Structure of the Serbian Army during World War I

In World War I, the Royal Serbian Army was organized into armies (field armies), divisions, regiments, battalions, squadrons, batteries, detachments and chetas.

Command

Organization

Oblasts

The Serbian Army recruited according to oblast (province) and okrug (district), so that families, friends and neighbours could fight together.

Divisions and Regiments

The Serbian Army was organized into divisions and larger detachments at the beginning of the war in the following:

• Morava Division I (Моравска дивизија I позива), with 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 16th Infantry Regiments (1st Call)
• Drina Division I (Дринска дивизија I позива), with 5th, 6th, 17th Infantry Regiments and 3rd Supernumerary Infantry Regiment (1st Call)
• Danube Division I (Дунавска дивизија I позива), with 7th, 8th, 18th Infantry Regiments and 4th Supernumerary Infantry Regiment (1st Call)
• Å umadija Division I (Шумадијска дивизија I позива), with 10th, 11th, 12th, 19th Infantry Regiments (1st Call)
• Timok Division I (Тимочка дивизија I позива), with 13th, 14th, 15th, 20th Infantry Regiments (1st Call)
• Combined Division (Комбинована дивизија), with 1st, 2nd, 5th and 6th Supernumerary Infantry Regiments (1st Call)
• Morava Division II (Моравска дивизија II позива), with 1st, 2nd, 3rd Infantry Regiments (2nd Call)
• Drina Division II (Дринска дивизија II позива), with 5th, 6th Infantry Regiments (2nd Call), 6th Infantry Regiment (3rd Call) with supernumerary battalion, and one battalion of the 5th Infantry Regiment (3rd Call)
• Danube Division II/Braničevo Detachment (Дунавска дивизија II позива, Браничевски одред), with 7th, 8th, 9th Infantry Regiment (2nd Call), 9th Infantry Regiment (1st Call), 8th, 9th Infantry Regiments (3rd Call)
• Å umadija Division II (Шумадијска дивизија II позива), 10th, 11th, 12th Infantry Regiment (2nd Call)
• Timok Division II (Тимочка дивизија II позива), 13th, 14th, 15th Infantry Regiments (2nd Call)
• Obrenovac Detachment (Обреновачки одред), 7th Infantry Regiment (2nd Call), two battalions of 5th Infantry Regiment (3rd Call)
• Užice Brigade (Ужичка бригада), 4th Infantry Regiment (2nd Call), 4th Infantry Regiment (3rd Call)
• Mokra Gora Detachment (Одред код Мокре Горе), 4th Infantry Regiment (1st Call)
• Lim Detachment (Лимски одред), 4th and 5th Cadre Regiment, one and a half battalion of 4th Infantry Regiment (3rd Call)

The mobilized were categorized into four age groups or classes, poziv (literally "call", also translated as "line"). The 1st Call () being 21-31 years (deemed "active army", активна војска), 2nd Call () 32-37 years, 3rd Call () 38-45 years. The "Last Defence" (poslednja odbrana, ) was 18-20 and 46-55 years. The 1st and 2nd Calls were organized into the National Army, being the operative component in the Serbian Army, while the 3rd and Last Defence were used for garrison- and guard duty.

Cavalry, Artillery, Air Force

• Cavalry Division (Коњичка дивизија), made up of two brigades, each with two regiments.
• 1st Cavalry Brigade, with Cavalry Regiments 1st, 3rd.
• 2nd Cavalry Brigade, with Cavalry Regiments 2nd, 4th.
• Cavalry Artillery Division.
• Artillery, organized into the Infantry Regiments and Cavalry Division, and the independent Highland Artillery Regiment with nine batteries.
• Air Force, two planes and one balloon, during war aided by a French squadron

Chetnik Detachments

The Serbian High Command ordered for the establishment of Chetnik detachments to also house volunteers, each detachment numbering 500–600 men.

• Zlatibor Chetnik Detachment (Златиборски четнички одред), under major Kosta Todorović
• Jadar Chetnik Detachment (Јадарски четнички одред), under major Vojin Popović
• Rudnik Chetnik Detachment (Руднички четнички одред), under major Vojislav Tankosić
• Gornjak Chetnik Detachment (Горњачки четнички одред), under major Velimir Vemić

1914

First Army

General Petar Bojović, Commanding First Army

Colonel Božidar Terzić, Chief of Staff

Second Army

General Stepa Stepanović, Commanding Second Army

Colonel Vojislav Živanović, Chief of Staff

Third army

General Pavle Jurišić Šturm, Commanding Third Army

Colonel Dušan Pešić, Chief of Staff

Army group Užice

General Miloš Božanović

1915

1916–18

References

Sources

• (Public Domain)