The Story of the Great War, Volume 2: History of the European War from Official Sources
History
The Story of the Great War, Volume 2: History of the European War from Official Sources
World War, 1914-1918
As dawn broke on August 16, 1914, they perceived a strong Austrian
column descending from above, coming in the same direction.
Unfortunately the Serbians were in the midst of bald, rolling foothills,
while the Austrians were up among the tall timber which clothes the
mountain slopes at this point. The Serbians deployed, extending their
line from Bornololye through Parlok to Lisena, centering their artillery
at Kik. The Austrians made the best of their superior position.
For some hours there was furious firing, then, at about eight o'clock
the Austrian gunners got the range of the Serbian left flank with their
field pieces, which was compelled to fall back. But just then timely
reenforcements arrived from the rear, and the Serbians dug themselves
in. By evening the Serbians had lost over a thousand men, though they
had succeeded in taking 300 prisoners and several machine guns from the
Austrians.
The left wing of the Second Army had, in the meantime, arrived against
Iverak. That this division was able to arrive at such a timely juncture
was due to its having made a forced march of fifty-two miles over the
mountain roads during the previous day. Yet before dawn on the morning
of August 16, 1914, it was ready to continue its march to Poporparlok.
But then came the news that the Austrians had driven back the left wing
of the Third Army from that position and had occupied it.
The situation in which this division found itself was by no means clear.
Nothing had been heard from Shabatz. The division operating along the
Tzer ridges had been badly hammered. The Third Army had lost
Poporparlok. The commander decided to stay where he was and simply hold
the ground against any advance of the enemy from Iverak. This division
was, therefore, intrenched along a line from Begluk to Kik, and a strong
advance was thrown out toward Kugovitchi. During the morning this
advance guard made a strong attack against Kugovitchi, drove the
Austrians out, and established themselves there.
At dawn, August 16, 1914, the left flank of this division, at Begluk,
was shelled by the Austrian artillery, which was followed by infantry
attacks. These were easily repulsed during the day. But then the enemy
was reenforced, and late that night they came on again in great masses.
The Serbians allowed them to almost reach their trenches: then, emptying
the magazines of their rifles at them, they piled themselves over their
breastworks and into them with bayonets and hand bombs. This was too
much for the Austrians; they fled in wild disorder.
Least encouraging was the experience of the Serbian Third Army, which
was defending the territory south of the Iverak Mountains. Here the
Austrians developed a vigorous and persistent offensive, hoping to turn
the Serbian left and thus capture the road to Valievo.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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