WITH THE SERBIAN ARMY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 16348, 3 April 1915, Page 6

WITH THE SERBIAN ARMY

KING PETER REr-ENTERS BELGRADE. ; THE AUSTRIAN OCCUPATION. (Fbom Oob Own Correspondknt. ) LONDON, January 19. How tho third Austrian invasion ot Serbia oame to an ignominious ending is told by tho special correspondent of The Times from Kraguievatz, under date, December 26:—On December 14 there had been severo fighting on the outskirts of Belgrade. "Driven ;back on to a ring of commanding hills, which Torlak may be taken as the centre, the Austrians had there put up their last defence. These positions were captured the same evening, not, however, without heavy sacrifice. _ The commandant of the Serbian force which attacked this sector stated that his men alone had buried 1800 dead Austrians, and he described the figlitinyr as the stiffest of the campaign. When we arrived in the rear of the army on the 15th tho Serbian gunners were firing through a' clouil of log and rain against the pontoon bridge over the Save, and on a hostile _ rearguard without tho city. The opposition was soon overcome, and a detachment of cavalry rode in, closely followed by King Peter. The Serbian monarch is an old campaigner, and the fact that street fighting was still going on had no more effect on his enthusiasm than the inclemency of the weather. Ho stayed to trample under foot- a Hungarian flag freshly hauled down from the palace, and then attended a hastily-arranged Te Deum at the cathedral. SERBIAN REJOICING.

"Ninety minutes later the Crown Prince Alexander, accompanied by his brother, Prince George, a strong cavalry escort, and the British Military Attache, approached Belgrade. They were met on the outskirts by a crowd of poor women and children, who, with few exceptions, -were the only inhabitants who had remained. These joyous scruls, themselves dependent upon , a pittance from • the municipality which had ceased with the evacuation, brought their all. They had quickly collected masses of chrysanthemums, and with these they bombarded and decorated the incoming heroes until they pranced over a veritable pathway of flowers. The maidens brought the embroidered scarves and sashes which they had worked in preparation for marriage, and these they hun.tr about the oavaliers till the men looked like so many far cons d'onneur at a Serbian village weding. Huge tricolour streamers now hung from the mansions; little bits of dirty flags from the cottages. There was a touch of heartfelt simplicity about this welcome from deserted Belgrade that, to the lookeron, was most impressive. HOW THE AUSTRIANS BEHAVED.

"It is not easy to describe the Austrian occupation. It lasted but for 14 days, and even in the retrospect had something of the unfinished about it.. There were evidences that the invaders had obviously settled down for a long stay, both here and at Torlak, where solid earthworks, protected by .barbed-wire entanglements, had been constructed, • and concrete" foundations were ready foe the big guns. Yet they had scarcely had time to decide what they "would do with Belgrade before the Serbian ' hosts swooped down and drove them helter-skelter back across the Save. Thu? t,he good and evil which was_ the city's lot depended lairgely upon individual benevolence or malice. Two currents —the one respect for civilians and private property, and tho other the product of Prussian Hunism —ran side by side. The buildings occupied by one military authority remained cleanly and intact, erven King Peter's photograph being left undamaged; in others filth was everywhere, furniture destroyed, and the royal image slashed and shot to rifcbone. Entire sections of tho town escaped pillage; other quarters were pitilessly looted from end to end. The Royal Palace was officially stripped, from floor to ceiling, and the contents carted into Hungary in furniture vans brought specially from Semlin for the purpose. Souvenirs of a tragic episode in Austro-Hungarian history ! The troops of the Dual Monarchy entered the capital with flags flying and bands playing. There was much merry-making much feasting, and drinking. The Hungarian banner floated from the palace, and 12 peasants were hanged. The news of the "conquest" was flashed to Vienna, and Berlin, where it was the occasion of great and enthusiastic rejoicings.