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A Liebig advertising card of the Bulgarian Army from the series Armées des États Balcaniques published in 1910. The card shows, from left to right, a general, a soldier in summer dress, an aide-de-camp, a staff officer, a horse guard, a detachment of cavalry, and a regular infantry company.

A Liebig advertising card of the Bulgarian Army from the series Armées des États Balcaniques, published in 1910.
The card shows, from left to right, a general, a soldier in summer dress, an aide-de-camp, a staff officer, a horse guard, a detachment of cavalry, and a regular infantry company.

Image text

Armées des États Balcaniques. Bulgarie.

Véritable Extrait de Viande Liebig.

Voir L’Explication au verso.



Armies of the Balkan states. Bulgaria.

Real Liebig Meat Extract.

See the explanation on the back.



Reverse:

Le service militaire general est introduit depuis 1889 dans la principanté de Bulgarie, récemment érigée en royaume. Les musulmans seuls peuvent s’en faire exempter moyennant une taxe determine. L’armée se compose, en temps de paix, de 23,000 fantassins commandés par 1400 officiers, de 3700 cavaliers avec 160 officiers, de 6250 artilleurs et soldats du train des equipages avec 315 officiers, et de 1900 soldats du genie avec 90 officiers. En cas de guerre, la Bulgarie peut mettre sur pied une armée active de 127,000 hommes, une reserve de 80,000 et une armée territorial de 48 bataillons à 600 hommes, soit en tout plus de 240,000 hommes.



Armies of the Balkan States

Bulgaria. - General Military service was introduced since 1889 in the principality of Bulgaria, recently elevated to a kingdom. Only Muslims can only purchase exemption for a set fee. The army is composed, in peacetime, of 23,000 infantry commanded by 1,400 officers, with 160 officers for 3,700 cavalry, 6,250 soldiers gunners and artillery support, commanded by 315 officers, and 1,900 engineer with 90 officers. In case of war, Bulgaria can field a standing army of 127,000 men, a reserve of 80,000 and a Territorial Army of 48 battalions of 600 men, a total of more than 240,000 men.

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Saturday, November 20, 1915

"On November 20 [1915] a newly arrived Bulgarian brigade occupied high ground overlooking the advanced French position. The commander of the 122nd Division, General de Lardemelle, knowing that Sarrail was contemplating a withdrawal, ordered his men to fall back. The retreat was on, although another ten days were to pass before it became general. Gradually the French began pulling out, painfully slowly, one division covering only four miles in twenty-four hours. In heavy snowfalls, broken now and again by spells of fog, it became difficult to shift all the material along the hard-pressed railway and the adjoining tracks, deep in slush. . . ."

Quotation Context

French General Maurice Sarrail commanded the French forces that had landed at Salonika, Greece, at the beginning of October, 1915, in an attempt to reinforce Serbia. Bulgaria, its army attacking Serbia, also moved into the mountains along the Greek border and barred French and British forces from reaching their ally.

Source

The Gardeners of Salonika by Alan Palmer, page 43, copyright © 1965 by A. W. Palmer, publisher: Simon and Schuster, publication date: 1965

Tags

1915-11-20, 1915, November, Balkan Front, Bulgarian Army