On the occasion of the 110th Anniversary of the Battle on the mountain Cer, HRH Hereditary Prince Philip, as an official representative of his father HRH Crown Prince Alexander, participated in the official state ceremony held today to commemorate the first Allied victory of World War I.
Due to prior commitments abroad, the Crown Prince was unable to attend personally, entrusting his son with the honor of laying a wreath at the monument dedicated to the heroes of the Serbian Army. HRH Prince Philip was joined by representatives from the Serbian government and military, as well as numerous citizens who came together to honor the bravery and legacy of their ancestors. The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of Labor, Employment, Veteran and Social Affairs, and the President of the Government Committee for Nurturing the Traditions of Serbia’s Liberation Wars, HE Mr Nemanja Starović, the Minister of Labor and Veteran-Disability Protection of the Republic of Srpska, HE Mr Danijel Egić. The Memorial service was officiated by Their Graces the Bishop of Šabac, Jerotej, and the Vicar Bishop of Jegar, and the elected Bishop of Britain and Ireland, Nektarije.
“110 years ago, the whole world admired our people for their courage and military skill. These were the days when the Kingdom of Serbia’s Army secured the first major victory for the Allies in the Great War, later known as the First World War—the victory at Cer Mountain. May the memory of our heroic ancestors live forever, for through their sacrifice, they have given us an enduring legacy: to love freedom and our Homeland with all our hearts”, said HRH Crown Prince Alexander on this occasion.
The Battle of Cer, fought from 14 to 24 August 1914, is inscribed in golden letters in the military history of the Serbian people. The victory of the Serbian Army in this battle was the first Allied victory in World War I.
The main part of the battle took place on the night of 15–16 August, near the village of Tekeriš, northeast of Loznica. When it concluded on 24 August, none of the approximately 200,000 Austro-Hungarian soldiers who had invaded Serbia remained, except for 4,500 prisoners.
The Supreme Commander of the Serbian forces was HRH Regent Alexander, with Field Marshal Radomir Putnik as Chief of General Staff. General Petar Bojović commanded the First Army, General Stepa Stepanović commanded the Second Army, which bore the brunt of the victory at Cer, and General Pavle Jurišić Šturm commanded the Third Army.
