Momčilo Gavrić - probably the youngest soldier in WW1

Momčilo Gavrić was probably the youngest soldier in the First World  War. Born on May 1st 1906 in Trbusnica near Loznica, Momčilo Gavrić was eighth child of Alimpija and Jelena Gavrić.

Momčilo Gavrić and another soldier reporting to major Stevan Tucović, 1916. (Wikipedia.org)

In August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian soldiers killed his mother, father, sisters, brothers and grandmother and left his house on fire. Luckily for Momčilo, at the time of the massacre, he was away from home with his uncle.
When he returned home, he saw his family massacred and went to Gučevo to seek for the Serbian army. He found the Sixth artillery regiment of Drina Division, under the command of Major Stevan Tucović. Momčilo told his story to the soldiers and he was accepted to the regiment with Miloš Mišović appointed as his caretaker.
According to one story, Momčilo the same evening took revenge by showing his unit the location of the Austro-Hungarian soldiers and participated in the bombardment.[1]
Аfter the Battle of Cer, he was promoted to the rank of Corporal and given a military uniform.
Thanks to the soldiers from his regiment, Momčilo survived the Serbian army retreat through Albania, a long march during which more than 240,000 people (soldiers and retreating civilian population) lost their  lives from cold, starvation, disease and at the hands of Albanian tribesmen.
In 1916, during the Kajmakcalan Battle the Serbian commander Vojvoda (“Duke“) Živojin Mišić was shocked when he saw uniformed 11 year boy. Major Tucović explained the situation, and Vojvoda Mišić promoted Momčilo to Sub-Sergeant (поднаредник), and the order was read out to the whole division.
Momčilo Gavrić survived the First World War and was decorated many times during and after the war.
After the First World War trough a British mission that was helping war orphans in Serbia, Momčilo was sent to England, where he finished his education at the Henry Wreight School in Faversham, Kent.
He returned to Serbia in 1921 and in Trbušnica, he was reunited with his three brothers who had survived the murders in 1914 [2].
Momčilo Gavrić died in Belgrade in 1993.

Momčilo Gavrić with other Serbian soldiers. 

By Unknown - http://prvisvetskirat.wikidot.com/momcilo-gavric, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30577307

Photograph of Momčilo Gavrić with a wounded arm, 1918.  By Unknown - Muzej Jadra; http://www.blic.rs/Vesti/Beograd/547184/Beograd-ce-dobiti-spomenik-Momcilu-Gavricu-najmladjem-vojniku-Prvog-svetskog-rata, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=39376364

Graduation portrait taken in Faversham, Kent, 1921. By Unknown - https://istorijat.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30577170

Post-war photograph of Momčilo Gavrić in uniform. By Unknown - http://prvisvetskirat.wikidot.com/momcilo-gavric, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30577365

Kosara and Momčilo Gavrić, 1939.  By Unknown - http://prvisvetskirat.wikidot.com/momcilo-gavric, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=30577078

References:

1.Momčilo Gavrić

2.Momčilo Gavrić - najmlađi vojnik Prvog svetskog rata ("Večernje novosti", 31 August 2013)

Kajmakcalan Battle – 12 - 30 September 1916

Kajmakcalan Battle was fought between Bulgarian and Serbian armies, on the peak Kajmakcalan (Nidze Mountain) at the Macedonian Front during the First World War.
Kajmakcalan Battle was fought between 12 and 30 September 1916, and is considered an extension of the Battle of Gornichevo (Monastir Offensive / Bitola Offensive).

A strategic objective of the Entente armies at the beginning of operations was to conquer Kajmakcalan (Кајмакчалан), which dominates the entire region with its height and massiveness.
The armies of the Central Powers defended the mountains with two lines of trenches and wire obstacles. After fierce allied artillery bombardment on the night of September 17, 1916 they managed to break through the defense and conquer the first line of trenches.

The Peak Kajmakcalan - 360 photo sphere

Between 26 and 30 September summit Kajmakcalan been took over several times, until the Serbian army finally conquered it and kept it on 30 September. Human casualties were enormous on both sides, primarily due to man to man fight.
Despite the allied capture of the peak Kajmakcalan, Bulgarian-German forces managed to keep the side positions. Yet the capture of Kajmakcalan, had created favorable conditions for the Allied armies in further operations on Bitola battleground.

The Peak Kajmakcalan - 360 photo sphere

First Bulgarian Army units were forced to retreat on the hills near Crna River (Black River, Црна Река) and Serbian units fortified their positions on Kaimakcalan.

Bulgarian positions on Crna Reka

Bulgarian - German positions near Bitola were threatened. Spilled positions of the Bulgarian defense of Bitola were set by the bend of the river Crna (Black) and village Polog with the peak Chuka, which was turned into stronghold.

Panorama of region near villages Skochivir (center), Polog, the peaks Chuka and Crna River

After fierce bombing, the Allies were able to conquer the Polog and the peaks Chuka.
On November 16, 1916 Serbian, French and Russian attacks continued, and the retreat of Bulgarian and German armies continued.

The Allies won the villages Kenali (Kremenica) and Bukri and elevation 1212.
The French armies, with some Italian and Russian units, made strong pressure on the Bulgarian and German armies on November 19, 1916, which were forced to leave Bitola and withdraw in the heights surrounding the town (Pelister mountain and the near village Snegovo (northwest of Bitola).
The decision to abandon the city of Bitola (Monastir then) without any serious fighting was a practical decision of the German command, since the city itself was very difficult to defend. However this was a great shock to their ally, the Bulgarian Army and a Great victory for the Allied armies.
The commander of the First Bulgarian Army General Bojadziev, was immediately replaced.
Since Bitola was in the hands of the French, Italian and Russian troops on November 19,  First Regiment of the Serbian army crossed the Black River and entered the city from the road near village Novaci.

Kajmakcalan - World War 1 Battlefield on the Macedonian Front

Kajmakcalan is peak on Nidze mountain (2.521 m) located on the southern border of the Republic of Macedonia. It is the fifth highest peak in Macedonia and the third highest peak in Greece.

From the peak Kajmakcalan can be seen the lakes Vegoritida and Petron in Greece and the whole Mariovo region in Republic of Macedonia. Near Kajmakcalan are located the villages Skocivir in Macedonia and the ski center Voras in Greece.

According to one legend, the name Kajmakcalan originates from the thief "Kajmak" (the best), who climbed at the peak with his fellows, carrying the stolen gold from the raids. Kajmak dug out a hole and hid the gold, after which the leader of group killed Kajmak and said that in this way he will be eternal keeper of the buried treasure. (Kajmakcalan - literally translation: Kajmak+calam = the best in stealing). There are also other legends and stories for the name Kajmakcalan.

Battle of Kajmakcalan

The peak Kajmakcalan during the First World War was one of the key positions on the Macedonian Front. The Battle for Kajmakcalan will be remembered in history for the large number of victims on both sides, ie the Bulgarian and Serbian armies which were stationed in this part of the front, which both also included a large number of forcibly recruited Macedonians.
The peak Kajmakcalan was significant strategic position for both sides. The Bulgarians called it “Boris city” (after prince Boris) because they thought it was impregnable, whereas the Serbs called it “The Gate of freedom”.
Kaimakcalan battle was fought between 12 and 30 September 1916, when the first Serbian army managed to take the top St. Elijah, ousting the Bulgarians towards Mariovo, where they set up a new defensive line. Between 26 and 30 September summit Kajmakcalan been took over several times, until the Serbian army finally conquered it and kept it on 30 September. Human casualties were enormous on both sides, primarily due to man to man fight.

 

With the conquest of Kajmakcalan, the Allied troops were able to continue with further operations, which on November 19, 1916 resulted with the conquest of Bitola.

Don't miss: Kajmakčalan by 4×4: A Guide to Visiting Macedonia’s 2,521 m WWI Battlefield

The Kajmakcalan Chapel 

According to some sources, immediately after the Kajmakcalan Battle, given the large number of casualties on both sides, the soldiers started to build some kind of memorial on the peak. The chapel, with the nearby ossuary which houses the bones of many unknown soldiers, the Bell tower and the facilities were finished in 1928, marking the 10th anniversary of the end of First World War. On that occasion also was put into service the road leading from Bitola to Kaimakcalan.

Rudolphe Archibald Reiss

Rudolphe Archibald Reiss (8 July 1875 – 8 August 1929) was a German-Swiss criminology-pioneer, forensic scientist, professor, writer and correspondent for newspapers in several countries, reporting the events directly from the front.

Rudolphe Archibald Reiss 

At the request of the Serbian government, he arrives in Serbia in 1914 to investigate the crimes against civilians, made by the armies of Austria-Hungary, Germany and Bulgaria. He remained in Serbia until the end of his life.
Last time he visited Kajmakcalan on September 15 1928, marking the 10th anniversary of the Dobro Pole Battle.
R. A. Reiss died on August 8, 1929 in his villa in Belgrade called “Dobro Pole” and he was buried at the Topcider cemetery. At his request his heart was taken away in an urn on the peak Kajmakčalan, where it rested along with other soldiers that died here. The heart today is missing but the urn can still be seen into the chapel.

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