THE SERVIANS' WAR.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVII, Issue 242, 22 March 1915, Page 8

THE SERVIANS' WAR.

NO'WAR WITHOUT TETRKS. Victorious on all points, we drovfc the Imperial and Royal Army out of thb country ia an Imperial and Royal fashion and are resting Imperially and' Rovallyi for the moment (says the letter of a" Servian oflioer published in the Times). I had,® bad toeehache with inflammation of the -upper jaw, so came to Nish to have it treated, and am all right now. We had a day with A , who took the Scotch nurses to Kraguyevata. They look very fit and capable lassies. Would there were more of them, for wounded arc all over the place. . . I cried, as well as my men, at parting with the squadron, after all the strenuous time with them, on the Drina. My consolation is .that the family is pleased, for in my new post I am less exposed. Still, nothing can make up to me the loss of such comrades. . . Sergeant Juro, although illiterate, had a great head arid a stfund judgment. From old liabit he always called the enemy "the Turks," and when I reminded him they were ;Austrians this time and not Turks?, he would answer: Hey, captain, lam older than you, and I never saw war without the Turks. Depend on it, the Tun-s are fighting, though you may not sec them." As usual, time proved liim in the right. This and the Balkan campaigns have shorn many a friend from me. It is acute pain to think of Zoran, "the son of the Cabinet Minister Prodanovitch, killed in the defence of Belgrade. He was only 22, and had been married two years, for, as our people say. "he could not wait' owing to the great love in his heart.* His one passion was his wife, and then his son, of whom he was so proud; he coukl talk of him ail day. He irritated some by calling the child "my first-born," and they used to predict for him a regiment of daughters. His trench wa s the gayest in the line, for his Happy nature overflowed in fun. After a day of terrific, bombardment lie would stand for an hour at the telephone, speaking to his wife, not ashamed, as are most, at others hearing his loving words to her and his ,child. Sometimes he Could get to eou*J from the little fellow, and then lie would say: "Ruslika darling, I authorise you to give a small, small slap to Yaslm. so that I may hear his voice. But be careful! Mind you don't hurt him!" And then he would call us to listen to Yashu'e grumble. Life was sweet to Zoran, but he gave it up in full knowledge. 'He was in command of one of the two battalions that had to face the 32iul Austrian Regiment at Ada Tsiganliya, and liold this quadruple force until help came. The Austrians were routed, leaving 1127 on the field. Among these were their colonel, Peter Schmidt, Majer Baron Kemen Arpad, Lieutenant Gruss, and Engineer Shandon Demeter. But Zoran was slain. Three bullets struck him in the chest and he fell. He had just time to give his watch to the soldier nsxt to him and say; "Give this and the sword to Yashu. Thank God, T leave a son!" (When one thinks of a" the fine fellows gone already one does not mind so much the risk of death, for one longs to go to tllem and tell them our latest splendid news (if they do not know it already). Meantime in this world there is a horrid dearth of boots.