Fourth Army (Bulgaria)

The Bulgarian Fourth Army was a Bulgarian field army during the Balkan Wars, World War I, and World War II.

Четвърта армия
Active1912-1913
1915-1918
1941-1945
Country Bulgaria
Allegiance Bulgarian Army
TypeField Army
EngagementsBalkan Wars

World War I

World War II

  • Bregalnica - Strumica Operation
Commanders
Notable
commanders		Stiliyan Kovachev
Stefan Toshev

The Balkan Wars (1912 - 13)

Balkan War (1912 - 13)

In anticipation of the Ottoman Empire counter-offensive, the Bulgarian command on December 14, 1912, formed this army consisting of the following: Second Infantry Thracian Division, Seventh Infantry Rila Division, the Macedonian-Adrian Army and the Third Airborne Division. The commander of the army was General Stiliyan Kovachev. It reflected the Turkish attack on Bulair and the landing at Şarköy in 1913.

Second Balkan War (1913)

The army focused on the area of Radovish, Shtip, and Kochani against the main force of the Kingdom of Serbia. With the Battle of Bregalnitsa, the war itself begins. In the Battle of Kalimantsi advancing Serbian troops are stopped, preventing them from joining the Greek army. They were heavily suppressed and took heavy losses during the battles.

They were disbanded on 6 August 1913.

World War I (1915 - 1918)

The Fourth Army was again formed on November 25, 1915. In December of 1917, the Artillery Division of the Army was formed and a military school was established. It was composed of the Tenth Aegean Infantry Division and the Second cavalry division. The Fourth Army was disbanded in October 1918.

During this time, the Fourth Army was commanded by Stefan Toshev.

Command and staff

Divisions

World War II

After the outbreak of World War II, the 4th Army was again formed in July 1940.
It was given the task of protecting the southeast border with Turkey as part of the "Covering Front" (Прикриващ фронт) and it was composed of:

  • 4th Preslav Infantry Division
  • 6th Bdin Infantry Division
  • 11th Macedonian Infantry Division.

The 4th Army had tasks assigned to them from 10 February 1941 to December 19, 1943, when they disbanded, but reformed in September 1944, when Bulgaria joined the allies.

On October 15, 1944, the army consisted of 42,494 men and 7,152 horses. From October 15 to November 14, 1944, it fought against the Germans in Vardar Macedonia during the Bregalnitsa-Strumica operation. On December 19, 1944, the army is finally disbanded.

Commanders
No.TitleNameDate
1.Major GeneralStiliyan KovachevDecember 24, 1912 - June 28, 1913
2.Major GeneralVicho DikovJune 28, 1913 - September 2, 1913
3.Lieutenant GeneralStefan Toshev1917 - 1918
4.Lieutenant GeneralSava SavovFebruary 1918
5.Infantry GeneralStefan Toshev1918 - 1919
6.Major GeneralSotir Marinkov1931
7.Major GeneralIvan Filipov1933 - 1934
8.Major GeneralMladen Filipov1934
9.ColonelKonstantin LukashSeptember 1934 - June 19, 1935
10.Major GeneralHristo Danchev1935
11.Major GeneralNikola Nedev1936
12.Major GeneralIvan Markov1938
13.Major GeneralAtanas StefanovAugust 11, 1941 - September 12, 1944, executed by partisans
14.Major GeneralBoyan UrumovSeptember 17, 1944 - November 1, 1944
15.Major GeneralAsen SirakovNovember 1, 1944 - December 15, 1944
16.Major GeneralAsen KrstevDecember 15, 1944 - January 1, 1945 (acting)
17.Major GeneralAsen GrekovJanuary 1, 1945 - August 6, 1946

Notes
  • Kamburov, Georgi. Lieutenant General Assen Grekov. Sofia, Military Publishing House, 1988. pp. 116 and 123.

Sources
  • Tashev, T., Bulgarian Army 1941 - 1945 - Encyclopedic Reference Book, Sofia, 2008, Military Publishing House EOOD, ISBN 978-954-509-407-1, pp. 368 - 369
  • Todorov, T., Eftimov, T. Guide to Archival Funds 1877 - 1944. Vol. 1. Sofia, Military Publishing House, 1976.
  • Kamburov, Georgi. Lieutenant General Assen Grekov. Sofia, Military Publishing House, 1988. pp. 116 and 123.
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