Draft:Battle on the Oreške fields

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Battle on the Oreške fields
Part of the Macedonian Struggle
Date10 May 1905
Location
Oreške, near Bogomila, Ottoman Empire
(modern-day North Macedonia)
Result

Decisive Serbian-Chetnik victory

  • Bulgarian defeat and retreat from western Povardarje
Belligerents
Serbian Chetnik Organization Bulgarian committes
Commanders and leaders
Jovan Babunski
Trenko Rujanović
Captain Rajković		 Stefan Dimitrov (WIA)
Duke Shivarov
Strength
3 Chetniks
(see commanders section)		 50 Committees
Casualties and losses
None 15 killed and 30 wounded
45 guns captured

The Battle on the Oreške fields is a battle between Serbian Chetniks from Macedonia and Macedonian Bulgarians in the area of western Povardarje that took place on May 10 of 1905. The battle resulted in decisive a Chetnik victory.

Background[edit]

The event took place a month after the crossing of Serbian companies across the Serbian-Ottoman border. The company of captains Rajković and Jovan Babunski skillfully avoided unnecessary conflicts with Bulgarian companies and Turkish pursuits. The companies met near Prilep together with the company of Gligor Sokolović and Trenko Rujanović. Gligor's and Trenk's companies were armed with outdated berdankas and martinkas, so they were forced to avoid clashes with large Bulgarian companies armed with modern mannlicher rifles.

Battle[edit]

The company of Jovan Babunski was chased by the Bulgarian companies of Stefan Dimitrov and Duke Shivarov. The fear of the Bulgarian committes was so great that the inhabitants of Veles Azot begged Babunski not to enter their villages because of the Bulgarian threats[citation needed]. After the murder of two Serbs, the Bulgarians planned the murder of Pope Atanas and Temeljek from Oraov Dol. The same fate was intended for David Dimitrijević, the manager of Serbian schools in Veleš. As a result of those actions, Rajković decided to destroy Stefan Dimitrov's company (50 committes), which was located on the mountain above Oreš (Between Veleš and Poreče ), with the companies of Gligor, Trenko and Babunski.

On May 10 of 1905, while the unarmored Bulgarian company was resting in the Oreske meadows, it was silently surrounded by Serbian Chetniks. Half of the Chetniks, led by Gligor, took up positions above the Bulgarian company. The other half with Rajković, Babunski and Trenk was located below the Bulgarian company, in the beech forest. Gligor's group above the Bulgarians opened fire on the surprised commies, who ran to escape into the forest, where they were met by the fire of other Chetniks. Stefan Dimitrov then rushed towards the wood where Rajković, Babunski and Trenko stationed. But the committees were defeated, and Stefan Dimitrov was wounded.

Conclusion[edit]

The Serbs had no losses in this battle, while 15 Bulgarians were killed, 30 wounded and only five escaped. 45 guns, as many rifles, company archives, ammunition, bombs, dynamite and a pharmacy were captured. Most importantly, the Serbian Chetniks received new Mannlicher rifles. With this battle, Captain Rajković began his career as one the most successful heads of the Serbian Chetnik Organization during the Macedonian struggle, thereby pushing the Bulgarians out of western Povardarje.[1]

References[edit]

  1. ^ Vladimir Ilić (2006). Serbian Chetnik Action 1903-1912.
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