The Allies' First Victory: The Battle of Mt. Cer, 15–24 August 1914

Serbian Troops at Mt. Cer

At the outset of World War I, Serbia found itself facing the might of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, which sought to crush Serbia's independence and expand its own influence in the Balkans. On 12 August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian forces launched a large-scale offensive against Serbia, aiming to swiftly overrun the Serbian defenses and assert control over the region.

The invasion was commanded by Feldzeugmeister (Lieutenant General) Oskar Potiorek. Facing them was the Second Serbian Army under the command of the General (later Voyvoda, i.e., Field Marshal) Stepa Stepanović. General Stepanović was determined to resist. Despite being outnumbered and outgunned, his Serbian soldiers and irregular auxiliaries displayed remarkable courage and tactical skill throughout the battle. After the ten-day battle, they had delivered the first victory of the Great War for the Allies

Site of the Battle

The Battle of Mt. Cer, fought about 60 miles west of Belgrade near the town of Shabac, began on 15 August 1914, when the Austro-Hungarian forces crossed the Drina River and advanced toward Mt. Cer. The Serbian troops, entrenched in defensive positions along the hills overlooking the valley, unleashed a withering barrage of artillery fire and rifle volleys upon the advancing enemy. Over the course of several days of intense fighting, the Serbian soldiers repelled wave after wave of Austro-Hungarian assaults, inflicting heavy casualties on the enemy.

King Peter of Serbia Observes the Battle

Despite fierce resistance, the Austro-Hungarian advance stalled, and their forces were unable to break through the Serbian lines. On 20 August,  the Serbian Army launched a counteroffensive, driving the Austro-Hungarian forces back across the Drina River and inflicting a decisive defeat upon them. By 24 August, the Battle of Mt. Cer had ended in a resounding victory for Serbia.  

This battle was notable for two other events.  It saw the first aerial dogfight, when the pilots of Serbian and Austro-Hungarian reconnaissance aircraft engaged each other with small arms. More important, the invading Habsburg forces committed numerous atrocities, engaging in an orgy of looting, rape, murder, and mass extermination.

The Cer Memorial Ossuary

Militarily, the Battle of Mt. Cer was a costly engagement for both sides. Serbian casualties numbered around 3,000 killed and wounded, while the Austro-Hungarian losses exceeded 6,000 men. Despite the heavy toll, though, the Serbian victory at Mt. Cer bolstered the morale of the Allied powers and demonstrated Serbia's determination to resist foreign aggression, a fact that, unfortunately, seems to have been forgotten by the successor states of the former aggressors in the present day.

Sources: War History Online; BBC Global Politics magazine; The Lloyds Chronicle