB: since only the 75mm field gun was captured by Bulgarians, I don’t consider other French guns used in Macedonia during the war.

[MCP]

British captured guns

In autumn 1915 British 10th (Irish) Division had only three Field Artillery Brigades (LIV, LXVII, LXVIII) with 48 18pdr. field guns and no howitzer or mountain gun. In 1915 during the heavy fighting with Bulgarian Army near Kosturino, Bulgarians captured 8 field guns.
ASIK in 1916-18 Bulgarians had no chance to capture more British guns. I have no evidence of using guns British captured by Bulgarian Army.

[MCP]

Strenght of British Artillery in Macedonia during the war

Between November 1915 and January 1916 British Salonika Army received :
- the divisional Artillery of 22nd, 26th, 27th and 28th Division
- three mountain batteries (2nd, 5th, 7th) with six 2.75-inch pak guns each;
- three 60-pdr. guns batteries (13th, 18th, 20th Heavy Batteries);
- one section of 6-inch guns (43rd Siege Battery);
- nine naval guns: five 6-inch, two 4.7-inch and two 4-inch guns.

In August 1916 British Salonika Army had:
60 18-pdr guns batteries;
16 4.5-inch howitzers batteries;
5 2.75-inch guns mountain batteries;
5 60-pdr. guns batteries (horse drawn);
5 6-inch howitzers batteries (with mechanical wheel transport);
one 6-inch guns section (tractor drawn);
nine naval guns.

On November 1916 British Salonika Army received another mountain battery, two 6-inch howitzers batteries and two 60-pdr. batteries.
On December 1916 60th (London) Territorial Force Division arrived with its nine 18-pdr guns batteries and three 4.5-inch howitzers batteries.

On June 1917 60th (London) Territorial Force Division and one battery and one section of siege artillery (6 inch guns) were sent to Egypt.

On August 1917 two 6-inch guns, two 6-inch howitzer batteries and one 60-pdr. battery were sent to Egypt.

On September 11th (Irish) Division left Macedonia with its divisional artillery (48 18-pdr guns and 12 4.5-inch howitzers).

On January 1918 British Salonika Army received one 8-inch howitzers battery with two pieces.

On 14th Semptember 1918 British Salonika Army had:
192 18-pdr guns (48 batteries);
48 4.5-inch howitzers (12 batteries);
24 2.75-inch guns mountain (6 batteries);
44 60-pdr. guns (11 batteries);
55 6-inch howitzers (9 batteries);
2 8-inch howitzers (1 battery);
2 4.7-inch guns (half battery);
2 6-inch naval guns (half battery).

Remarks:
18-pdr = 84mm QF field guns
4.5-inch = 114mm QF field howitzers
2.75-inch = 70mm QF mountain guns
60-pdr. = 127mm QF heavy guns
4.7-inch = 120mm guns
6-inch = 152mm heavy field howitzers
6-inch = 152mm naval guns
2 8-inch = 203mm heavy howitzers

[MCP]

ex British guns

Gun model : Vickers-Armstrong 84mm QF Mk I
British designation : Ordnance QF 18-pounder Gun Mk I on carriage field QF 18-pounder gun Mk. I
Calibre : 84mm L/28
Weight : 455 kg
Weight in action : 1280 kg
Tube Lenght : 2.462 m
Shell Weight : 8.4 kg
Shrapnel Weight : 8.4 kg (375 balls)
Muzzle Velocity : 492 m/s
Max. Range : 5960 m
Elevation : + 16° / - 5°
Remarks :
Quick firing field gun introduced in June 1904. It was an amalgam of an Armstrong gun, a Vickers recoil system and a Royal Gun Factory sights and elevating gear. It fired a shell significantly heavier than its contemporaries, the French 75mm or the German 77mm. But the gun was inadact for Macedonia mountainous terrain and British shipped to Salonika Army more usefull pack guns.

NB: since only the 18-pdr field gun was captured by Bulgarians, I don’t consider other British guns used in Macedonia during the war.

[MCP]

Italian guns

After a long debate, in August 1916 Italy sent an expeditionary corps in Macedonia (Corpo di Spedizione Italiano in Oriente - CSIO) composed by only the 35th Infantry Division. Unlike other Italian Infantry Division it had not two Brigades - four regiments, but three - six regiments - exactly like Bulgarian Infantry Divisions. 35th Infantry Division was composed by:
"Sicilia" Brigade with 61st and 62nd IR.
"Cagliari" Brigade with 63rd and 64th IR.
"Ivrea" Brigade with 161st and 162nd IR.
After the armistice another brigade was added:
"Spezia" Brigade with 125th and 126th IR. (built on 15th October 1918 with "fourth battalions" of above regiments).

It hold first Krusa Balkan sector (August - December 1916), then the Cerna Loop Sector (January 1916 - October 1918).
According with Italian Official History of the World War I (L’esercito Italiano nella grande guerra 1915-1918, III/3) no gun of 35th Infantry Division was captured by Bulgarian Army.

[MCP]

Strenght of Italian Artillery in Macedonia during the war

During the whole war 35th Infantry Divsion had only eight mountain batteries, each with four Schneider-Ducrest 65mm Mle. 1906 quick-firing mountain guns:
9th mountain artillery group with 22nd and 57th batteries;
16th mountain artillery group with 69th and 70th batteries;
18th mountain artillery group with 75th and 76th batteries;
20th mountain artillery group with 37th and 59th batteries;

Field and heavy artillery was provided by French Army.
In Krusa Balkan Sector there were:
24 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field guns (2nd group/7th Field artillery Regiment and 2nd group/8th Field artillery Regiment);
4 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns (4th battery);
4 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers (75th battery).

On August 1918 in Cerna loop Sector there were:
36 Puteaux 75mm Mle. 1897 quick-firing field;
4 Schneider 105mm Mle. 1913 L quick-firing heavy guns;
28 De Bange 120mm Mle. 1878 L heavy guns;
12 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers.
Just before the beginning of Allied offensive, 35th Infantry Division sent all its heavy artillery (except 12 De Bange 155mm Mle. 1881/1912 C howitzers) to Serbian Army.

[MCP]

Greek guns

In 1912 at the beginning of war against Turkey, Greek Army had only four Infantry Divisions, which were gradually increased to ten during the war. Another Infantry Division was formed in 1913, after the war agains Bulgaria. In 1914 the structure of greek Army was radically changed. Army Corps are introduced and the number of Infartry Divisions rose to fourtheen. Field Artillery was assigned to Army Corps, while Infantry Division received only a pack artillery battalion (two batteries each). However due to lack of mountain artillery, some Infantry Division had only one battery. Beside them there were also: a battalion of Horse Artillery in Athens, a fortress artillery regiment in Solun and a of fortress artillery battalion in Ioannina (Epirus).
At the beginning of World War Greek Army had:
168 field guns (Schneider-Creusot 75mm QF L/32 M. 1906 and ex Turkish Krupp 75mm L/30 QF M. 1904)
98 mountain guns (Schneider-Danglis 75mm L/19 QF M. 1906/09 and ex Turkish Krupp 75mm L/14 QF mod. 1904)
about one hundred heavy and siege guns of various calibers and pattern (105mm, 150mm, 170mm guns, 150mm mortars), mostly old.
Some not quickfiring field and mountain guns of little value were in reserve

On September 1916 Greek Army Corps D based in Eastern Macedonia, with its HQ in Kavala, was forced to surrender. It had three Infantry Divisions (5th, 6th and 7th) and some minor units, among them 7th Field Artillery Regiment. Before the capitulation, on 12th September 1916, the guns and vehicles of the 7th Field Artillery Regiment (with ten artillery batteries) were loaded onto the troop ship Ares, that sailed to Volos. Thus they were not taken over by bulgarian Army. During the voyage the Ares was forced by a French destroyer to sail to Solun. So the guns and vehicles escaped from Bulgarians had to surrender to Greek Army of National Defence, that supported the Etente. The rest of Army Corps D was massed in Drama, where Bulgarians ordered that its guns and machine guns were stored in separate buildings. But these weapons too were not captured by Bulgarian Army. Between 15 September and 27 September Army Corps D (with 16 mountain guns) was transported by rail from Drama to Silesian city of Goerlitz in germany where it was interned.

[MCP]

Strenght of Greek Artillery in Macedonia during the war

In 1917 Grrek army was reorganized by a french Military Mission commanded by gen. Braquet (from the end of 1917 gen. Bordeaux). As for artillery the French Staff estimated that Greek Army needed another 54 field and 20 mountain guns in addition to the already existing 160 field and 100 mountain ones. In particular Greek Army had no modern heavy artillery.
It was decided that every Greek Infantry Division would include a field artillery battalion with three batteries, and two mountain artillery battalions with two batteries each. Therefore Greek artillery was reinforced by French guns.

In autumn 1918 Greek Army had:
128 mountain guns (Schneider-Danglis 75mm QF M. 1906/09 and Schneider-Ducrest 65mm M. 1906 QF)
72 Schneider-Creusot 75mm QF M. 1906 QF field guns
36 De Bange 120mm M. 1878 L heavy guns
36 De Bange 155mm M. 1881/1912 C howitzers



Remarks about the picture
From left to right: gen. Regnault (Commander of the Armee Francaise d’Orient - French Army in Macedonia), gen. Sarrail (High Commander of the Armee d’Orient - the Allied Army in Macedonia), gen. Braquet (the third officier in the second row), admiral Gueydon (Commander of French Fleet in Eastern Mediterranean Sea), Monsieur Jonnart (a french senator, Allied hight commissioner).

[MCP]

The Fortification of the Greco-Bulgarian Frontier

After Balkan wars, the Greek Army Staff estimated that Bulgaria had the capability to strike Greece fast and effectively as it had a stronger army that could be mobilized and moved forward to the borders more swiftly on account of the terrain and the good condition of the transportation network. Moreover it was expected that if Greece and Turkey engaged in military conflict, a Bulgarian attack would be imminent. It was as a result of these circumstances that the fortification of the Greco-Bulgarian border was decided upon following an initiative of the director of Directorate A of the Army Staff Service, Lieutenant Colonel Ioannes Metaxas. The construction of the fortifications was assigned to the Thessalonica Fortress Command with a special staff under the command of Colonel (Eng) Eulampios Messalas.

The part of Macedonia east of the Mesta river is divided by the Struma river into two regions: central and eastern Macedonia. Eastern Macedonia was exposed to the Bulgarian attack, therefore the fortification of the frontier was of primary importante. However the finances of Greece however were poor because its army had been doubled in size. The safety of the urban centers of eastern Macedonia (Drama, Serres) was of a vital importance, because if these towns were lost that would mean the loss of the whole Eastern Macedonia. As a consequence, Solun, which was a large military base, would be threatened. The only way to ensure the safety of these towns was to fortify the frontier.

The fortification of just one line was inadeguate because, if it were to break at one point, the entire region of eastern Macedonia would be placed under threat. Therefore a second interior line was necessary to contain an invasion. However it was realized that if the construction crews working on the fortifications were divided among two locations, then it would take them too long to complete the project. For this reason the main passes at the frontiers were fortified and of the interior line Kavala, and the bay of Eleutherae, along with a few isolated interception works on the border. In this way eastern Macedonia was secured and the problem regarding the mobilization and the strategic concentration of the Greek force was resolved. The fortification by interception works were designed to withstand an enemy attack lasting no more than a few days. They were fortified enclosures, of a semi-permanent nature, affording all-round defense. Their garrison artillery interdicted certain avenues of access to the enemy, while their infantry secured local defense. Isolated forts flanked by smaller enclosures denied the investment of the main fort and its envelopment.

The following forts were constructed on the Greco-Bulgarian border:
Rupel, 11 kilometers north of Siderokastro for the defense of the Siderokastro pass and to safeguard the Greek valley of the Struma river and Serres;
Phaia Petra, 28 kilometers north of Serres for the defense of the mountain passes that lead from the Bulgarian valley of the Struma and Ali Butush towards Serres and Siderokastro;
Perithori, 25 kilometers east of Phaia Petra for the defense of the approaches from the plateau of Kato Neurokopi to Serres;
Lisse, a twin of the Perithori Fort, for the defense of routes frorr the plateau of Kato Neurokopi to Drama;
Tulumbar, 16 kilometers northeast of Drama, for the defense of the routes which converge from Rhodope mountain to the bridge of Papades village
Paranesti, near the railway bridge over the Mesta river, for the defense of the Korpyla defile.
Paradeisos, 20 kilometers north of the mouth of the Mesta river for defense from the direction of Xanthe.

Owing to a lack of means, the forts were not flanked by smaller permanent constructions but with field fortifications that were built by the units stationed there. The fortifications of Kavala included fortified enclosures of the same type as the interception forts, and provided the capability of cross fire. The enclosures were complemented by smaller ones. Thus the entire line was strongly fortified, covering Kavala and the bay of Eleutherae The area from the fort of Paradeisos to the mouth of the Mesta river was considered an obstacle for the enemy and so it was not fortified. The ridge of Kerkine mountain also remained unfortified. The fort of Dova Tepe (Kastanousa) east of Dojran lake was constructed for the defense of the passes anc the protection of the railway line. The defensive position of Dysoron (Krushe) mountain east of the fort of Kastanousa was not fortified because the conditions for the assembly of the Hellenic Army in the area between the Mesta and Struma rivers were more advantageous compared to those of the Bulgarians.

The forts were intended to accomplish their mission mainly through the use of their artillery. Therefore it was essential to maintain the effectiveness of their fire and the security of the personnel and the materiel for as long as possible. Since there was neither steel armor available nor the capability to employ reinforced concrete in the construction of the forts, protection was achieved through the use of earthworks and shelters. The artillery was protected by in-depth coverage, which resulted in the increase in the size of the fort. Thus the fort at Rupel and the forts north of Kavala reached a perimeter of approximately two kilometers. It was not possible to effectively guard such a large expanse of area with just one Infantry battalion that had been allocated to each fort. Therefore the infantry occupied a simple line composed of trenches with no depth. The combat trenches were linked to each other by communication trenches. The shelters that were connected to the trenches provided protection from enemy artillery fire to the troops depending on the situation. Special attention was paid to the organization of the infantry and artillery observation posts, ammunition and food warehouses and dressing stations. Each fort was surrounded by continuous barbed wire.
The Hellenic Army had acquired many machine guns from booty, which were distributed to the forts. The forts of Rupel and Kavala had more than fifty madrine guns each. These were placed in the same trenches with the infantry. The result was that only a very few could cover effectively the terrain in front of the forts with enfilade fire.

The artillery offered only frontal coverage to the fort, while the sides and rear of the fort were left uncovered. Therefore, if the enemy managed to penetrate the fort on one sfide fit would manage to constrict the fort from all sides. At any rate, the forts were intended to hold out for a few days during which time the army would mobilize and assemble. The army then immediately would flank the forts.


From HELLENIC ARMY GENERAL STAFF - ARMY HISTORY DIRECTORATE, A concise history of the partecipation of the Hellenic Army in the First World war 1914-1918, Athens 1999, pages 32-36

[Imperial]

You are doing amazing work here :nworthy:

I think all this info can be put up eventually on a site part of our collection, you would agree I hope?

[MCP]

You are doing amazing work here :nworthy:

I think all this info can be put up eventually on a site part of our collection, you would agree I hope?

Of course, yes.
I'm happy that at least I have found somebody interested in my study about Bulgarian army. They are not many in Italy...