The Salonica Peninsula is a three-fingered claw extending from the Macedonian region to the Aegean Sea. It protects Thessaloniki, the largest port in Macedonia, deep in the Thermaic Gulf.
Although Thessaloniki is the largest port in the region, there are still some small ports that serve as fishing ports on the Thessaloniki Peninsula. Among them are 28 kilometers southeast of Thessaloniki, and the Caracas, also in the Thermaic Gulf.
Likrati is one of the two major fishing ports in the area. The other fishing port is in Muzania, which is 20 kilometers away, and is further away from Saloniga.
But today, local fishermen and residents watched with surprise as a large number of ships appeared on the sea. Anyone who is not blind can tell that many of them are warships. With the towering Italian naval flag, who can not know what is going on?
What's going on?
Many of these small warships were patrolling the seashore less than two or three kilometers away, with their dark muzzles pointed at the land, ready to fire at any enemy that might appear.
In fact, they were overly worried. After seeing so many warships and transport ships, a company of garrison stationed in the town had already left in a hurry under the leadership of its commander. Also leaving with them were the Ottoman deputies in the town.
local officials.
Under the cover of the Navy ships, the Marine Corps officers and soldiers used small boats to row desperately to the beach next to the town.
After the boat docked, Battalion Commander Cosentz, who was the commander of the first landing force, immediately ordered his subordinates, "Quick, everyone spread out and be careful."
This is the experience Cosenz gained from other officers in previous landing battles. The first task is to spread the alert first and be alert to possible attacks by the defenders.
The officers and soldiers of the first battalion followed his orders very well and immediately dispersed in twos and threes, looking around with vigilant eyes.
However, there was no enemy movement around at all. Apart from them, everything was so quiet and peaceful, which made Cossenz feel a little embarrassed.
But no matter how embarrassing it is, it is better than being attacked by the enemy during the landing.
After waiting for the officers and soldiers of his first battalion to land, Cosenz immediately continued to give the order. "The second company went forward to explore the surrounding movements, the first company stayed at the landing site, and the third and fourth companies followed me to the town to have a look."
Following Cosentz's order, each company that received the mission acted in accordance with his order. The first company that stood firm began to occupy the commanding heights around the beach, preparing to protect the landing site. The second company moved forward in a search posture in squad units.
As for the third and fourth companies, they formed a battle formation and moved toward the town. Cosentz followed them and moved toward the town. There was something strange about the town. There was no sound?
They were about 500 meters closer to the town? There was no gunfire!
Three hundred meters? Still no gunfire!
Whether or not to go in has become Cosentz’s primary consideration.
Cosentz, who was hiding behind a field bank, thought about it and then ordered, "Send a squad to search the town."
Following his order, a squad of soldiers immediately touched it.
Cosentz and other officers and soldiers all followed every move in this small town.
After more than ten minutes, I saw a soldier walking out of the town? He gave them a safety gesture.
What's going on?
With this mood? Cosenz and other officers and soldiers rushed over immediately.
Soon after Cosentz chatted with the soldier, he realized why the town was so unreasonably quiet.
"You said that the Ottoman army imprisoned the locals in the monastery before leaving?"
"Yes, battalion commander. We couldn't believe it before? But we did find those people in the monastery? They said that after seeing our fleet early this morning, the local Ottoman army drove them all to the monastery from house to house.
, they were so frightened at the time that they thought they were going to be killed. Also, have we searched the houses in the town? There were no Ottoman officers and soldiers inside."
After listening to the soldier's words, Cosentz didn't know why the other party did this? But since the enemy is gone, it is a good thing for him and the first battalion.
After listening to the soldier's answer? Cosenz took two companies and occupied the town.
And among them, the local residents who were released after being inspected? I would like to thank them endlessly.
As for Cosenz? Standing by the simple fishing port made of stone and wood? He spoke to the messenger beside him.
"Immediately send people to occupy the commanding heights and signal to the fleet. The enemy has escaped and you can land at the fishing port."
Although the fishing port is simple, it is better than the beach. He took a look and saw that the wooden plank road here could transport some small artillery ashore.
As the Kalikrati defenders fled without a fight, a large number of small wooden boats were transported back and forth between the fishing port and the transport ship. They transported a large number of officers, soldiers and weapons ashore.
Unlike Cosentz's good fortune, in Muzania, a local battalion of defenders did not retreat. Instead, they relied on the town's buildings to defend tenaciously. A landing regiment was besieging it.
"Boom, boom, boom!"
The shelling from warships at sea forced the local defenders to huddle in the town, and their screams from time to time caused military morale to turmoil.
The firepower of warships was completely equivalent to that of heavy artillery, so that no building in the town could withstand the firepower.
After the warship bombardment, the unwilling garrison commander saw that more than half of his troops had suffered casualties, so he had no choice but to give the order to retreat.
Of course, they did a good job, blocking the landing of Italian officers and soldiers for half a day. Although this did not affect the landing of the Italian troops, they still dared to defend the town with naval guns without a coastal defense fort. This cannot but be said.
The commander was very stubborn.
Of course, the news that Italy had landed on the Saloniga Peninsula could not be hidden from anyone at all. At noon, the defenders of Saloniga knew the news.
Located in the garrison headquarters in the city, Lieutenant General Ouz, the commander of the Ottoman Ninth Army and the commander of the city's defenses, looked angrily at the garrison commander who ran back from Kalikrati.
"Captain Atachi, you said that the Italians landed a regiment of troops at one time, so you retreated with your men?"
In front of Lieutenant General Owuzi, Captain Aitaqi, who turned like the wind, replied uneasily. "Yes, General. The enemy has many warships coming to the outer sea. Those warships protect a large number of transport ships.
They were like locusts, operating various ships to land ashore. When the soldiers and I saw that the situation was not good, we had to withdraw first."
"Okay, you have nothing to do here."
After hearing this answer, Lieutenant General Owuzi sent him away with a look of disgust. Although this man was a little timid and afraid of getting into trouble, it was not convenient to punish him during the current employment situation. Besides, the news of the Italian landing would be a big surprise to him.
It's too important to say.
"Someone is coming!"
Following Lieutenant General Owuzi's shout, a young officer immediately opened the door and walked in.
"What orders does the general have?"
"Order the Fourteenth Division to send a brigade to reinforce Kalamaria. Also order the troops in Firafea to gradually withdraw. In addition, send a telegram to General Yilmaz that we still need reinforcements and tell him that the Italians have landed on the peninsula.
Already."
These orders from Lieutenant General Owuzi are all related to the situation in Saloniga.
Reinforce Kalamaria because there is a coastal defense fort there. Unlike those in Durres, Salonica's coastal defense fort is very advanced and equipped with Krupp heavy coastal defense guns. As long as the fort is not lost, then
Those Italian naval warships did not dare to come in.
In addition, Salonica does not have many troops in the city. Currently, he only has one 14th Division in hand, and the other troops are in Firafea, resisting the attack of the Bulgarian Third Army that captured Kilkis.
Now with the Italians landing, he can only withdraw his troops first. This is why he needs to send a brigade to station in Calamaria first. Of course, one brigade is not enough. After the other troops withdraw,
He will send all fourteen divisions there.
In addition, I would like to say that the Kalamariya coastal defense fort protrudes from the promontory less than four kilometers south of the city, while Firafea is 16 kilometers north of the city. It can be said that Italy and Bulgaria are one to the south and one to the north, forming a strong opposition to Thessaloniki.
