Camp of Salonique

The Camp of Salonique refers to the installation of the troops of the Armée with the East to Thessalonique during the First World War.

The First World War in Balkans

August 1st

The installation with Thessalonique

Following their defeat with the Dardanelles, the allied forces evacuate with the autumn 1915. Part of the troops, two divisions: a ordered Frenchwoman the Bailloud general and a British (Tenth Irish Division ordered by Sir Bryan Mahon. Moreover, alliance between Serbia and Greece lead the latter to mobilize its troops on September 24th, 1915. However, its: 200000 men do not seem sufficient to help their ally against Bulgaria. Vénizélos then makes an agreement with the Agreement and obtains the sending of: 150000 soldiers. October 5th, 1915, it authorizes the Allies to be unloaded in the city. They arrive as of the following day and ten days later, the Sarrail general comes to take the command of it. The Mahon general as for him is replaced by the Milne general.

At the end of October and at the beginning of November, the Franco-British troops try since Thessalonique to carry help to Serbia attacked by the Bulgaria, but in vain. The Sarrail general folds up himself on the city where the reinforcements do not cease reaching him (of which Twenty Second British Division. Indeed, king Constantin does not want troops of the Agreement on his territory and announced his intention to attack them. The Franco-British forces are practically besieged in the city by: 12000 men of the Greek army who are there also (more: 38000 in the west of the city). The city is transformed into a fortified town, avoiding fortifications and trenches. The area around the city becomes a large military camp surrounded by trenches. At the end of May, a total of: 400000 men, soldiers French, British and Serb are present in the city, subjected to the state of siege and from where the Greek official authorities were expelled on order of the Sarrail general. The presence of the Allies accentuates a little more still the cosmopolitan side of Thessalonique. For the sides of the French soldiers, British or Italian, it is necessary to note the strong presence of soldiers from Africa, from the Indies or Asia. The Madelon and It' S.A. Long Way to Tipperary sung by the soldiers become airs with the mode in the city.

June 28th, 1916, Romania enters in war. The allies tackle in their turn the germano-Bulgarian forces since Thessalonique: Serb troops on Right Bank of Vardar and the troops Franco-British on other bank. A 250 km length face is set up then. This episode involves important political transformations into Greece.

Military operations since Thessalonique

August 1st

Appendices

Random links: