DEAR BROTHER GEORGI

DEAR BROTHER GEORGI:

Thank God I am quite well after coming through these five engagements. Let me tell you that our division has reached the river Nestor, that is to say, the old Bulgarian Frontier, and the Royal Army has passed this frontier. By the King’s orders we are setting fire to all the Bulgarian villages [Macedonian villages associated

with the Exarchate Church], because the Bulgarians burned the beautiful town Serres, also Nigrita and a lot of Greek villages [Macedonian villages associated with the Patriarchate Church]. We have turned out much crueler than the Bulgars-we violated every girl we met. Our division took 18 pieces of artillery in good condition and two worn out pieces, altogether 20 cannon and 4 machine guns. It is impossible to describe how the Bulgars went to pieces and ran away. We are all well, except that K. Kalourioti was wounded at Nigrita and Evang the Macedonian got a bayonet wound while on outpost duty, but both are slight cases. Remember me to our countrymen and friends, although after coming through so much, thank God I am not afraid of the Bulgars. I have taken what I had a right to after all they did to us at Panghaion.

My greeting to you, N. ZERVAS. (Some illegible words follow.)

Letter 16

M. Aristidi Thanassia, Kamniati. Commune of Athanamow; Trikala, Thessaly. 14 July, 1913.

DEAR COUSIN:

I have received your letter of the 1st and I am very glad that you are well, as, after all, so are we up to now. Let me tell you, Aristidi, all we are going through during this Bulgarian War. Night and day we press on right into Bulgarian territory and at any moment we ‘engage in a fight; but the man who gets through will be a hero for his country. My dear cousin, here we are burning villages and killing Bulgarians, women and children [Macedonians associated with the Exarchate Church]. Let me tell you, too, that cousin G. Kiritzis has a slight wound in his foot and that all the rest of us, friends and relations are very well including our son-in-law Yani. Give my greeting to your father and mother and your whole household, as well as my cousin Olga. That is all I have to say, With a hearty hug.

Your brother, ANASTASE ATH. PATROS.

Letter 17

M. George P. Soumbli, Megali Anastassova, Alagonia, Calamas. Rhodope, 12th July, 1913.

DEAR PARENTS:

We got to Nevrokop, where again we were expected, for again we fought the entire day, and we chased them (the enemy) to a place where we set on them with our bayonets and took eighteen cannon and six machine guns. They managed to get away and we were not able to take prisoners. We only took a few, whom we killed, for those are our orders. Wherever there was a Bulgarian [Macedonian villages associated with the Exarchate Church] village, we set fire to it and burned it, so that this dirty race of Bulgars couldn’t spring up again. Now we ‘are at the Bulgarian frontier, and if they don’t mend their manners, we shall go to Sofia.

With an embrace, Your son, PERICLI SOUMBLIS 7th Division, 19th Regiment, 12th Company, Salonica.

Letter 18

M. Christopher Kranea, Rue Aristotle et de l’Epire 48. Athens. Rhodope, 14th July, 1913.

DEAR BROTHER CHRISTOPHER:

I am writing from Rhodope, a Bulgarian position, two hours away from the old Bulgarian frontier. If God spares me I shall write again. I don’t know how much further we shall go into Bulgarian territory

or if we are to have any more fights, as I don’t know what further resistance we shall have to meet. If this war is to be the end of me, I pray the Almighty to comfort you greatly; and above all my mother and the relatives; but I hope that God will preserve my life. The money you speak of has not come yet. I have sent a few “bear-leaders” into a better world. A few days back my god-father Vassil Christon, tried his hand at shooting eight comitadjis [Macedonian revolutionaries]. We had taken fifty whom we shared among us. For my share I had six of them and I did polish them off. That is all I have to say.

Greeting from your brother, DIM. KRANEAS.

Letter 19

M. Georges N. Yrikaki, Vari-Petro, Cydonia, Canea, Crete. Macedonia, July 12, 1913.

DEAR GEORGE:

After that we went forward and occupied the bridge over the Strouma. A lot of Bulgars [Macedonians associated with the Exarchate Church] were hidden in different spots. After we had occupied the bridge we found numbers of them every day, and killed them. The Bulgars have burned the bridge to stop our advance towards Serres.

With greetings, F. VALANTINAKI. This is my address- STILIAN VALANTINO, 19th Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 9th Company, 7th Division. Macedonia.

Letter 20

To A. M. Nicolas Hartaloupa, Ksilokastro, Tricala, Corinth.

Rhodopian Mountains, 18/7/1913.

DEAR BROTHER NICOLAS:

I am very well and I hope you are as well as I am. We have turned up close to the Bulgarian frontier. We are constantly pressing on and putting the enemy to flight...

When we pass Bulgarian villages [Macedonian villages associated with the Exarchate Church] we set fire to them all and lay them to waste. With an embrace, Your brother, A. V. THODOROPOULOS. (Same address.)

Letter 21

To Mme. Angheliki K. Lihouidi, Manastiraki, Acarnania, Ksiromera-Vonitza. Rhodope, July 13, 1913.