The role of Italy in saving the Serbian Army and people, 1915-1916

The unfortunate conditions of the shallow and marshy Albanian
coastline did not allow access to the shore, let alone longer positioning
of large steamers, and forced the utilization of small ships which were
the only ones able to rapidly load the Serbian Army and refugees in
Drač, Medovo and at the delta of the Vojussa and then transfer them
in Valona to large ships on which they would cross the Adriatic. Small
ships accepted the Serbs everywhere along the coastline where it was
possible to do so and they had to follow the coastal sea routes where
there lurked the greater constant danger of enemy submarine ambush-
es. To fulfill its mission, Italy engaged in the Adriatic its entire avail-
able fleet of small and medium size vessels of every kind: sailboats,
steamers, boats with internal combustion. Even the small boat „Palat-
ino“, familiar to Romans as a boat docked on the Tiber, found its role
in helping the Serbian Army. The water crossings were conducted with
the constant protection of cruisers and torpedo boats but also with the
engagement of large war ships. There were destroyers which for many
days and nights in succession kept constant watch at sea and, from a
short distance of just a few miles, continuously adjusted their respective
functions from hunting submarines to monitoring the waters for stray
mines. The status was further complicated when the military situation
imposed the withdrawal of French and English ships from the Adriatic
leaving Italy completely on its own.
From Valona and Skadar the exodus of the Serbian Army continued
and, after the Austrians occupied Skadar on January 23, the Italian
government decided to leave Drač on January 26, but not Valona. The
evacuation of the Serbs from Drač concluded February 9 and Nikola
Pašić sent a message to the Italian government which said:
„With the completion of the transport of Serbs from Albania, I ex-
press my most sincere gratitude to the Royal government for the im-
mediate and effective intervention of the Royal Navy of Italy, as well as
for the work of all the government agencies; thank you for completing
the evacuation quickly and in the best possible way.“ 33
Here is what Colonel Mitrović, the Serbian Chief of Staff, said when
he was greeting the officers and staff of the cruiser „Città di Catania“.
He wanted to send greetings to the entire Italian Navy saying that he
is proud that he can express the sincere and grateful greetings of the
people of Serbia. He said:
„The Serbian Army knows well and understands your noble work
in the transportation of our entire army done in such a short time and
in an uncertain sea, overcoming countless obstacles and difficulties. O,
sailors of Italy, may the gratitude and convenant of all Serbia follow
you today and forever for this altruistic undertaking - [that Serbia],
reborn today on your ships, swears to confirm and return its sacred
right to exist and to be victorious!“ 34
And in Valona, on the day of February 23, the evacuation of the
entire Serbian infantry, including 6,000 Montenegrin soldiers, was
concluded. Only the Serbian calvary numbering 13,500 calvarymen and
a larger number of horses still remained. From the middle of December
1915, using 250 ships, Italy evacuated 260,895 Serbian soldiers and refu-
gees from Albania. On another 100 ships 300,000 tons of food and pro-
visions were transported. Transferred to safety were also 24,000 Serb-
ian prisoners of war, 10,153 horses, 68 cannons and other war materials.
Two hundred and forty-eight water crossings were conducted.
For the evacuation of the entire Serbian Army, their prisoners and
refugees from Albania a colossal convoy was launched consisting of
steamers of every tonnage under the protection of powerful cruisers,
squadrons of torpedo destroyers, torpedo boats and motorboats of the
Italian Royal Navy. The dimensions of the undertaking were gargan-
tuan.
The above numbers apply only to the transport of the Serbs. Not
included in the numbers are the crossings of the Italian Royal Navy
whose goal was to supply the Serbian and Montengrin Armies before
their retreat, or those even more numerous crossings to the Albanian
coast for the transport of Italian troops and materials required for mil-
itary operations and logistics with the intention of establishing a naval
base in Valona. That transport was conducted between the same har-
bours and along the same routes simultaneously with the transfer of
the Serbs, and not once did they cross paths, nor were there delays in
boarding the retreating army. In the evacuation of the Serbian Army,
Italy lost three vessels and several thousand soldiers, but „not a single
Serb lost his life at sea.“ 35

8. Résumé
The accomplishment of the Italian Navy remained almost unknown
despite its efforts to save the Serbian and Montenegrin people under
extreme circumstances and because of the honour and dignity of the
Alliance, Italy – of all the Allies – bore almost the entire burden and
responsibility for the undertaking.
This maritime operation can be compared with what occurred
during World War II at Dunkirk in northern France between May 25
and June 3, 1940 when over 300,000 English and French soldiers were
evacuated. That evacuation was decisive for the Allied victory, just like
this one which occurred during the winter of 1915/1916. After long years
of grueling trench warfare only the Serbian Army was able to break
through the Salonika Front during an assault September 15, 1918 and,
with continuous progress, determined the victory of the Allies in less
than two months.
But there would not have been that victorious Serbian Army if a
few years earlier the Italian Royal Navy had not been on the shores of
Albania to extend a helping hand and deliver it to safety.
At the same time, the evacuation of the Serbian Army and people
is a precursor ante literam to today’s humanitarian operations and still
remains recorded as the most important and most complex operation
of international humanitarian assistance and rescue of all time.

Translation: Draga Dragašević
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33) Giuseppe Galli, Fanti d'Italia in Macedonia 1916-1919 (Milano: Omero
Marangoni Editore, 1934).
34) Mihajlović, Perl'Esercito serbo
35) Agenzia Stefani (Torino: 23.2.1916).