Salonika Campaign Society Battlefield Tour 2026

20 – 29 September 2026

The ‘Sappers in Salonika’ Tour

Led by Alan Wakefield, the Salonika Campaign Society is offering a chance to visit key sites associated with British efforts during the Salonika Campaign, 1915-1918.

The overall theme of the tour will be the role of the Royal Engineers with the British Salonika Force.

Locations will include the Doiran battlefield, where the BSF suffered 35% of its total battle casualties; the Struma Valley, where XVI Corps faced the threat of endemic malaria as well as their Bulgarian adversaries; and Kosturino Ridge, where 10th (Irish) Division made a stand in the Winter of 1915. Time will also be spent on the Birdcage Line, built to defend the city and port of Salonika from Bulgarian attack in 1915-1916. We will also attend commemorations to remember all those who served and died during the campaign.

Proposed itinerary

Sunday 20 September

• Tour begins late morning with meeting at Thessaloniki airport
• Ceremony of Remembrance at CWGC Kirechkoi-Hortakoi Military Cemetery
• Overnight in Serres.

Monday 21 September

• A study of a range of operations in the Struma Valley – final locations to be confirmed but to include RE river crossing methods
• Visit to Strimoniko (formerly Orliak) to discuss RE role in signals and lines of communications
• CWGC Struma Cemetery
• Overnight in Serres.

Tuesday 22 September

• Dova Tepe Fort in the Krusha Balkan Hills
• Doiran Memorial and CWGC Cemetery
• Visit to Akritas (formerly Vladaya) to view British positions
• Overnight in Doiran.

Wednesday 23 September

• Visits to La Tortue; Petit Couronne; Hill 340 – to include RE involvement in raids and major operations against Petit Couronne
• Overnight in Doiran.

Thursday 24 September

• Visit the 22nd Division Memorial
• Visit to the ‘Devil’s Eye’ Observation Post on Grand Couronne
• Visit to The Hilt – key position in Bulgarian second line.

Friday 25 September

• A Day on Kosturino Ridge
• Rocky Peak and Ormanli village
• Memesli village
• Site of Kajali village
• Crete Rivet and Crete Simonet
• Tatarli village
• 10th (Irish) Division Memorial
• Overnight in Doiran.

Saturday 26 September

• Visits to sites on the Vardar sector and in the Krusha Balkan Hills – to include some of the following:
  • Horseshoe Hill
  • Bowls Barrow
  • Machukovo (now Evzoni)
  • Site of Rattray’s Bridges (Krusha Balkan Hills)
  • Mavroplagia (formerly Karamudli) village – RE aerial cableway
• Overnight in Kilkis.

Sunday 27 September

• Attend Official Commemorations at the Five Nations Memorial, Polykastro
• CWGC Karasouli Cemetery
• Kilindir (now Kilindria) railway station – to discuss RE role in railway operating
• Overnight in Kilkis.

Monday 28 September

• Birdcage line – including 99th Field Coy. bridge position
• Lembet Road Allied Military Cemetery
• Thessaloniki Port
• Overnight in Thessaloniki.

Tuesday 29 September

• End of tour.

If you are interested in joining the tour please contact SCS Chair, Alan Wakefield, to get your name on the emailing list for further details: aj.wakefield@talktalk.net

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