It is important to remain educated on our history. From June 19th - 21st in the year 1913, the Battle of Kilkis-Lachanas took place during the Second Balkan War. This battle took place between Greece and Bulgaria. Prior to the Second Balkan War, Bulgaria had been allied with Greece, Serbia, and Montenegro against the Ottoman Empire during the First Balkan War. By the end of the war, the Bulgarians were dissatisfied with the results, and so, on the night of the 16th of June, they attacked their former ally Serbia. The Serbs had their communications with the Greeks cut off, but King Constantine led the Greeks into battle, forcing the Bulgarians to retreat to the Kilkis Lachanas Line.
Quite a few of the Bulgarians here were considered a “veteran group”, for they had fought at the Siege of Adrianople, and they had been in place since May. According to the Bulgarian General Nikola Ivanov, many of his men were untrained, and they were outnumbered. The Greeks were expecting a Bulgarian attack on Thessaloniki, and so their plans were defensive in nature. As the Bulgarians advanced towards Thessaloniki, the Greeks stopped them and issued a counter-attack. The Bulgarians had constructed strong defenses, even having captured Ottoman guns. The Greeks rushed across the plain, but suffered many losses. By June 20th, they had failed to break the Bulgarian defenses. Greek cavalry had discovered that Bulgarian reinforcements were arriving by train. And so, the Greek 2nd division went in alone. They bravely crossed the Gallikos River, battling the Bulgarians, and by morning they had entered the town of Kilkis.
Similar defenses had been prepared at Lachanas. Despite fire from Bulgarian artillery, the Greeks made contact with the main Bulgarian defensive location on June 20th. Following the fall of Kilkis, the Greeks broke through the Bulgarian defenses at Lachana, and the Bulgarians retreated.
This battle was the greatest defeat the Bulgarians suffered during the Second Balkan War. There were also heavy casualties for the Greeks, but the triumphant victory boosted the popularity of King Constantine.
While it is important to remember and honor our brave ancestors in this war, it is also important to remember today. The Bulgarians are our Orthodox Brothers. Their culture and traditions are at risk of disappearing just as much as our Hellenic ones are. The World today does not love nor value people who have a strong Faith and beautiful Culture. We Hellenes have much in common with the Bulgarians, and it is important for us today to stand together as Orthodox Brothers in defense of Πατρίς, Θρησκεία, and Οικογένεια.