the British
were again compelled to give way before the heavy impact of numbers.
By evening they had retired two miles, not a great deal, considering
the masses that were driving them. More than once it looked as though
the British would be literally overwhelmed and annihilated. Eight guns
were lost and about 1,300 men were killed or wounded.

The retirement had been in the direction of the Vardar and by the end
of the second week of December, 1915, the British were able to make
another stand over on the banks of the Vardar, below the right wing of
the French.

The whole Bulgarian field army was evidently divided between the
Rabrovo road and north of Strumitza Junction. It was clearly the
enemy's intention to drive a wedge into the center, thus to isolate
all the northern divisions and to bring about a general disaster.

Sarrail recognized his danger and began to retire his northern units,
covering the movement with a fiercely contested action in the region
of Strumitza.

[Illustration: A British hydroplane returning to the mother ship after
patrol duty over Saloniki. In the background are the City of Saloniki
and warships of the Allies.]

By December 11, 1915, the French and British lines were close back on
the Greek frontier, and although the Bulgarians delivered a heavy
attack on that day, it was their final effort; the following day the
Allies were across the frontier and the Bulgarians made no attempt to
follow them. Possibly they were restrained by their German allies, or
possibly they had no desire to involve Greece, for had the Bulgarians
set foot on Greek soil, it is more than likely that Greek troops would
have resisted them, and once such an encounter had taken place, Greece
would probably have thrown herself into the war on the side of the
Allies. As they retired, the allied troops destroyed the railroad
behind them and set fire to Gevgheli and other towns on the other
side of the border. And, by a fortunate coincidence, it was on the day
before they crossed the frontier that Greece had finally accepted the
proposals of the Allies that their forces were to be allowed freedom
of movement.

Considering the tremendous difficulties he had had to contend with, in
the face of the immense strength of his enemy, General Sarrail's
retreat by no means diminished his reputation as a military leader.
Although his men had at their disposal only one single-track line of
railroad and no roads, their retirement was