Source: File: postcard
showing the retreat by the Serbian army and civilians through the harsh winter
mountains of Montenegro - winter of 1915-1916.jpg. [online] see an original image at:
<http://www.bl.uk/collection-items/pec> Accessed: 19 January 2016].
Within the midst
of Europe
A small central
country,
With the name Black Mountain,
Stood out in
defiance
Across waters of
Italy; Montenegro.
Without adherence
to any
Neutrality,
Montenegro
Stood aside
Serbia, to declare war
On the Central
powers -
In fighting help of
Serbia and France.
Austria-Hungary
sent a force
To invade
Montenegro,
Which resisted
from fortified Lovcen -
Kotor taken by
enemy,
Came under
Montenegrin bombardment.
Within the autumn
of 1914,
Montenegro
resistance
Held back
Austrian invasion -
On the verge to
free
Sarajevo - all
changed December 1915.
German, Austria-Hungarian
And Bulgaria
armies,
Took Serbia to
force Montenegrin
Army, which all
led
To a different
situation by 1916's start.
Into the depth of
1915 winter,
Army of
Montenegro
Had fought under
harsh conditions -
As weather and low supplies
Increasingly took
their toll on them.
Within the
vagueness of actual
Battle,
Montenegrin
Army held fast in
the Mojkovac
Village - as 6
January saw
Austro-Hungarian
Artillery attacks.
This came to
culminate on day
Of Orthodox
Christmas -
When the 7 January
became bloody
Christmas for Montenegro -
Army bloodied
Austria-Hungarians.
In the dark depths of
knee deep
Snow, bloody
losses
On either side - yet numbers
Of Austro
Hungarian
Attacks held back
by Montenegro.
Yet success can
be unstable,
As in a telegram
Reportedly from
Vienna, revealed
Negotiations of
capitulation
Between Austria and
Montenegro.
Details revealed
within
Neue Freie Presse,
Were presences of
Montenegrin
Ministers, with
artillery
Major at Austrian
advanced Post.
They sought to start
their final
Negotiation of
surrender,
To begin by
unconditional laying
Down of
Montenegrin arms -
At Cettinje the
Ministers remained.
From these intermediaries
Emerged further
Unconditional
terms, to lay
Down all modern
Arms, with all heirloom
weapons.
They would be
laid down,
By the collecting of all
Montenegrins
within military
Service to gather
Together, in form
of a human wood.
Then as in a beat, all
Would be searched
By breadth and
length, to halt
Formation of
bands
Or any guerilla
warfare formations.
These men of
Montenegro,
Which included those
Of advanced ages, would
Be moved to be held
Within an
assigned district.
Then there was
the situation
Of women combatants -
Who had
maintained methods
Of communications -
Their treatment
was different.
Payments to these
women
Had been halted
by
The king for some
time, whereby
A return home women and
Men on leave, built family security.
By that situation
many women
Would be left in
villages -
Held along with
surrendered towns
And
communication
Methods - in
particular the railways.
by Jamie Mann.
Anon.,1916. Capitulation
of Montenegro - Terms of Surrender - Austria's 'Conditions' - Treatment Of
Women.
The Daily Telegraph, [online]
19
January 1916. P.12. Col.4. Available
at
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ww1-archive/12102110/Daily-Telegraph-January-19-1916.html
[Accessed: 19 January 2016].
Mann, J., 2016. 100 years Ago - Poems by Jamie Mann. [letter] (Personal
communication, 19 January 2016).
#WW1 #WW1centenary #GreatWar #WW1poem #GreatWar #WW1centenary
#worldwarone #worldwaroneremembered #WW1 Montenegro
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