After the offensives around Livno and Zadar the Serbs had a longer front to defend and worrying about and if that wouldn’t be enough the partisans in Livno was increasing in numbers and giving the British soldiers a hard time, the supply line to the British army were also suffering. After heavy fighting in urban terrain, from house to house the partisans were driven out of the province with high losses. The army intelligence could just guess how big the partisan army was, most likely 2 000 – 3 500 After a month fighting the BEF. II had lost 2 500 men of their once 32 000 strong army. The high losses had a simple explanations, the partisan was experts in the terrain around Livno, After this map studying was done more caring. No future offensive was in planning, at least until the Italian expeditionary force would arrive.
The Austria-Hungarians knew very well the situation of the Serbs and took advantage of this. They started to gather a new army concentration in Senj outside of Zadar to take back the newly lost terrain. The Army concentration under the command of Rensch and had 40 000 men available for the offensive against BEF. III that fielded a total of 19 000 British soldiers. The defence was a very thin, the time had not been enough to prepare a strong defence. But they had chosen a very good positions, just in front the railway to Zandar, in front of them one kilometre of open terrain. BEF. III hadn’t much artillery support, one artillery brigade was available, the most artillery support and guns were concentrated in the larger army of BEF. III. Actually after the British offensive in Zandar they needed to fill up the gaps after some minor causalities, therefore 2 000 Serbs were directed to BEF. III to fill up the gaps and defend the newly captured province. Their opponent had the better numbers, a total of three artillery brigades was available for the offensive. General Thomas was in charge for BEF. III and he was very experience, he had been in the western front until three months ago and he had practised defensive operation since then. He had a rather exciting idea, he wanted a much bigger reserves and he nearly spliced the army in two because of this. He kept his main army a total of 13 000 soldiers along the trenches and his reserves a total of 6 000 soldiers south of the city Zadar.
Static’s before the battle of Zadar.
British expeditionary force
BEF. III (Thomas)
- 16th Infantry division
- 79th Infantry division, with one attached artillery brigade
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A total of 19 000 soldiers
Austria-Hungarian army
IV. Army Corps (Rensch)
- 20. Honvéd Gyalogoshadosztály
- 72. Honvéd Gyalogoshadosztály, with one attached artillery brigade
- 19. Honvéd Gyalogoshadosztály, with one attached artillery brigade
- 77. Honvéd Gyalogoshadosztály, with one attached artillery brigade
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A total of 40 000 soldiers
The battle of Zadar, October 1915
On the 28th hell broke lose along the trenches, the Austria-Hungarian supremacy in firepower was devastating and the British artillery tried to answer the fire but with very little result. The Austria-Hungarian advance guard reached the trenched some hour later but were pushed back with staggering losses, the British machine-guns had it easy to take down the attackers in the open field. But The Austria-Hungarians were stubborn and their general didn’t care about the losses, this was war. After three hours of constantly fighting the trenches started to collapse, the Austria-Hungarian soldiers fought fiercely and took over big parts of the trenches, the British artillery was nearly annihilated so they couldn’t assist with the much needed firepower. General Thomas decided to counter-attack with the reserve in order to take back the eastern railway trenches. The situation was now changed, the Austria-Hungarian machine-guns made an massacre and forced the remaining soldiers of the reserve to flee. Two hours later the last defenders surrendered.
Meanwhile in Foca
“What do you mean with, the defence in Zandar has collapsed?” yelled Bojokovic
his face turned red with anger
“well... the enemy have broken trough and have made devastating casualties on BEF. III” said the young officer.
“Then bring fourth the reserves and counter-attack!”
“Sir.... What reserves?”
Bojokovic turned his back on the officer and walked with fast steps out of the office....
A few of the Serbian soldiers in the British expeditionary force, here defending the railroad to Zadar.
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