In mid-August 1914, the Austro-Hungarian offensive began along several directions, with the main forces advancing across the Drina, while another important direction was across the Sava towards Šabac. Loznica was occupied, Šabac came under pressure, and Serbian units were ordered to move as quickly as possible towards the areas where the main clash was expected. One of the most important directions led towards Cer. The Serbian army was exhausted after the Balkan Wars, but it had experienced commanders and soldiers who already knew what modern warfare looked like. In the days that followed, units covered great distances in a short time, often without sufficient rest, in order to reach their positions before the Austro-Hungarian forces. Thus began the Battle of Cer, one of the most significant victories of the Serbian army in the First World War and the first Allied victory of the Great War. At the head of the Supreme Command was Field Marshal Radomir Putnik, one of the most experienced Serbian military commanders. His task was to assess the entire battlefield and direct the main forces towards the direction in which the enemy's attack was developing. The March Towards Cer The Second Army, commanded by General Stepa Stepanović, played the most important role on Cer itself. His units set out towards Cer after exhausting marches. Some detachments covered dozens of kilometres a day, while the soldiers moved almost without rest. The goal was to occupy the dominant positions on the mountain as quickly as possible and prevent the Austro-Hungarian army from reaching them first. The Second Army, under the command of Stepa Stepanović, played a decisive role in the main battles on Cer. The night clash near Tekeriš was an introduction to the main battles that would engulf Cer and Iverak in the following days. Days of Decisive Fighting On 16 August, the fighting spread along the Cer positions. In the broader course of the operations, the First Army, commanded by General Petar Bojović, also played an important role. Its units came to the aid of the Second Army and subsequently took part in the final battles in Mačva and the liberation of Šabac. In this way, Bojović's army contributed to preventing the Austro-Hungarian forces from maintaining their positions across the wider area of operations. The Third Army was commanded by General Pavle Jurišić Šturm. Its role was connected with the wider deployment of the Serbian army and the protection of routes towards the interior of Serbia. Although the main battles of the Battle of Cer are associated with the Second Army, the success of the Serbian army also depended on the other armies holding their positions and preventing the enemy from threatening the flanks of the main forces. By 19/20 August, elements of the Austro-Hungarian 21st Division began withdrawing, a retreat that spread to other directions as well. The Commanders Who Led Serbia to Its First Great Victory The Battle of Cer was not the work of a single commander. On the battlefield, decisions were made by army commanders, while the Supreme Command directed the operation as a whole. Radomir Putnik as Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Command directed operations at the highest level. His experience was particularly important at a moment when the Serbian army had to abandon its initial deployment and quickly move its main forces towards the west. Stepa Stepanović , commander of the Second Army, was the most important commander on Cer itself. His decision to occupy the dominant positions on the mountain was one of the key moments of the battle. For his achievements in commanding the Battle of Cer, he was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal. Petar Bojović , commander of the First Army, came to the aid of the Second Army with his units, while his army played an important role in the final operations in Mačva and around Šabac. Pavle Jurišić Šturm , commander of the Third Army, was part of the wider deployment of the Serbian army during the Cer operation. His army held the front along the Drina and bore a large part of the initial Austro-Hungarian offensive, thereby enabling the Second Army to carry out its march and manoeuvre towards Cer. There was also Živojin Mišić , who was then Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Supreme Command. Mišić did not command any of the armies directly engaged in the fighting on Cer; his contribution lay in the work of the Supreme Command and in the planning and direction of operations. Just a few months later, following the Battle of Kolubara, Mišić would be promoted to the rank of Field Marshal and become one of the most famous Serbian military commanders. That is why the names of these commanders stand together today in Tekeriš. They serve as a reminder of the different levels of command through which the Serbian army carried out one of its most important operations. A Great Victory, Great Losses The victory at Cer came at a heavy cost. The Serbian army suffered heavy losses. According to figures cited in Serbian military sources, more than 16,000 non-commissioned officers and soldiers and 259 officers were put out of action, with the casualties including those killed, wounded, missing and captured. The Austro-Hungarian army suffered defeat, with around 25,000 killed and wounded, while more than 4,500 soldiers were captured. The war did not end at the positions where the armies clashed. After the withdrawal of the Austro-Hungarian units, scenes of widespread suffering remained in Mačva and Pocerina, including recorded killings of civilians, the burning and destruction of homes, as well as damage to or destruction of churches and other buildings. For the inhabitants of this region, the war thus became a reality far broader than the military conflict on Cer. The First Allied Victory of the Great War News of the Serbian victory quickly echoed across Europe. Austria-Hungary, a major European power, was forced to withdraw its forces from Serbian territory. The Battle of Cer thus became the first major victory of the Entente powers in the First World War. For Serbia, the significance of the victory was even greater. The country had just emerged from two Balkan Wars, its army was exhausted, while the enemy was superior in both numbers and material resources. Nevertheless, the Serbian army managed to shift from defence to counterattack and push the Austro-Hungarian units back towards the Drina. Tekeriš Today Tekeriš is home to a memorial ossuary dedicated to the Serbian soldiers who died in the battle. It was erected in 1928 at the site where the fighting that determined the outcome of the Battle of Cer took place. The ossuary contains the remains of soldiers who died on the Cer battlefield. A simple inscription stands on the façade: “Your deeds are immortal.” The memorial complex also includes an exhibition dedicated to the Battle of Cer. In front of the museum exhibition stand busts of Field Marshal Radomir Putnik, Field Marshal Stepa Stepanović, General Petar Bojović and General Pavle Jurišić Šturm, the four military commanders whose names are associated with the Serbian military command during the Cer operation. The wider Cer area is now crossed by hiking and excursion trails. The Battle of Cer lasted several days, but its outcome changed the picture of the early stages of the First World War. The Serbian army halted the Austro-Hungarian advance, launched a successful counterattack and defeated the army of a major power. Today, the victory is not remembered in Tekeriš only through dates and military maps. The memorial ossuary, the names of the commanders and the traces of the fighting on Cer create a place where history can be viewed from several perspectives – from the decisions of the Supreme Command to the soldiers who fought on the slopes of Cer. Sources used for the article and recommendations: https://www.mod.gov.rs/lat/17052/cerska-bitka-prva-pobeda-antante https://roadstothegreatwar-ww1.blogspot.com/2026/05/the-allies-first-victory-battle-of-mt.html?utm https://www.vojnodelo.mod.gov.rs/multimedia/file/vojna_biblioteka/vbip-15-1954-Dapcevic-2_deo-328-632.pdf?utm