Context and maps
Allied Army of the Orient - AAO -
Balkan wars :- First war from oct 1912 to may, 1913 - Serbia, Bulgaria, Greece, Monténégro and Roumania coalize against the Ottoman Empire. Montenegro and Romania coalize against the Ottoman Empire. The Greeks seize Salonica just before the Bulgarians, the Serbs occupy more Bulgarophone territories than expected in March 1912. Ottoman implementation in the Balkans is reduced to Constantinople (Istanbul).
- Second War from June 16 to July 18, 1913 - The issue is sharing of Macedonia: the Bulgarians face the Serbs, the Greeks, Romanians and Turks.
Macedonia is shared between Serbs, Greeks and Bulgarians, Albania remains independent.
The intervention combined in 1915 - AAO
In october 1915, the Orient army was sent in emergency to support the Serbian army which faces the Bulgarians. Fighting takes place along Vardar river (Stroumitza-Strumica, Krivolek, Demir-Kapiya) but a difficult retirement must be operated on Salonica. The Serbs retire to Albania, their army is evacuated by Corfu. The Bulgarians then strengthen a line of defense around Monastir (Bitola). Franco-British forces take refuge in Salonica and remain positioned to prevent Greece, in principle neutral but whose King is Germanophile, to switch to central empires (Germany-Austria). The entrenched Camp of Salonica (Zeitenlik) has up to 300,000 men. In August 1916, English and French attacked the Bulgarians (Battle of Doiran) But the allies had to fall back.
From September to November 1916 Allied offensive (French - Serbs - Russians) towards Monastir (battle of KajmakČalan-Florina and Battle of Crna river-Monastir) with taking Monastir (Bitola) on November 16, 1916. In March 1917 Battle of Lake Prespa and Peak 1248 to clear Monastir (Bitola) of Bulgarian pressure.
Paper knife "Souvenir de Monastir"
The paper knife is made with a "shell belt ', this copper piece placed on the shell, for tightness. The notches of the handle are made up of the imprint canon scratches during shooting.