![[Macedonian-Andrinopolitan Volunteer Corps]](../images/b/bg~mav01.gif)
image
by Stoyan Antonov and Plamen
Tsvetkov, 13 May 2009
Last modified: 2016-06-29 by rob raeside
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Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps fought in the battles of the First
and Second Balkan Wars (1912-1913 and 1913 respectively).
"On September 17th
1912 at 2:00 p.m. a mobilization proclamation was announced. Two hours later
thousands of volunteers enroll in the battalions of the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan
Volunteer Corps. On September 23rd 1912 Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer
Corps was set up with a tsar’s decree. They were headed by general Nikola Genev
and major Petar Darvingov was the chief of the general staff. They consisted of
six battalions of 212-215 people each: Thessaloniki, Skopje, Debar, Bitola,
Edirne and Ohrid battalions. In October six more battalions were established:
Veles, Kostur, Kumanovo, Prilep, Serres and Lozengrad battalions. There were
14,670 personnel. 500 of them were foreigners (Russians, Jews, Armenians, Swiss
/Louis-Emil Eyer/, Englishman /non- commissioned officer Robert Fisher/, and
others). On October 4th and 5th 1912 the battalions from the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan
Volunteer Corps were given their flags. The main flag of the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan
Volunteer Corps, which is also flag of the 11th Serres Battalion, is a gift from
Tsaritsa Eleonore of Bulgaria. It was consecrated on October 28th 1912 at an
official church service in the presence of Tsaritsa Eleonore at the railway
station in the city of Plovdiv. All flags of the volunteer corps took part in
the parade held in May 1913 on the occasion of the Day of Valor, close to
Komotini.
After the end of the Second Balkan War, on August 7th 1913, the flags of the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps were welcomed officially at the cycling track in Sofia. On May 9th 1937 Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps bid a farewell to their flags together with the flags of the old Bulgarian regiments that participated in the national liberation and unification wars. The honorary company took the flags into eternal charge.
The veterans of the Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps are the foundation of the 11th Infantry Macedonian Division, which collected 33 374 Bulgarian officers and soldiers of Macedonian origin."
Text from FOCUS Information Agency, with a colour photo of the flag:
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=f1920
Ivan Sache, 12 May
2009
Here are some facts about Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps (26 Sep
1912 - 1 Oct 1913)
Personnel: 14 670.
Bulgarians: 14 139 (11 470 were
from Macedonia, 1 215 - from Adrianople Thrace, and 2 512 - from the free part).
Foreigners: 531 (275 Armenians, 82 Russians, 68 Romanians, 40 Serbians, 21
"Austro-Hungarians", 12 Montenegrins, 3 Greeks, an Albanian, an Englishman, an
Italian, and a Persian).
The flags of 13th Kukush (Kilkis) and 14th Voden
(Edessa) Battalions have been lost.
The flag of 12th Lozengrad (Kirklareli)
Battalion has become flag of the Sofia branch of the Yunak Sport Association and
has disappeared.
Its own flag has had 1st Armenian Company of 12th Lozengrad
Battalion, but it has also disappeared.
The 10th Prilep Battalion has had two flags.
The only flag that has been
flown in battle is that of 11th Seres Battalion (the flag of all Corps).
The
principle source of information about MAVC and its flags in
Ivanov (1998).
Stoyan Antonov, 13 May
2009
From Macedonian point of view, the commanding officers were Bulgarians, but
the volunteers were Macedonians, plus some foreigners.
Valentin Poposki,
13 May 2009
image
by Stoyan Antonov and Plamen
Tsvetkov, 13 May 2009
On September 17, 1912, at 16.00, only two
hours after the announcement of mobilization, 1,200 men, aged 18-55, wearing
white Debar traditional costumes, gathered in Sofia. They were invited to join
the Debar-Galich-Rekan Macedonian brotherhood. The volunteers were received by
Major Stefan Nikolov from Prilep, Petar Darvingov from Kukush, and Alexandar
Protogerov from Ohrid, with the words: "Hello, First Debar Battalion!". The
military flag of First Debar Battalion of Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer
Corps was given solemnly on October 4th 1912. The flag was made between
September 17 and October 4, while the Battalion had been formed. It was made
from double silk cloth – 105 x 84 centimeters. Its right side is colored like
the Bulgarian national flag - white, green and red - situated horizontally. A
cross upon half-crest was painted in the middle of the flag. The words FIRST
DEBAR VOLUNTEER are written above the cross in a semicircle and the word
BATTALION is written below the cross. The other side is green. There is a
crowned lion on two sprays. There is an inscription MAY GOD BE WITH US and the
year 1912 under the lion. The flag is embroidered with gold-lace fringes and
there are tassels at the end of the two outer corners. The wooden handle of the
flag finishes in its upper end with a metal crowned lion. A metal bracelet
reading FIRST DEBAR VOLUNTEER BATTALION hangs below the cloth of the handle.
Text from FOCUS Information Agency, with a colour photo of the flag:
http://www.focus-fen.net/index.php?id=f1920
Ivan Sache, 12 May
2009
