The Bulgarian Army at the beginning of the War against Serbia

 

 

General Headquarters of the Field Army

Commander in Chief :

Military Minister :

Drugar of the Military Minister :

Chief of the General Staff :

Deputy chief of Staff :

Adjutant for the Line section :

Adjutant for the Supply section :

Attached officer :

Chief of artillery :

Chief medical officer :

Chief military engineer :

Knyaz Aleksandar Battenberg

Cpt. Konstantin Nikiforov

Cav. Cpt. Atanas Benderev

Cpt. Racho Petrov

Cav.Cpt. Hristofor Hesapchiev

Cpt. Mihail Savov

Cpt. Georgi Mechkonev

Cpt. Nikola Antikarov

Maj. Olimpiy Panov

Medical Col. doctor Georgi Valkovich

Cpt. Zheko Velchev

 

Eastern Corps

HQ at Burgas

Commander : Lt.Col. Danail Nikolaev

Chief of the General Staff : Cpt. Radko Dimitrov

Attached officer : Cpt. Valko Velchev

Burgas Detachment

Commander : Lt.Col. Pencho Shiravov

Avant-garde (at Karabunar)

         3rd Burgas Bn.

         volunteers squadron of Cpt. Nedev

Main body

         1st Rumelian volunteers Bn. (at Aytos)

         1st, 2nd Burgas Bn. (at Burgas)

Yambol Detachment

Commander : Lt.Col. Dimitar Filov

Chief of the Staff : Cpt. Dimitar Valnarov

Avant-garde (at Srem)

         6th Stara Zagora Bn.

         7th Sliven Bn.

         8th Yambol Bn.

         3rd Bt. / 2nd Art. Rgt.

         training squadron of Cav.Cpt. Naum Nikushev

Main body (at Kazal Agach)

         1st, 3rd, 4th Plovdiv Bn.

         5th Kazanlak Bn.

         3rd, 4th squadron / 1st Cav. Rgt.

         1st, 2nd, 5th, 6th Bt. / 2nd Art. Rgt.

         3rd Pioneer Cpy.

Reserve (at Yambol)

         8th Primorski Inf. Rgt. (4 Bns.)

         1st Rumelian pioneer Cpy.

Tarnovo Seymen Detachment

Commander : Lt.Col. Sava Mutkurov

Chief of the Staff : Cpt. Nikola Ivanov

Cavalry Brigade (at Hebibchevo)

         Commander : baron Korvin

         Chief of the Staff : Cpt. Ilya Dimitriev

         1st, 2nd squadron / 2nd Cav. Rgt.

         1st Rumelian volunteers Squadron of Cav.Cpt. Radev

         Escort Squadron

Avant-garde (at Harmanli)

         1st, 2nd, 3rd Haskovo Bn.

         9th Harmanli Bn.

         1st, 2nd squadron / 1st Cav. Rgt.

         Rumelian half battery

Main body (at Tarnovo Seymen)

         2nd Bn. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

         6th Tarnovski Inf. Rgt. (4 Bns.)

         3rd Tatar-Pazardzhik Bn.

         5th Bt. / 1st Art. Rgt.

         4th Bt. / 2nd Art. Rgt.

         Telegraphist Cpy.

         2nd Pioneer Cpy.

Reserve (at Yambol)

         8th Primorski Inf. Rgt. (4 Bns.)

         1st Rumelian pioneer Cpy.

Partisan Detachments

Haskovo Partisan Detachment

Commander : Lt.Col. Stefan Lyubomski

         3 Rumelian volunteers Bns.

         1 Rumelian volunteers Squadron

Boykovo Partisan Detachment

         1 Rumelian volunteers Bns.

         1 Rumelian volunteers Squadron

Chepelare Partisan Detachment

         1 Rumelian volunteers Bns.

         1 Rumelian volunteers Squadron

Peshtera Partisan Detachment

Commander : Lt.Col. Nencho Tzanev

         1st Peshtera Bn.

         2nd Peshtera (volunteers) Bn.

Reserve

Sliven Strategical Reserve

            2 reserve Slivenski Rgt.

Plovdiv Strategical Reserve

            1st, 4th Bn. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

            2 reserve Plovdivski Rgt.

         Students legion

 

55 Battalions, 13 Squadrons, 7 ½ Batteries

51 800 men, 1200 sabres, 52 guns

 

Western Corps

Commander : Maj. Avram Gudzhev

Chief of the General Staff : Cpt. Stefan Paprikov

Deputy Chief of Staff : Cpt. Georgi Mechkonov

Along the Serbian border

Izvorski Detachment

Commander Cpt. Stoyan Filipov (at Kolunitza)

         1st Bn. / 2nd Strumski Inf. Rgt.

         Izvorsko Opalchenie (3 bands)

         3rd squadron / 3rd Cav. Rgt.

Tran Detachment

Commander : Cpt. Nikola Genev

Avant-garde (at Tran)

         Transko Opalchenie (3 bands)

         3rd Bn. / 2nd Strumski Inf. Rgt.

         Volunteers of Cpt. Tzanko Kavalov (2 bands)

         2nd squadron / 3rd Cav. Rgt.

         4th Bt. / 1st Art. Rgt.

         3pdr mountain Bt. (two sections)

Avant-garde (at Vrabcha)

         Commander : Cpt. Marinov

         1st Bn. / 4th Plevenski Inf. Rgt.

         1st reserve Cpy. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

         3pdr mountain Bt. (one section)

Main body

         1st, 2nd Bn. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt. (at Filipovtzi)

         3rd, 4th Bn. / 5th Dunavski Inf. Rgt. (at Radomir and Breznik)

Slivnitza Detachment

Commander : Cpt. Nikola Petrov

Avant-garde (at Tzaribrod)

Commander : Cpt. Ivan Popov

         Tzaribrodsko Opalchenie (3 bands)

         4th Bn. / 4th Plevenski Inf. Rgt.

         3rd squadron / 3rd Cav. Rgt.

Intermediate Detachment (at Dolna Nevlya)

         Commander : Cpt. Andrey Bukureshtliev

         Tzaribrodsko Opalchenie (1 band)

         Breznishko Opalchenie (3 bands)

         3rd reserve Cpy. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

Avant-garde (at Slivnitza)

         Lt. Shivarov Volunteers (2 bands)

Smilovski Avant-garde (at Smilovtzi)

         Commander : Cpt. Hristo Bahchevanov

         3rd Bn. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

         3rd squadron / 2nd Cav. Rgt.

         Withworth mountain Bt.

Main body (at Slivnitza)

under the direct command of Cpt. Ivan Popov

         2nd, 3rd Bn. / 4th Plevenski Inf. Rgt.

         6th Preslavski Inf. Rgt. (4 Bns.)

         4th squadron / 2nd Cav. Rgt.

         3rd, 6th Bt. / 1st Art. Rgt.

Main body (at Sofia)

under the direct command of Cpt. Nikola Petrov

         1st, 2nd Bn. / 5th Dunavski Inf. Rgt.

         4th, 5th reserve Cpy. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

         Sofiyskoto Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

         4th Cav. Rgt.

         2nd Bt. / 1st Art. Rgt.

Komshtik Detachment

Commander : Lt. Atila Zafirov (at Izyatovtzi)

         2nd reserve Cpy. / 1st Sofiyski Inf. Rgt.

         Volunteers (2 band)

         Opalchenie (5 bands)

 

25 ¼ Battalions, 5 Squadrons, 6 Batteries

19 794 men, 513 sabres, 42 guns

 

Along the Turkish border

Kyustendil Detachment

Commander : Cpt. Stefan Kisov (at Kyustendil)

         2nd, 4th Bn. / 2nd Strumski Inf. Rgt.

         5th reserve Cpy. / 2nd Strumski Inf. Rgt.

         Kyustendilsko Opalchenie (3 Bns.)

         Volunteer band of Pope Georgiev

Dupnitza Detachment

Commander : Cpt. Marin Marinov

         3rd Bn. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt. (at Slatina)

         4th Bn. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt. (at Boboshevo)

         1st squadron / 3rd Cav. Rgt. (along the border)

         1st Bt. / 1st Art. Rgt. (at Dupnitza)

         Dupnishko Opalchenie (2 Bns.) (at Dupnitza)

         Radomirsko Opalchenie (1 Bn.) (at Radomir)

 

11 ¼ Battalions, 1 Squadrons, 1 Battery

9 122 men, 104 sabres, 8 guns

 

Northern Corps

HQ at Vidin

Commander : Cpt. Atanas Uzunov

Chief of the General Staff : Cav.Cpt. Georgi Dermanchev

Deputy Chief of Staff : Cav. Stefan Ilyev

Sector Bregovo

Commander : 2nd Lt. Todorov

         2 reserve Cps. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (2 bands)

         1 Volunteers band at Rabrovo

Sector Kula

Commander : Lt. Nikolaev

         1 reserve Cpy. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

         1 Volunteers band at Belitza

Sector Belogradchik

Commander : Lt. Cholakov

         1 reserve Cpy. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

         Volunteers (½ Bn.

Sector Kula

Commander : Lt. Marinov

         1 reserve Cpy. / 4th Plevenski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

Fortress Vidin

Right Sector

Commander : Lt. Racho Hadzhiev

         Reserve Bn. / 4th Plevenski Inf. Rgt. (3 Cps.)

         Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

         1 Volunteers Cpy.

Left Sector

Commander : Lt. Staykov

         Reserve Bn. / 5th Dunavski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (1 Bn.)

         1 Volunteers Cpy.

Fortress Reserve

Commander : Lt. Yanko Draganov

         Mixed Bn. / 3rd Bdinski Inf. Rgt.

         Opalchenie (2 bands)

         2 Volunteers Cps.

         ½ squadron

         ½ pioneer Cpy.

Fortress Artillery

Commander : Cpt. Georgi Zelenogorov

         2 – 24 pdr long guns

         2 – 24 pdr short guns

         1 – 6 inch mortar

         13 – 87mm short range guns

         10 – 4 pdr guns

         5 machine guns

Water Defence

         2 cutters

Main Reserve

3 Bns. with 1 reserve and 4 Opalchenie Cps. each

(at Bela, Lagushevtzi, Vladichentzi, Shipot)

Flying Column

Commander : Cpt. Georgi Todorov

4 reserve Cps.

1 4pdr Bt.

1 gendarmerie squadron

 

17 ¼ Battalions, 1 ½ Squadrons, 6 Batteries

14 861 men, 164 sabres, 87 guns