"Serbian Naval Commander" - Ilija Gojković - The General Who Never Surrendered

Ilija Gojković (Drenovac, August 2, 1854 – Ionian Sea, February 15, 1917) was a Serbian general and Minister of War of the Kingdom of Serbia. Rising from the ranks of an ordinary soldier, he became one of the few Serbian generals to build his entire military career without graduating from a military academy. 

Ilija Gojković (third from right) with diplomats and Branislav Nushic (second from right) at the train station in Bitola 1912/13 (Photo: State Archives of Macedonia, Bitola Department (Manaki Fund))

Remembered for his extraordinary courage and leadership, Gojković was also the only general of the Serbian Army to die in direct combat — killed in 1917 after defiantly opening fire with a handgun on a German submarine that demanded his surrender in the Ionian Sea.

Born on August 2, 1854, in the village of Drenovac near Paraćin, Gojković completed the Kruševac Gymnasium in 1870. At just sixteen years old, he joined the Army of the Principality of Serbia as a volunteer. After six years of service as a non-commissioned officer and military clerk, he was promoted to Second Lieutenant of Infantry despite never attending the Military Academy.

Participation in the Serbian–Turkish Wars

Gojković distinguished himself during the Serbian–Turkish Wars. In 1876, he fought at Veliki Izvor as commander of the Homolje Battalion of the National Army. For his bravery, he received the Silver Medal for Courage and the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus with Swords, Third Class.

During the campaigns of 1877 and 1878, he participated in the battles of Gramada and the liberation of Niš, earning the Gold Medal for Courage. After the war, in 1879, he took part in suppressing the Albanian uprising in the Toplica region.

Rise Through the Serbian Army Ranks

In the Serbian–Bulgarian War of 1885, Gojković commanded the 4th Battalion of the 4th Infantry Regiment during the Battle of Slivnitsa. His military career continued to advance steadily: he became a Major in 1889 and a Lieutenant Colonel in 1896, when he was also awarded the Takovo Cross, Fourth Class.

He was promoted to Colonel in 1899 and given command of the Danube Infantry Brigade within the Drina Divisional Area, while also serving as Head of the Economic Department of the Ministry of War.

Political Challenges and Role as Minister of War

In November 1901, Gojković fell out of favor with King Alexander Obrenović and was forced into early retirement. However, he participated in the May Coup of 1903, after which he was reinstated and returned to his former position in the Ministry of War.

From March 4, 1909, to March 1910, he served as Serbia’s Minister of War. He resigned after the government rejected his proposal to modernize the mountain artillery. During his tenure, he received several prestigious decorations, including the Order of the White Eagle, Fourth Class, the Order of Saint Sava, Second Class, and the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus, First Class.

Balkan Wars and World War I

In 1911, Gojković was appointed commander of the Morava Divisional Area and the First Call Morava Division. He led the division during the Balkan Wars and distinguished himself at the Battle of Kumanovo, where he was promoted to General and awarded the Karađorđe’s Star with Swords, Fourth Class.

Ilija Gojković (sitting in the middle) with diplomats and Branislav Nushic (standing in the middle) in Bitola 1912/13 (Photo: State Archives of Macedonia, Bitola Department - Manaki Fund)

He continued commanding the Morava Division during World War I, particularly in the Battles of Cer and Kolubara. Gojković became renowned for his courage and personal leadership, often encouraging soldiers from the front lines. His troops affectionately called him “our old uncle” (“naš Čiča”).

Later, he briefly commanded the Užice Army and then the Timok Army, which successfully defended Serbia’s borders against attacks by the Bulgarian First Army. His forces distinguished themselves in the fighting near Kačanik before retreating through Albania to Corfu during the Serbian army’s great withdrawal. During this retreat, Gojković contracted typhus in Durrës and was sent to France for treatment.

Death in the Ionian Sea

While returning from France to the Macedonian Front, near Sicily on February 15, 1917, the ship Mimas, carrying General Gojković, was torpedoed by the German submarine U-39 under the command of Walter Forstmann.

After boarding a lifeboat, the German submarine surfaced and demanded the surrender of the officers in the boat. Gojković refused with the words:

“A Serbian general never surrenders!”

He then opened fire on the submarine with his pistol. The submarine’s machine gun immediately cut him down, and the lifeboat sank into the Ionian Sea.

Legacy of Ilija Gojković

Ilija Gojković is remembered as one of Serbia’s bravest military leaders — a self-made officer who rose from the ranks of an ordinary soldier to the rank of general through courage, discipline, and battlefield leadership. His refusal to surrender in the final moments of his life became one of the enduring symbols of Serbian military honor and resistance.

Scottish Women's Hospital at the Macedonian Front during the First World War

Women of the Sixth (American) Unit of the Scottish Women's Hospital at Ostrovo (Wikipedia.org)

The Scottish Women’s Hospitals was founded by the surgeon and suffragette Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis (16 August 1864 – 26 November 1917), after the outbreak of World War I. Elsie Inglis and fellow suffragists, with the financial support of the National Union of Women’s Suffrage Societies, formed the ‘Scottish Women’s Hospitals Committee’.

Portrait of Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis (catalogue.wellcomelibrary.org)

At first, Inglis offered her service as surgeon to the British army, but she was told “go home and sit still woman”. In that time nurses and orderlies were permitted to serve in the British Red Cross but women doctors, were not considered competent enough. However, this did not deter Dr. Inglis who later formed the Scottish Women's Hospital (SWH), an all-woman medical organisation that would tend to the wounded of the allied nations, and give testament to the skills and professionalism of women medical practitioners.

The Scottish Women's Hospital was formed in 1914 in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and by November the first medical unit was already set with state of the art equipment. With the help of the French Red Cross, a mobile hospital unit was set in Royaumont, France. The complete staff of the unit consisted of women - doctors, nurses, orderlies, cooks and even the ambulance drivers. The unit in Royaumont, France proved to be a successful one and it served in France until the end of the war.
The Kingdom of Serbia since the beginning of the First World War, requested medical and other assistance, from the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva. Under the impression of the situation in Serbia, Dr. Inglis, offered the Serbian mission to London to send SWH units to the Serbian battlefield, and the Serbian government accepted this offer with gratitude.

The organized work of the Association of Scottish Women's Societies in the Kingdom of Serbia began, on Christmas 1915. Soon after medical missions and well-equipped hospitals arrived in Serbia, and in 1915 there were four large hospitals of the Association of Scottish Women's Associations in Kragujevac, Valjevo, Lazarevac, Mladenovac and two large English-Serbian hospitals in Kragujevac and Skopje.

Attacked by Austro-Hungary, the conditions in Serbia were terrible with many victims, wounded soldiers and prisoners of war, starved civilian population and major typhus epidemic in 1914/1915. Many  perished in the first years of the war, including several members of SWH.
When the great offensive of the Central Powers began in October 1915 (Bulgaria joined on the side of the Central Powers and attacked Serbia), all hospitals were evacuated to Krusevac, and later some retreated together with the Serbian army trough Albania.

Dr. Inglis and the majority of her staff refused to evacuate and stayed with their patients in occupied Serbia, becoming prisoners of war in November, 1915. They continued to treat their patients until their repatriation in February, 1916.

One part of SWH followed the Serbian army, which after its reorganization was sent on the newly formed Macedonian Front in 1916. Dr. Inglis, returned to England, formed another SWH unit and went to Russia, again to aid the Serbian army on Dobrudja front. After the Bolshevik revolution, she returned to Newcastle, England, where she died of cancer one day after her arrival.

Dr. Elsie Maud Inglis (left) (source of photo: Ратни албум 1914-1918, Поповић, Андра, Београд, 1926)

SWH on the Macedonian front (Salonika Front, Thessaloniki Front)

By the end of 1915, Serbia was attacked from all sides. The government, together with what remained of the army and part of the civilian population, retreated through Albania to the island of Corfu, Greece. On this island was the new headquarters of the government and began the reorganization of the army, which in 1916 was sent to the newly formed front near Salonica (Thessaloniki). Aldo Greece was still neutral, around Salonica there were Allied fortifications protecting the city and the port from the Central Powers. Hence, in some sources this front is called Salonika or Thessaloniki Front.

With the arrival of the reorganized Serbian army and the reinforcements from France, England, Italy and Russia, the front line was considerably expanded, reaching the Aegean Sea to the east and the Adriatic to the west, across the ethnic region of Macedonia – ie Macedonian Front. 
At the end of 1915 the Scottish Women's Hospital unit at Troyes, France was ordered to pack. Designed as a mobile unit, it was equipped with tents and vehicles, and attached to a division of the French army, it was dispatched to Salonica. The hospital (known as the Girton & Newnham Unit after the Cambridge University colleges which funded it) first was set up in a silkworm factory in the border town of Gevgelia, and after the rapid Bulgarian advance is was relocated to Salonica.

SWH unit on the Macedonian front (source of photo: Ратни албум 1914-1918, Поповић, Андра, Београд, 1926)

In Salonika the unit was joined by the American Unit (funded by American donors and named as to thank them), and both later were moved to Lake Ostrovo, where they supported the Serbian Army.
The SWH had hospitals and a transport unit on the Macedonian Front. Medical missions from other parts of the Commonwealth came from: Australia, New Zealand and Canada. A total of 60 women arrived, serving as nurses, ambulance drivers, doctors and surgeons. They were well equipped with vehicles with which they transported wounded soldiers from the Macedonian mountains (Transport Column). The Transport Column was an ambulance unit which allowed SWH to go and get the casualties quickly rather than waiting for casualties to be brought to them.

“Amongst the SWH staff was also Stella Maria Sarah Miles Franklin (Miles Franklin), a famous Australian writer”

Transport Column - Scottish Women`s Hospitals Motor Ambulance Column

Scottish Women’s Hospitals ambulance drivers on the Macedonian Front (source of photo: Australian War Memorial Collection)

Scottish Women`s Hospitals Motor Ambulance Column was specially organized motor vehicle unit, which played a remarkable role with the medical evacuation of wounded during the battles. The Transport Column, was established in the United Kingdom as a special unit of 18 members, which arrived in Thessaloniki by boat in the summer of 1916. It was led by Mary Josephine Beford, with role to operate near the front line, to collect the wounded and bring them to the SWH hospitals for treatment. The seriously wounded were evacuated with light ambulance cars 'Fords' which would come every morning to the prime-aid locations to take the seriously wounded. Thanks to them the evacuation was carried out and quickly and without delay.

“At first the Transport Column unit was commanded by Katherine Harley, who died during the bombardment of Bitola on March 7th, 1917.”

Katherine Harley with the Transport unit in Thessaloniki (source of photo: Ратни албум 1914-1918, Поповић, Андра, Београд, 1926)

The transport unit proved particularly successful during the breakthrough of the Macedonian Front in September 1918. The small Ford trucks proved to be very useful in the inaccessible Macedonian mountains and, unlike the other Serbian hospitals, the Scottish women's hospital was able to keep up with the fast advancing Serbian army, on a victorious road to Belgrade and Novi Sad.
After the end of the First World War, SWH was disbanded. Most of its members returned to their home countries, while some continued to deal with humanitarian activities in Serbia. Dr Kathleen McPhail in Belgrade established a children hospital and Evelina Haverfield with Vera Holme established an orphanage in Bajina Bašta. Others, left endowments in money and equipment, educated pupils, and provided scholarships for women doctors.

More info on Scottish Women's Hospital:

• https://www.scottishwomenshospitals.co.uk
• https://debbierobson.net/australians-working-with-the-scottish-womens-hospitals/#Bsurname

French army on the Macedonian front in Autumn 1915

1. Disembarkation of French troops at Salonica

2. General Sarrail, Commander of the Allied troops

3. Disembarked french troops are directed towards the camp in Zeitinlik

4. Disembarkation of french troops in Solonika Harbour

5. Disembarkation of french troops on the Custom House Quay in Salonica

6. Assembly of the disembarked body of troops for the march through the town to camp.

1. Salonica. Departure of a french regiment to aid the Serbians

2. General Sarrail arrives at Krivolak with his troops

3. Salonika - Mondesir, french general of the division

4. Frenchmen on march for the occupation of positions

5. Crna river-Pirovo. French troop division for the occupation of the position

6. Retreat of the French from Kavadarci

7. Retreat of the French towards Demir Kapija

Excerpt from the book:
Ратни албум (War Album) 1914-1918,
Author: Андра Поповић (Andra Popovic),
Belgrade, 1926

Serbian Barrel - the barrel which saved many lives

Huge problem that affected all combatants and especially civilians in the Balkan Wars and the First World War were communicable diseases.
At the proposal of the British military medical mission led by Colonel Dr. Hunter, a series of draconian measures were implemented in order to eliminate widespread epidemics in Serbia, which than also covered the area of Vardar Macedonia.
The civilians were forbidden to visit sick relatives, quarantines were imposed for all suspected cases, the flow of people was strictly controlled and the means of transportation of patients were disinfected daily. Also in certain areas was conducted mass disinfection of buildings and rooms where people gathered.
A key factor was the disinfection of clothing and bedding in order to successfully suppress the epidemic. The destruction of lice and their eggs in this poor and devastated country, was done using a variety of improvised devices for disinfection, using hot air and steam.
The proposal by the British physician Dr. Stummers first used metal barrels that had water on the bottom and were put on fire. In the inner part with the basket that prevented contact with water were placed clothes and bedding. In Kragujevac were made 100 such barrels, which as models associated with manual design and application were sent to different parts of Serbia.
Given that at that time in Serbia there were not so many metal barrels, the initial model was further modified and the clothing was put in an empty wooden barrel whose bottom was drilled. A container with water was placed over a fire and above it was placed the wooden barrel. The hot steam from the container penetrated through the barrel holes and it disinfecting the clothing. This new invention soon was named "Serbian barrel" and it has contributed greatly to minimize the epidemic of typhus in 1915.

Српско Буре

Огромен проблем кој ги засегало сите завојувани страни а особено цивилното население во Балканските Војни и Првата светска војна, биле заразните болести.
На предлог на Британската воена медицинска мисија предводена од Полковник Др. Хантер (Dr. Hunter), серија на драконски мерки биле имплементирани со цел за елиминирање на епидемиите кои владееле во тогашна Србија, во чиј склоп бил и Вардарскиот дел на Македонија.
На цивилите им било забрането да ги посетуваат болните роднини, биле воведени карантини во кои се сместувале сите сомнителни случаи, протокот на луѓе бил строго контролиран и средствата за превоз на болни биле секојдневно дезинфицирани. Исто така во одредени делови била спроведена масовна дезинфекција на зградите и просториите во кои се собирале луѓето.
Клучен фактор бил и дезинфекцијата на облеката и постелнината со цел на успешно сузбивање на епидемијата. Уништувањето на вошките и нивните јајца во оваа тогаш сиромашна и опостушена земја, било правено со помош на најразлични импровизирани уреди за дезинфекција кои користеле топол воздух и пареа.
На предлог на Британскиот лекар Др. Стамерс (Dr. Stummers) прво се користеле метални буриња кои имале вода на дното и биле ставени над оган. Во нив во внатрешниот дел со помош на корпа која го спречувала контактот со водата биле ставани алиштата и постелнината. Во Крагуевац биле направени 100 вакви буриња, кои како модели пропратени со упатство за конструкција и примена биле пратени во најразлични делови на тогашна Србија.
Со оглед на тоа дека во тој период во Србија немало многу метални буриња, почетниот модел бил дополнително модификуван, односно облеката била ставана во празно дрвено буре чие што дно било избушено. Така, казан со вода бил ставен над оган а над него било поставено дрвеното буре. Топлата пареа од казанот продирала низ отворите на бурето и ја дезинфицирала облеката. Овај импровизиран пронајдок набргу го добил името „Српско буре“ и истиот придонесол во голема мера да се сузбие епидемијата на тифус која владеела во 1915 година.