; a little article about it.................THE SERBIAN CAMPAIGN OF 1915-CAPTURE OF BELGRADE
(River Crossings) By Captain H. N. HARTNESS, Infantry.
At the beginning of the World War the Austro Hungarian forces sought to advance into Serbia across the Drina and the middle Save. After hard battles the Serbs were driven beyond the Kolubara. On 2 December the east Austro-Hungarian column, advancing south of the Save, occupied the undefended capital of the Serbs. As a result of the battle near Aranzjelovac, the Austro-Hungarian army was forced to withdraw from Serbia and by the middle of December, Belgrade was again in Serbian hands. As the retiring commander, Potiorek, turned over his command to his successor, he remarked, "If you have to attack the Serbs again, attack only at Belgrade."
In 1915 plans were prepared for an offensive against Serbia, in order to open, the land route to Turkey. The Austrian Fifth Army command was to advance, employing one army to cross the Save between Kupinovo and Ustruznica and advance into the Kolubara valley, employing a second army to cross the Danube between Pancsova and Temes-Kubin, to advance along the Morava valley and open the route to the south. It was believed that these operations would cause the fall of Belgrade without direct attack. However, Italy's entrance into the war caused the abandonment of this plan.
After the successful engagement against Russia and after the Bulgarians had cast their lot with the Central Powers early in September, a decision was made to attack Serbia.
For this purpose the following forces were assembled under the command of Field Marshal von Mackensen: the Austrian Third Army, under General Kövess, had the mission of crossing the Save between Kupinovo and Semlin; the German Eleventh Army, under General von Gallwitz, had the mission of crossing the Danube between Semendria and Bazigs; the Bulgarian First Army had the mission of advancing from Caribrod and north thereof towards Nis. The Bulgarian Second Army, now under Field Marshal von Mackensen, was at Strumida and Küstendil prepared to support the operations of the First Army. Weak Austro-Hungarian forces were along the east and southeast boundaries of Bosnia.
The plan for the Crossing of the Third Army (Austro- Hungarian) and operations against Belgrade had been prepared by General von Tersztyanszky, predecessor of Generz Kövess. The 59th Division of the VIII Corps was to cross the Danube by way of the large island northwest of Belgrade and attack the north part of the city frontally. As soon as the 59 Division had gained a foothold on the south bank of the Danube the 57th Division was to follow by boat. The Landsturm Infantry Brigade Haustein was to remain initially at Semlin in Corps reserve while the Landsturm Infantry Brigade secured the north bank of the Danube from the Pancsova area. The German XXII Reserve Corps (43d and 44th Reserve Divisions and the 26th Infantry Division) was to cross the Save by way of the Zigeunerinsel (Gypsy Island). The Austro-Hungarian XIX Corps had the mission of forcing a crossing of the Save at the Progar and Boljevci bends. The Danube flotilla had orders to support the attack.
The Serbian army of 275 battalions and 654 cannon was confronted on three sides by an army of 350 battalions and 1,400 cannon. In Belgrade itself, General Zivkovic had only 20 Landsturm battalions and 75 cannon against which General Kövess was able to mass 66 battalions and 273 guns, 108 of which were heavy.
Source: Review of Military Literature. June 1939.
More follows. Cheers. Raúl M
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