I te tau 1916, i muri i te urunga mai o Romania ki te pakanga, i whakauruhia a Tonitza ki te ope taua ka whawhai mai i te 20 ki te 25 o Akuhata me te 84th Infantry Regiment i te Pakanga o Turtucaia
He aha? I whara ia, i mauheretia ia e nga Bulgarian, ka tukuna ki tetahi puni whakarau i Kardzhali, me te hoa peita me te kaitoi a Horia Boambă. I reira, ka mate ia ki te mate pukupuku me te mate reuma, ka raru ia tae noa ki tona matenga. Mo tana maia i te pakanga, i whakawhiwhia a Tonitza i te Noema 1916 ki te Order of Michael the Brave, 3rd class. I tukuna ia, a, ka hoki mai i te Paenga-whāwhā 1918.