SCS Salonika Battlefield Tour 26 September - 3 October 2015

The First World War can be said to have started in the Balkans with Austria’s ultimatum to Serbia. During the war an allied force of some 500,000 men – Serbs, French, British, Russians, Italians and Greeks faced men of the Bulgarian Army supported by German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish units across Macedonia. And yet the Salonika Campaign is comparatively little known. This 100th anniversary tour gives an opportunity to visit this ‘forgotten front’ including the wonderfully preserved battlefield at Doiran, with its trenches, concrete bunkers and broken terrain. Our guide Alan Wakefield has visited these battlefields many times and his book “Under the Devil’s Eye” reflects his knowledge of the campaigns, the country and the men who fought there. There will be some walking on rough paths and optional treks up to some of the heights from where can be had wonderful panoramas across the former battlefields.

The campaign began on 5th October 1915 when British and French divisions began landing at Salonika in Greece, to deter Bulgaria from joining an Austro-German attack on Serbia. They remained to prevent German domination of the Balkans, with allied offensives in 1916, 1917 and 1918. On the Doiran battlefield the tangled masses of hills and ravines were covered with three lines of trenches cut from solid rock, concrete machine gun bunkers, artillery positions and many miles of barbed wire. Dominating all from its position near the summit of Grand Couronné was a large observation bunker , ‘The Devil’s Eye’, the remains of which can be seen today. The British fought twice in this difficult area.

Throughout the campaign, living conditions for the soldiers were harsh. Winter brought bone chilling winds and blizzards. Summer came with extreme heat and insects. Disease, especially malaria, caused many more casualties than the fighting. Rations were poor, comforts few and home leave a rarity. British troops felt they were fighting a forgotten war.

Although the landscape is little changed, Macedonia is now a very welcoming place for the visitor, making this an ideal opportunity to discover the story of the Salonika Campaign.

ITINERARY

Day 1 (Saturday): Fly London Gatwick to Thessaloniki. Check into our hotel in Thessaloniki (3 nights). Evening reception at Greek Army Officers Club.

Day 2: Drive to Polykastro for Five Nations Ceremony of Commemoration. Lunch in the local Officers’ Mess. Visits to Karasouli CWGC cemetery and the Doiran Memorial to the Missing. The latter includes attendance at a short ceremony of commemoration organised by the British Embassy.

Day 3: Visit to sites in the Struma Valley, former area of operations of the British XVI Corps.

Day 4: Walk part of the Birdcage Line defences to the north of Thessaloniki. Drive to Doiran and check into hotel (4 nights).

Day 5: Walking tour of the Doiran battlefield including 22nd Division memorial, Grand Couronné and the Devil's Eye observation bunker.

Day 6: Continuation of walking tour of the Doiran battlefield including British artillery positions on La Tortue, the key Bulgarian front line position known as Petit Couronné and Hill 340 in the second defensive line.

Day 7: Walking tour of Kosturino battlefield including Kosturino Ridge, Rocky Peak, Memesli village, Crete Rivet and Crete Simonet. Stop at the 10th (Irish) Division memorial on return to Doiran.

Day 8: Return Drive to Thessaloniki for flight to London Gatwick. We will aim to be to be at the airport for the 11:50 Easyjet flight to Gatwick. This will give group members a choice of return flights.

Note: Walks on the Doiran and Kosturino battlefields will be between 4 – 6 hours, including breaks and lunch. The walking is mainly on tracks, which are rough in parts. Part of the walk on Day 5 at Doiran includes some stretches of steady uphill gradients. Good walking shoes or boots are essential. It is also a good idea to bring lightweight waterproofs as storms are not unknown in September. A day bag for carrying waterproofs, packed lunches, water etc is also recommended.

Whilst the guides will offer advice regarding visit to sites all walks are undertaken by individual travellers at their own risk. For this reason all travellers must have adequate travel and medical insurance cover for the duration of the tour. In addition, we cannot accept liability where the performance of our obligations with you is prevented or affected, or you otherwise suffer any damage, loss or expense as a result of force majeure. Force Majeure means unusual and unforeseeable circumstances beyond our control, the consequences of which neither we nor the local operators could avoid, including (but not limited to) war, riot, civil strife, terrorist activity, industrial dispute, natural or nuclear disaster, fire flood, adverse weather conditions or the threat of any of these.

Costs & Payment:

Although final costs are yet to be established, it is expected these will be in line with previous tours. This would price the tour between £700 - £900 per person, dependent on final numbers travelling. Tour cost will include accommodation, in-country transport, meals, local guides/organisation. As usual on SCS tours, each traveller is responsible for booking their own flights.

A Deposit of €200 or £200 is required to secure a place and the balance owing must be either be paid before we leave or preferably brought in cash (Euros) and paid on arrival at Thessaloniki. (We pay for accommodation and food by cash so it saves us bringing lots of Euros over!). The deposit is not returnable in the event of the guest cancelling. However it will be returned if we are able to fill the vacancy. Deposits will be returned in full if the tour is cancelled.

For additional information and payment details please email Alan Wakefield via:
chair@salonikacampaignsociety.org.uk