Battle of Bazargic
Part of theDobruja Campaign of theRomanian Campaign ofWorld War I
Map of the Romanian campaign
Date 5 September 1916 – 7 September 1916 Location Bazargic,Kingdom of Romania (nowDobrich,Bulgaria) 43°34′0″N27°50′0″E / 43.56667°N 27.83333°E /43.56667; 27.83333 Result Central Powers victory
Belligerents
Central Powers: Bulgaria  Germany  Ottoman Empire[1]	Allied Powers: Romania Russian Empire  Serbia
Commanders and leaders
Stefan Toshev Ivan Kolev Todor Kantardzhiev	Andrei Zayonchkovski
Strength
23 battalions,10 artillery batteries, 17 cavalry squadrons	46 battalions,17 artillery batteries,19 cavalry squadrons
Casualties and losses
1,053 killed 2,324 wounded[2]	Unknown

TheBattle of Bazargic, also known as theBattle of Dobrich or theDobrich epopee (Bulgarian:Добричка епопея), (Russian:Битва при Добриче), took place between 5 and 7 September 1916 between a joint Bulgarian–German-Ottoman force, consisting mainly of theBulgarian Third Army, and aRomanian–Russian force, including aDivision of Serbian Volunteers serving under theRussian 47th Corps. The battle was part of theRomanian campaign towards the end of 1916.^[3] It ended with aCentral Powers victory.

Although bound by the pre-warTriple Alliance to theCentral Powers, Romania instead joined theTriple Entente in August 1916, following the signing of theTreaty of Bucharest (1916). German CommanderField MarshalAugust von Mackensen was put in charge of the Romanian campaign in theDobruja front. In September the 3rd Bulgarian Army was reinforced with twoOttoman divisions and part of aGerman division. The Central Powers' plan was to attack the Romanian forces inTransylvania, while at the same time attacking along theBlack Sea, into South Dobruja, a region inhabited mainly by Bulgarians and assigned to Romania in 1913,^[3] as a result of theSecond Balkan War and the ensuingTreaty of Bucharest (1913).

Mackensen started with a surprise move onTurtucaia, a Romanian fortress. Although the besieging force was smaller than the garrison, most surrendered quickly to the Bulgarian 3rd Army after their commander fled.^[3]

Along with German reinforcements, Bulgarian units on the Southern front who crossed the border and invaded the Dobruja found themselves facing the Romanian Third Army and two Russian infantry divisions. Some of the Romanian units had surrendered to the Russians, believing them to be Bulgarians.^[4]

Simultaneously with the assault of the fortress ofTurtucaia, the Bulgarian Third Army defeated the Romanian-Russian force, including theFirst Serbian Volunteer Division, at the Battle of Bazargic, despite their numerical superiority.^[5] The crucial point in the battle was the arrival ofGeneral Kolev's 1st Cavalry Division, which attacked the Serbian Volunteer Division, forcing their retreat and consequently the retreat of their Romanian and Russian comrades as well.^[6][7] The outnumbered forces of theCentral Powers managed to push the Romanians and the Russians north, while the Serbian Volunteer Division suffered heavy casualties with 8,539 dead and wounded.^[8]

On 7 September after intense fighting the defeated Russian general ordered a withdrawal.^[9]

As the Romanian army withdrew intoMoldavia by the beginning of November, the Central Powers had captured the whole of Dobruja.^[10]

• Norman Stone (2008).The Eastern Front 1914-1917. Penguin Books Limited.ISBN 978-0-14-193885-1.
• Richard C. Hall (2010).Balkan Breakthrough: The Battle of Dobro Pole 1918.Indiana University Press.ISBN 978-0-253-00411-6.
• Ivo Banac (2015).The National Question in Yugoslavia: Origins, History, Politics. Cornell University Press.ISBN 978-1-5017-0193-1.
• Holger H. Herwig (24 April 2014).The First World War: Germany and Austria-Hungary 1914-1918. A&C Black.ISBN 978-1-4725-1081-5.
• Българската армия в Първата световна война 1915-1918: Кратък енцикл. справ (in Bulgarian). Св. Георги Победоносец. 1939.

• Romanian Encyclopedia

• Battles of World War I involving Bulgaria
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• Battles of the Balkans Theatre (World War I)
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• History of Dobrich Province
• Dobrich
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