My War Memories, 1914-1918
also began to retreat, and the Austrian ist Army was enabled gradually to ascend from the region in which the Aluta and Maros rise, to the frontier mountains of Moldavia.
Meanwhile the attack of Field-Marshal von Mackensen against 'the Rumanians had resulted in a brilliant success. Whilst a weak force marched along the Dobrudja railway on Dobric, the Field-Marshal, with the rest of his army, attacked the fortress of Turtukai in the early days of September, Thanks to the decisive help of Bode's weak German detachment, the result was amazing. After a slight resistance, the best part of two Rumanian divisions surrendered on the 6th of September. Silistria was rushed on the gth. Dobric had already been taken on the 4th. It was not possible to press forward beyond this place, as the Rumanian troops here were very quickly reinforced by a Russian division and a division composed of Austro-Hungarian prisoners of war.
There was a certain apprehension in Sofia as to how the Bulgarian troops would behave against the Russians, but this proved unfounded. The Bulgarians made no distinction between the Russians and the Rumanians. Unfortunately their capacity for attack or manoeuvre was not great. The 3rd Bulgarian Army gave the German Command much trouble at times.
Field-Marshal von Mackensen kept his left wing close to the •Danube, and exerted his chief pressure at this point. The enemy forces which were assembling on the Kara Omer—ten kilometres north-east of Dobric—Lake Oltina line were to be pinned against the Black Sea. Bode's German detachment, which was on the left wing, broke through this position in one great rush, and pressed onwards down the Danube. The Bulgarians, however, were not quick enough. They attacked, it is true, but the enemy withdrew on the isth of September in an orderly manner. The 3rd Bulgarian Army had let slip the chance of a great success. The enemy managed to take up the new line Rasova-Cobadinu-Tuzla, which had been fortified before the war began.
Attempts to take this position as well had soon to be abandoned. The strength of the Bulgarian-Turkish troops at hand at the time was insufficient. Communications had to be restored
286