Battle of Bulair

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Bulair
partof=First Balkan War
date=26 January, 1913
place=Bulair, Turkey
result=Bulgarian victory
combatant1= flagicon|Bulgaria|1878 Bulgaria
combatant2=flag|Ottoman Empire
commander1=flagicon|Bulgaria|1878 General Georgi Todorov
commander2=flagicon|Ottoman Empire Major Fethi bey
strength1=37,355
strength2=Unknown
casualties1=114 killed, 416 woundedКолектив, "История на Българите: Военна история", София, 2007, Труд, ISBN 954-528752-7, с. 434, 435]
casualties2=More than 6,000 killed 10,000 woundedКолектив, "История на Българите: Военна история", София, 2007, Труд, ISBN 954-528752-7, с. 434, 435]

The battle of Bulair ( _bg. Битка при Булаир) took place on 26 January 1913 between the Bulgarian Seventh Rila Infantry Division under General Georgi Todorov and the Ottoman 27th Infantry Division. The result was a Bulgarian victory.

Origins

The strong Turkish fortress Odrin was blocked by the Bulgarian army since the beginning of the war in 1912. From the middle of January 1913 the Ottoman high command prepared an attack towards Odrin to break through the blockade.

The battle

The advance began in the morning of 26 January when the Myuretebi Division headed under the cover of fog from the Saor Bay toward the road to Bulair. The attack was uncovered at only 100 steps from the Bulgarian positions. In 7 o'clock the Ottoman artillery opened fire. The Bulgarian auxiliary artillery also opened fire as did the soldiers of the 13th Infantry Regiment and the enemy advance was slowed.

From 8 o'clock advanced the Turkish 27th Infantry Division which concentrated on the shore-line of the Sea of Marmara. Due to their superiority the Turks seized the position at the Doganarslan Chiflik and began to surround the left wing of the 22th Infantry Regiment. The command of the Seventh Rila Infantry Division reacted immediately and ordered a counter-attack of the 13th Rila Infantry Regiment which forced the Myuretebi Division to pull back.

The Turks were surprised by the decisive actions of the Bulgarians and when they saw the advancing 22th Thracian Infantry Regiment they panicked. The Bulgarian artillery now concentrated its fire on Doganarslan Chiflik. Around 15 o'clock 22th Regiment counter-attacked the right wing of the Turks and after a short but fierce fight the enemy began to retreated. Many of the fleeing Turkish troops were killed by the accurate fire of the Bulgarian artillery. After that the whole Bulgarian army attacked and defeated the Ottoman left wing.

Around 17 o'clock the Turks renewed the attacked and headed towards the Bulgarian center but are repulsed and suffered heavy casualties.

References

* Пейчев, А. и др. "1300 години на стража", София, 1984, Военно издателство
* Марков, Г. "България в Балканския съюз срещу Османската империя, 1912–1913 г.", София, 1989, Издателство “Наука и изкуство”

Footnotes