The Battle of Kolubara is the most important battle of the First World labor War, the war battle waged between a small kingdom and a powerful empire.
It lasted 30 days on the front lines 200 km long, from Suvobor, Ljig, the Kolubara river, through Lazarevac, and Lajkovac to Belgrade.
Meadows and fields in the villages Gukoš, Kadina Luka, Ba and Slavkovica were full of covered with individual and collective graves of our and the enemy army.
The residents and institutions in our community have raised OBELEŽIJE memorial monuments; today this are recorded, entered on tourist maps, placed photographs and the exact locations on the Internet Web sites and on all social media. For permanent oblivion remembrance for turists and for the local inhabitants.
Colonel Živojin Bacić
By order of the commander of the 3rd Army Gen. Paul Pavle Jurišić Štrum, Timočka (Timok) division was on the move to Kamalj, with the aim to recapture it from the enemy. However, soon the units of the 13th Regiment had to retret due to a shortage of ammunition. Regiment commander Živojin Bacić failed was not able to keep them on their positions. Remaining there alone, he got killed; about his demise Henri Barbi, the war correspondent for the Journal of Paris, reported:
The battle is raging. Colonel Bacić, covered in blood, continues to command the resistance. Since he is no longer able to walk, his two assistants carry him from place to place.
An officer is approaching him:
– My Colonel, our job is done… We received orders to hold for 24 hours…
Baci
throws a furious look at him:
– We will not retreat! I will not retreat!
Three Austro-Hungarian regiments finally lost its will to fight. However new and fresh units are coming as reinforcements. After a battle they ultimately manage to push back both wings of the Serbian line, and thereby every single Serbian officer gets wounded. The center of the Serbian forces, seeing that it will be surrounded, starts to retreat. One of the last officer who was still standing on his feet, addresses the Colonel:
– My commander, we can no longer hold here – we will continue the battle deeper into the territory.
Colonel Bacić still hesitates, his looks at the brave soldiers who are now lying dead around him, and he does not give in:
– You have behaved like heroes. You can fight in your retreat. I am staying!
Colonel Bacić remained there with only two soldiers beside him – his assistants who are loyal to him unto death – they refused to desert him.
The enemy reaches the ridge and notices colonel who, despite his wounds, stands upright, leaning against the two soldiers.
– Where is your regiment?, shouts an Austro-Hungarian officer while approaching him.
– My regiment, that’s me!
– Surrender!, adds the enemy officer. This time, instead of answering, Colonel Bacić leans towards his two faithful assistants.
– Fire!
At the same time one salvo from the Austro-Hungarian side is shot at the three Serbs.
The colonel is still breathing. Austrian general Aper orders to try everything to save the life of the Serbian colonel.
– This man is a hero!, he says to his escort and walks over to the deadly wounded Colonel Baci
.
– Why have you not surrendered, Colonel?
– Serbian colonel never surrenders, answers Baci
with his last breath..”
By: Henri Barbi
Three Austrian regiments under arms escorted Baci
’ remains to the grave. On it, the following text in German was set, as ordered by the Austrian general:
“Here lies Colonel Živojin Bacić, commander of the 13th Serbian Regiment – died as a hero at Gukoš”
Biography
Živojin D. Bacić
He was born 9 January 1872. in Negotin. Elementary school and seven years of secondary school in Zaje
ar. He finished the Military Academy (class XXIII), and graduated at the High Military Academy in Belgrade in 1899. He was promoted to the rank of the Captain Class II in 1899, to the rank of Major in 1905, and the rank of colonel was given to him in 1913.
As captain, in 1903 he was the commander of the Fifth Infantry Regiment “King Milan ” in Valjevo. In 1909. Živojin Bacić became an adjutant of King Peter I Karađorđević. He fought in the Balkan wars. Shortly before the Battle of Kolubara, at the front line Kamalj, the Ljig – Gukoš Greda, he was involved with protecting the retreat of the Serbian army. When he remained there, wounded and with just two of his assistants, he refused to surrender. General Aper, the commander of the Austro-Hungarian XV Corps, ordered that colonel Bacić be buried with full military honors and that a monument be built in his honour, because Baci
was an opponent worthy of respect and admiration.
Colonel Bacić was awarded the Medal of the Karađorđe Star with swords, IV rank, and other decorations.
Bronze bust of Colonel Bacić c: on 15 December 1992 the citizens of Ljig erected this memorial monument in honour of colonel Bacic.