The Retreat to Salonika

Sarrail Superseded.

At the end of 1917 the new Clemen ceau ministry recalled Sarrail, in response to the renewed re quests of the British and Italian Governments, which were sup ported by Foch. His successor was Gen. Guillaumat, who had distinguished himself as an army commander on the Verdun front. His first aim was to restore confidence and cohesion in the Allied forces at Salonika, while hastening the reorganization IA Bulgarian division had almost twice the infantry strength of a French or German division.

and training of the Greek army. His second, to think out and prepare the plan for a fresh offensive, adopting in its main out lines one which Gen. Michich had suggested in 1916. But to obtain the sanction of the Allied Governments was more difficult, obsessed as they were with the threatened German offensive in France, and in any case dubious of the effectiveness of any major operation in Macedonia. While biding his time, however, Guil laumat seized the opportunity to "blood" his new Greek troops in an ably planned coup de main against the Srka di Legen ridge. Supported by a powerful concentration of French artillery it was completely successful, and Guillaumat withdrew the attackers into reserve before any possible counterstroke might dilute the moral tonic. On the main front there were no other incidents of note between Jan. and Sept. 1918; but away on the Adriatic

coast, in Albania, Ferrero's Italian XVI. Corps, aided by a French division, advanced in July from the Viosa to the line of the Semeni and Devol rivers ; an Austrian counter-offensive late in Aug. regained most of the lost ground.

In July also, Gen. Guillaumat, his task of reorganization com pleted, was summoned back to France, to be entrusted with the defence of the capital in view of the critical situation caused by the German offensives. A man who put first not his own interests, nor even those of France, but his duty to the Allied forces as a whole, his military ability had won the respect, as his character had won the esteem, of the multifarious contingents. He was succeeded by Gen. Franchet d'Esperey, who, if perhaps not pos sessing the exceptional tact and supra-national outlook of Guil laumat, was yet an able strategist, and well able to maintain allied co-operation. He adopted and put the finishing touches to Guillaumat's offensive plan, while the latter utilized his position at the centre of policy to gain sanction for its execution. Win ning over M. Clemenceau, he then went to London and Rome on the same mission, and at last on Sept. 1 i Franchet d'Esperey was authorized to attack—if there was still little confidence in its success.