ww1 1915, Serbia: Serbian Infantryman

The small Serbia had the most efficient system of mobilization of those countries that participated in the First World War.

Together to the first and second line there was the third ban that enlisted men between the ages of 40 and 45, and those who were in good health until the age of 70 years, the older were affectionately called baba, which means uncle.

Serbia resisted stubbornly until the end of 1915, when a pincer joint attack of Austro-Hungarian, German and Bulgarian surrounded his arm. Rather than surrender the army took the road of the mountains retiring to Albania, where an Italian expeditionary army covered his retreat up toward Durazzo and St John of Medua.

The retreat was epic, took place in the winter of rugged mountains, cold, hunger, disease and attacks by Albanian decimated the refugees, from 500,000 came to the Albanian ports only 150,000.

The Italian Navy transported the survivors to Curfù, where they were re-organized and equipped

for use on the front of Macedonia. Serbia during the great war , as it was in second war too, had the most rate of casualties between the countries involved in the conflict.

The infantryman wears the double-breasted gray-green coat with the red flashes insignia of the infantry, the hat is typically serbian, that non-commissioned officers and officers had a small visor and wore the national symbol.

The rifle is a Mauser model 1871 called 1880/07 after being modified to accept the caliber 7x57, it contained a reserve of 5 cartridges. The pouches are the german model 1895. Shoes are the Opanci, a

traditional Balkan shoe, used when they were not avaible shoes and boots, worn with socks of knitted heavy wool.

Done