Nelson's history of the war. Vol. XI., The struggle for the Dvina, and the great invasion of Serbia

54 HISTORY OF THE WAR.

ning of October somewhat as follows : Some 200,000 Austro-Germans and rather more Bulgarians were pressing in on Serbia with every chance of occupying that country and driving the remnants of the Serbian army into the Albanian hills. A small force of 13,000 Allies was at Salonika, moving northwards against the Bulgarian left wing, but without any hope of succouring Serbia or stemming the tide of invasion. The most they could do would be to protect the coast end of the Salonika railway. In Gallipoli an Allied force of nearly a dozen divisions was held fast, and their future had not been decided. Greece and Rumania were mobilized and watching events, no doubt benevolent to the Allies, but waiting for some proof that the Allies had a chance of success. The one strategic plan which offered good hope was a joint attack from north and south on Bulgaria’s rear—a plan of which we have outlined the difficulties. The two possibilities which might solve the puzzle were the ability of Russia to provide in Bessarabia an army sufficient to quiet Rumania’s fears and encourage her to move against the Danube, and the providing by France and Britain, from Gallipoli or elsewhere, of an adequate field force to advance from the south by whatever route proved most practicable.

Such were the elements of the Allied situation in the Near East. The first act of the drama was played in Western Macedonia and Serbia, and closed, as we shall see, with the expulsion of a heroic army from its native land. The one blow

or) ny struck elsewhere during October was

* the bombardment of the Bulgarian coast on 21st October (Trafalgar Day) by Admiral de