Battle of Krupnik

The Battle of Krupnik was a clash between units of the Bulgarian 7th Rila Infantry Division and the Ottoman Struma Corps. The 7th Rila Division crossed the border at Kocherinovo. Its advance developed successfully, and in less than a week the division's three brigades reached Kočani, Pehčevo and Simitli. To continue its advance from Simitli towards Thessaloniki, the 3rd Brigade, commanded by Major General Spas Georgiev, had to overcome the Turkish troops holding the exit of the Kresna Gorge north and east of the villages of Krupnik and Sarbinovo. To accomplish this, the brigade divided into three columns. On 12 October, the central column advanced along the road from Simitli to Krupnik but encountered strong resistance. The left column was also halted. The right column, with two battalions and four guns, made a detour to the west and reached Mount Dzhama, now Ilyov Vrah, towards evening without making contact with the enemy. In support of the operation to capture Kresna, units of the Rila Division's 2nd Brigade from Pehčevo and the Rhodope Detachment from Mehomiya operated from the west and east, aiming to capture the bridge over the Struma near Breznitsa, south of the gorge. Although they encountered no resistance, these units failed to complete the difficult mountain crossing in time.

The battle lasted two days, and the Bulgarian units were victorious. It thus ended in defeat for the Struma Corps, and Bulgaria captured the Kresna Pass. After the victory, the soldiers of the 7th Division withdrew south under cover of a sudden snowstorm.