The Battle of Doiran was a battle of the Second Balkan War, fought between the Bulgarian and the Greek armies on June 22-23 in 1913.
The Greek armed forces, after the victory at Kilkis-Lachanas, continued their advance north and successfully engaged the Bulgarians at Lake Doiran.
The Bulgarian army retreated to the lake after destroying the bridges over the Strymon River and the town of Serres.
As a result of their subsequent defeat, the Bulgarian forces retreated further north.
The Doiran Lake was at the right wing of the Bulgarian line of defence.
The 2nd Bulgarian Army was responsible for the defence of this sector.
The Bulgarian artillery was initially successful against the Greek attack, but ultimately, it could not halt the advancing Greeks.
When the Evzones captured the train station of Doiran, Bulgarian forces retreated further north, fearing they would be encircled.
Following orders from King Constantine, the Greek army captured Gevgelija, Meleniko, and Petrich and advanced into Bulgarian territory, aiming to capture Sofia.
Another part of the Greek army marched east to capture Drama and Western Thrace, while ships of the Greek navy engaged in an amphibious operation landed at Kavala.
It is noted that this area during the First Balkan War (1912-13) was occupied by the Serbs, specifically by the Serbian cavalry that covered the left flank of the 1st Serbian Army during the operations towards Perlepen (late October 1912).
The Serbs were unarmed and expelled the Turkish garrison there.
At the same time, the Greek army was moving much further south during the First Balkan War.
During the first days of the Second Balkan War, the failed Bulgarian attack soon turned into a retreat that culminated in victory for Greek forces at the Battle of Kilkis-Lahana on June 19-21, 1913.
The very next day, June 22, after the Battle of Kilkis-Lahana, having previously assessed the strategic importance of the Doirani area, General Konstantinos ordered the rapid advancement of Greek troops to liberate the area, and with great success.
READ MORE: OTD in 1913: Greek Army defeats Bulgarian forces and liberates Kilkis.
