My War Memories, 1914-1918
tion, Much, though G.H.Q. regretted it, orders were issued for Field-Marshal von Mackensen to cease his advance, prepare to cross the Danube south of Bucharest, and effect the crossing in the greatest possible strength in the latter half of November. The Field-Marshal, on his own responsibility, left only a particularly weak force in the Northern Dobrudja. It entrenched a line here and of course its position continued to be very precarious. The bulk of Mackensen's Army was transferred to Rustchuk, partly by forced marches and partly by the very inadequate Dobrudja railway which was gradually getting into working order again. Field-Marshal von Mackensen chose Sistova-Simnitza for his crossing place. For us, in Pless, this westerly point was convenient, as the Danube At my was thus brought nearer to the parts of the gtli Army which were forcing their way into western Wallachia.
The region of Orsova, the Vulcan and Szurdok Passes, or the Rotenturm Pass, presented themselves as gateways into Wallachia from west and north,
Just south of the Rotenturm Pass General Krafft von Dell-mensingen, with his Alpine Corps, reinforced by two Austrian mountain brigades, had, after the Battle of Hennannstadt, met with a very stubborn resistance in covering iho flanks of the gth Army which was pressing forward towards Kronstadt In order to attract the enemy to his front, and so relieve the burden on this army, he had adopted offence as tlio best means of defence. In spite of violent fighting, in which the Rumanians often counterattacked, the Alpine Corps was able to gain but little ground south of the pass by the end of October. It was a case of true mountain warfare in winter, in all its characteristic forms, with all its stupendous difficulties, The troops, including the Austrian mountain brigades, fought admirably, but it was a terribly slow business.
An attempt by the bulk of the gth Army to force the crests at the highest and broadest part, in face of a strong enemy who could no longer be surprised, would also have been hung up, *as had been the fate of a similar attack in October, south of Kronstadt. We did not like having to select the western end
296