The First World War can be said to have started 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. And yet the Salonika Campaign is little known by those who have an interest in the Great War and its battlefields are not included in tours of the battlefields. This tours gives an opportunity to visit 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 tracks up to some of the heights.

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. There was an allied offensive in November 1916 when Monastir was retaken, and a second in April 1917 in support of which the British XII Corps attempted to capture Bulgarian positions around Doiran. This sector of the line was held by the Bulgarian's elite 9th Division. By spring 1917 they had turned the area into a fortress. 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 Couronne was a large observation bunker, 'The Devil's Eye', the remains of which can be seen today.

In September 1918 the British, with Greek units, fought at Doiran for a second time, supporting French and Serbian forces advancing across the mountains. The defences at Doiran still proved too strong, but the main offensive was a success. The Bulgarian Army was forced into a headlong retreat on 20th September and nine days later an armistice was signed, bringing the campaign to an end.

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 (Tuesday): AM flight London Gatwick to Thessaloniki. Drive along the old Seres Road, up the Struma Valley, visiting Struma Military Cemetery, Doiran Military Cemetery, the Greek Military Cemetery and the British Memorial to the Missing. Check in to our hotel in Doiran. (3 nights) Group dinner.
Day 2: Walking tour of the Doiran Battlefield, scene of the two main battles fought by the British Salonika Force; including 22nd Division Memorial, Grand Couronne and Bulgarian artillery and reserve bunkers. Picnic lunch. Petit Couronne and Bulgarian 1st and 2nd defensive lines. Group dinner.
Day 3: To Kosturino where we cover the 10th (Irish) Division's retreat from Kosturino Ridge to Tatarli, December 1915. The Ridge positions, Crete Rivet and Crete Simonet reserve lines. Group dinner.
Day 4: Visit the vital Bulgarian railhead at Gradsko, capture of which in 1918 forced a general retreat. The German memorial at Prelip, site of the 11th German Army HQ. We consider the French, Serbian, Italian and Russian role in the campaign on our way to Monastir (Bisola). Dinner in our hotel.
Day 5: Journey back to Thessaloniki stopping at Mikro Dasos (Smol) and Sarigol. Visit the Lembet Road Allied Military Cemetery before checking in to our hotel in Thessaloniki. Attend evening reception at Greek Officers' Club in Thessaloniki.
Day 6: To Polykastro to attend the official Five Nations Ceremony of Commemoration. Buffet lunch in Officers' Mess, Polykastro. Visit the Polykastro British Military Cemetery before returning to Thessaloniki. Group dinner in a Taverna in the old olive quarter.
Day 7: Free morning OR short tour of some of the historic sites of the city. Lunch at our hotel. Fly Thessaloniki – London Gatwick.