Tutrakan battle, 1916, reenacting the battle

1st part http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=29XAwyW8Qgg
2nd part http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qv7BGRNfdkg&feature=user

http://www.anca.com.ro/forum/viewtopic.php?t=202

I know that a picture values as much as one thosand words, but about Tutrakan (Turtucaia) battle to say a few words is a must, in order to know why we reenacted that battle from 1916.

In 1916 Romania entered war to liberate her brothers, the romanians from Transylvania. The bulk of romanian forces were directed toward Carpathian mountains in that purpose.
On the southern frontier, south of Danube, it was left only a covering force because romanians doesnt expected bulgarians to atack. But they did in late august 1916.
The romanian covering force from today Bulgaria numbered aproximately 35.000 men, part of them manning unfinished fortifications, with obsolete and insuficient artilery, moved by oxes, and obsolete rifles, lot of them from the previous war from 1877. More of that, the main number of men were reservists with poor training, poor motivation and even more poor leadership.
The bulgarian atack was build up together with german support and some turkish troops. Atacking forces were also at about 33-35.000 men, an unusual 1:1 ratio atackers/defenders.
Even in this numerical advantage, romanians being in defence, they could face the atack, backed up by heavy artilery.
In more or less than a week, on 6th september 1916, romanian forces raised the white flag. They numbered almost 7-8.000 dead acording to different sources and 22.000 troops as POWs. Only about 3.500 romanian troops managed to cross back the Danube and save themselves.
Bulgarians lost almost equivalent losses regarding dead, wounded and missing troops.
We went to Tutrakan to comemorate all soldiers who died for their countries, regardless of nationality. They all fought bravely and died for their native land.

At Tutrakan participated 23 romanian reenactors representing the following units: 6 Dorobanti Regiment, 4 Artilery Regiment "Ferdinand I", Mountain Battalion and 3rd volunteers Regiment "Avram Iancu". From bulgarian side participated 34 reenactors representing the bulgarian division which atacked the romanian fortifications.

Guard of honour at the church near military cemetery at Tutrakan, Bulgaria.

This post has been edited by 21 inf on October 12, 2008 11:43 am

Taking cover under enemy artilery fire.

This post has been edited by 21 inf on October 12, 2008 11:47 am

Bayonet charge against atacking enemy, in order to break encirclement and join friendly troops.

This post has been edited by 21 inf on October 12, 2008 11:48 am

Romanian troops defending the "fortification".

Romanian troops defending.