07.09.2014.
Anniversary of the Battle of Gucevo marked
With highest state and military honors, at Gucevo near Loznica, the centenary was marked of the beginning of the Battle for Spot Height 708, where 60 thousand Serbian warriors fought for 55 days with immense sacrifice against the breakthrough of over 130 thousand Austro-Hungarian soldiers to Serbia. The ceremony was attended by representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Serbia, local self-government and war veteran organizations. Aleksandar Vulin, Serbian Minister of Labour, Employment, and Social Policy laid wreaths in front of the Monument to Gucevo heroes from WWI, and the wreath of the Ministry of Defence was laid by the three-member delegation of the Ministry of Defence and the Armed Forces of Serbia.- It has been 100 years since the battle during which Serbian soldiers proved that they knew the price of freedom. For 55 days, they defended the space of 10 kilometers that meant freedom to them with their chests. Freedom is sometimes defended with weapons, sometimes with politics, sometimes with the economy, or births, but is always and unconditionally defended. Serbia has what to remember, what to be proud of, what to look for. We remember the heroes of Gucevo, Cer, Mackov Kamen, so that no generation in Serbia should say that freedom comes at a price too high – Minister Vulin said.
The Battle of Gucevo was fought during the Battle on Drina, from September 8 to the beginning of November in 1914. The Serbian troops arrived at Gucevo around September 26, but, being unable to conquer it, they fortified in the near proximity of the enemy lines.
The Battle of Gucevo is known as one of the first trench battles in the WWI. Serbian and Austro-Hungarian trenches were at a very small distance, which was five to seven meters at certain spot heights. Such small distance paralyzed the infantry cannons of Austria-Hungary, which was far more powerful than Serbia. The main goal of the Austro-Hungarian offensive - to break through the center and surround Serbian wings was not accomplished, even with the overall supremacy of the enemy and the starting successes. However, with the fall of spot heights 708, Eminova Voda and Kuliste, on November 6, Gucevo also fell, and units of combined division had to retreat to the right coast of Stira. During the fight at Gucevo, Serbian troops suffered significant losses, but achieved the goal, paralyzing the Austro-Hungarian military at that part of the front for almost two months.