THE BALKAN WARS The Peace Treaty was signed in London between the defeated Turkey and the Balkan allies, on 30th May 1913. However, at the time that the first Balkan war was ending, a second one was starting, which, even though was named the second Balkan war, for Greece it was the war against Bulgaria. During the first Balkan war, Nigrita was liberated by the Greek army, which forced the Turks out of the area, on 22nd October 1912. On 20th February 1913, however, the Bulgarians attacked the city with substantial military force. The Greek army that was supporting Nigrita, forced the Bulgarians out of Serres, after a three day ruthless battle.
Indeed, all the Bulgarian troops from the eastern side of Strymon (44 battalions) had gathered in Sidirokastro after the announcement of the Bulgarians' defeat in the battles of Kilkis and Lahanas. On 26 June, the seventh and sixth Division (in other words, troops of Manousakis' army) attacked the Bulgarians and had a ruthless battle which ended on 27th June. The Greek Divisions won and Ivanof's army retreated towards Stromnitsa. Meanwhile, before the Bulgarians left the city, they carried out their avenging fury very obvious on the civilians. They slaughtered the Metropolitan of Sidirokastro, two priests, a hundred elders and many women and children. Moreover, the Metropolitan was found horribly mutilated by the Greeks. The hair on his face and head had been removed, which showed the way his was tortured before his death. Unfortunately, similar incidents happened again in the city, in 1917.
Meanwhile, the Greek army, after managing to repair Strymon's bridge, speeded up its advance towards Serres. In the early afternoon of the 29th of June the army entered the city, which was burning and liberated Serres by the double foreign yoke. The Constitution of the 10th Division, which is based in Serres, coincided with the glorious period of the Balkan Wars (1912-13). The inhabitants of Serres seem to have some sympathy towards the heroic 10th Division, since they have used that name to call the main road of their city.
The 10th Division was very active during the Greek-Bulgarian War of 1913 and wasted plenty of blood in order to liberate Macedonia. During the Second Balkan War the Division's losses were 17 dead and 38 injured officers, and 239 dead and 914 injured soldiers. It also took part in the Greek-Turkish War (1919-22) and in the Greek-Italian War (1940-41). |
After the historic battles in Kilkis and Lahanas, the Bulgarian governor of Serres, General Voulkof, was ordered to abandon the city with all the Bulgarian authorities and headed back to Sofia. In fact, on 21 st June, Voulkof left Serres and headed towards Sidirokastro, where, according to some information, the Bulgarian army was directed while it was retreating.
Before the Bulgarians left Serres, they destroyed Strymon's bridges, slowing down the advance of the Greek army, which didn't manage to liberate the city. Serres threw itself on the mercy of comitadjis who, once again slaughtered innocent people and burned the city. Around 18 churches got burnt and hundreds of people were slaughtered. These horrifying scenes were continued until the afternoon of the 28th June, when the Bulgarians started making a move towards Sofia, because they had heard that the Greek army was approaching. As they were leaving they arrested many of the city's elders, Papapavlou the Headmaster, Ghrysafis the doctor, Fokas the chemist, Stamoulis the manager of the Bank of Athens, etc. Their dead bodies were found later on the way to Limbunovo.
The 10th Division was constituted under the order of King Constantine on 22nd March 1913, just before the war against the Bulgarians broke out. The purpose of this constitution was the reinforcement of Macedonia's Army, in view of the danger deriving from the Bulgarians' attitude, who thought of themselves as the only winners against the Turks.