Stepa Stepanović Stepa Stepanović CMG ( , ; - 29 April 1929 ) was a vojvoda of the Serbian Army who distinguished himself in Serbia ' s wars from 1876 to 1918 . Early childhood ( 1856 — 1866 ) . Stepanovic was born on 28 February from father Ivan Stepanović and mother Radojka ( née Nikolić ) in the village of Kumodraž near Belgrade . He was the third son and fourth child in line . Stepanović was named after his grandfather Stepan , afterwhom his whole family bears surname . There are two theories of his family origins . First theory is that Stepanovic ’ s ancestors , who were known as Živanović , came from Bosnia and Lika . Second theory tells that his ancestors came from around Leskovac and Pirot during Great migration of Serbs . His mother Radojka had little time for him , because of the housework and would often leave him with her mother in law to take care of him . Before he attended primary school , he looked after cattle and was once hurt badly by the bull . His aunt saved him by sewing his wound with needle and string and he recovered in 10 days . Schooling ( 1866 — 1876 ) . He finished triennial primary school in Kumodraž and attended gymnasium in Captain Miša ' s Mansion . To finish his schooling , Stepanović often served wealthier Belgrade families . He finished his first year with good grade and rest of the years with very good grade . In September 1874 , when he was supposed to enlist in sixth year of gymnasium , Stepanovic enlisted in XI class of Artillery school , without entrance exam . The reason was that every student who finished 5 years of gymnasium was released from exam . His class had 29 cadet s . In those times Artillery school had more of technical character , so great amount of attention was initiated in math ematical subjects in which Stepanović was never good . He was not very good in foreign languages , although he used Russian and French literature . After Herzegovina Uprising broke out , Principality of Serbia started to prepare for war . Artillery school has adapted her program to practical martial training . In Septembar 1875 , Stepa Stepanovic alongside his classmates received rank of corporal , and in May 1876 after passing exam he became Junior Sergeant . In June 1876 , after Serbo - Turkish war broke out , whole XI class received rank of Sergeant and was sent on the frontline . First Serbo - Turkish war ( 1876 — 1877 ) . Stepanović arrived in Kragujevac on 14 . May 1876 . He was assigned on orderly officer duty in headquarters of Šumadija division . His commander was colonel Ljubomir Uzun - Mirković . Stepanović ' s job was to urgently carry commander ' s orders . Šumadija division was the main part of the Moravian army , but after the change of battle plans , it was divided in several squadrons . Stepanović was in Uzun - Mirković ’ s squadron , who had orders to help Knjaževac army to conquer Babina glava and Bela Palanka in order to stop arrival of Ottoman reinforcements to Niš . They managed to take over Babina glava and Stepa Stepanović was noted by commandant ″ for being very agile and for good riding . ″ However , Ottoman army started counter offensive against Uzun - Mirković ’ s squadron , which retreated in Pandrilo . Ottomans attacked Pandrilo on 19 . July and they were very successful . In fear that they might lose the battle , Stepanović alongside other officers actively participated in battle with regular soldiers . This action raised the moral of the troops and helped in turning over tide of the battle . This experience affected Stepanović greatly and he often used this action to raise the moral of his troops . After the fall of Knjaževac , Stepanović with his squadron arriveed from Deligrad to Sokobanja , in order to avert Ottomans from reaching valley of Morava . In Sokobanja , Serbs regrouped and formed 4 army corps . Stepanović was transferred in Fourth corps under the command of Colonel Đura Horvatić . Fourth corps marched across Kurilovo and reached Vinik where it attacked enemy ’ s position . However , Corps moved on to Deligrad and arrived on 7 . September . They clashed with Turks on 11 . September near Krevet . Fourth corps had important role , but it could not make Ottomans to flee , because the front line was too wide . Battle was finished indecisively . Armistice begun on 1 . November 1876 . On 1 . December , Stepa Stepanović received " Gold medal for bravery " and became Second Lieutenant . On 13 . February 1877 , Stepanović was appointed as commander in 3 . company of Third battalion in the standing army . Second Serbo - Turkish war ( 1877 — 1878 ) . In Second Serbo - Turkish war , Stepa Stepanović had distinguishable role in taking of Pirot . General Jovan Belimarković didn ’ t capture city in charge , because Ottomans had fortified two points Nišor and Budin del . To pass trough those two points , Belimarković formed special unit that had around 300 chosen soldiers . Their mission was to attack left flank of Nišor and their commander was Second Lieutenant Stepa Stepanović . Between 26 . and 27 . September , Stepanović ’ s unit passed unnoticed around Nišor and took Mali vrh . In the morning of 27 . September , when main attack began , his squad opened rifle and artillery fire on Nišor . This action confused Ottomans who found themselves surrounded . One soldier of Stepanović ’ s unit said : ″ I find that , if I ’ m not wrong , our action has struck main blow to the Turkish position on Nišor and had resolved fate of the Pirot . ″ For this success Stepanović was awarded with " Orded of St . Stvetislav III class with swords and ribbon " . This award was his favorite of all that he received in career , because ″ he was first who entered Turkish trech . ″ On 3 December , Šumadija Corps started march from Pirot to Niš in two echelons . During this march , Stepanović was commander of forces that moved across Suva planina . Under his command he had half battalion of infantry and some cavalry . This march was difficult , because terrain was bad from the weather . Stepanović later said that this was his toughest assignment in the war . He managed to bring all soldiers safely and ready for battle . On 23 January 1878 , High command issued orders telling Šumadija division to take over Vranje . Then Šumadija division drove away Ottomans from Poljanica and beat them at Grdelička klisura . On 25 January , Stepanović has became commander of volunteer squad which job was to arm local Serbs in Poljanica . Few days later at the battle of Vranje , he attacked Ottomans from the north of the town at Devotin . Period of peace ( 1878 — 1885 ) . After the war ended , Stepanović partook in additional classes on Military academy , to finish his schooling . He finished those classes in 1880 . In September 1880 , on his personal wish , he was appointed to service in Kragujevac . There , he was command officer of Second company in Third battalion of standing army . In October 1880 , he became commander of First company in the same battalion . In Kragujevac , Stepanović met his future wife Jelena ( 1861 - 1843 ) , daughter of Velislav Milanović who was chief of Kragujevac srez . They married on 25 . July 1881 . Next year , on 21 . April 1882 , his first daughter Milica was born , and year after that his second daughter Danica . Both daughters married an officer , his daughter Milica married Second Lieutenant dr . Krsta Dragomirović , and Danica married 1st class captain Jovica Jovičić , who later became Division General . In his first official evaluation ( last quarter 1880 ) , special commission wrote report about him : On 1 September 1882 , he received the rank of infantry Lieutenant and he became command officer in Užice . He stayed in Užice until 13 . February 1883 , when he came back to the Kragujevac . When he arrived in Kragujevac he was appointed as military adjutant in Šumadija infantry regiment . The same year Serbia listed military exercises in gymnasium programs , so Stepanović became teacher of military exercises in First Kragujevac gymnasium . He stayed on this position until 1886 . Serbo - Bulgarian War ( 1885 ) . During the battle of Slivnitsa , Stepanović was commander of the 1 . company in the 2 . battalion which was part of the Šumadija division . His Division attacked village Vrapče and enforced Bulgarians to fallback . In report that he sent to the commander of 12 . regiment it is noticeable lack of coordination between division , regiments and battalions . Few days later , Stepanović became commander of the 1 . battalion in the 12 . regiment and together with colonel Binički ’ s troops attacked weakened Bulgarian center on Slivnitsa . Bulgarians started to retreat and Serbs took over region around village Aldomirovtsi . In his report he wrote about his soldiers : ″ Behavior of soldiers in this battles was excellent , because they showed great curability despite moving over the open field while there was cross fire . Behavior of the officers was satisfactorily , in regard of courage and good command of the troops . ″ On 19 November , king Milan ordered general retreat towards Pirot . Three days later Bulgarian army marched toward Pirot and started main attack on Neškov vis . Stepanović ’ s 12 . regiment defended position and was forced to retreat . He wrote in his report : ″ . . . I moved along to the hospital towards where bulks of our troops retreated . No effort of the elders could bring them back . More soldiers followed them and then that ridiculous mob pushed away officers who tried to stop them . ″ Rise ( 1886 — 1903 ) . After the war ended , Stepa Stepanović returned to Kragujevac , where he stayed until November 1886 . In Kragujevac , Stepanović was commander of a company in 10 . regiment . At the end of 1886 , he passed exam and became II class infantry captain . He was aspirant in the General Staff from 22 . November 1886 to 22 . October 1888 . At the meeting which was held at the end of 1888 , General Staff ’ s commission stated ″ that II class captain Mr . Stepanović showed enough qualification and proof for headquarters ’ service . ″ In addition : ″ So he should be approved to start an exam this winter for the rank of I class captain . ″ In March 1889 , he reported for exam , and commission gave him permission on 2 April to start . From 2 – 6 April , he was doing theoretic part of exam in 12 subjects . He was released of doing practical part of exam , because he received very good grade on headquarters ’ journeys and missions . Shortly before exam , he became executive of Drina divisional area , so after the exams he moved to Valjevo . On 17 April 1889 . he became I class captain . In the spring 1892 , Stepanović did exam for Major in the same time like Milutin Milanović and Živojin Mišić , and the president of the commission was Radomir Putnik . He was doing exam from 29 . March to 15 . April and he was successful in passing it . Stepanović became commander of the 5th battalion in Požega on 13 . September 1892 . In Požega , he became Major on 8 . May 1892 . Later , on 14 . August he was moved to Valjevo to be once again executive of Drina divisional area . He did that service until 20 . October 1895 , when he was moved to Belgrade . He stayed in Belgrade for five months where he was commander of seventh battalion , and then he became chief of General Staff ’ s department in Ministry of military . He also became part professor of war history on high class in Military academy . Then on 30 . March 1897 , he became acting commander of 6 . infantry regiment in Belgrade . The same year on 11 . May he was promoted to Colonel and two days later he became commander of the 6 . Infantry regiment . Stepanović became chief of General Staff ’ s department in the Command of active army on 27 . October 1898 . He stayed on this function until 15 March 1899 when he was transferred to work in Ministry of defense and he became executive of General military department . Although he didn ' t like to work in office , he made great impression in ministry and was remembered like someone who is very strict and punctual . He was transferred again to Valjevo on 17 . October 1900 , where he became commander of Infantry brigade in Drina division . Because of misunderstanding on 11 . November , he was transferred in Zaječar and assigned as commander of Infantry brigade in Timok division . He liked this position and said : ″ Troop for officer is the same as water to fish , and especially headquarter officer . There he can show what he knows and he can show results . Office kills the spirit , drains the strength and change man into mechanism . ″ On 18 August 1901 , Stepanović was promoted in headquarter colonel , and on 11 November he became deputy executive of the Active military command . He was on that position until 15 . December 1902 , when he became executive of the General Staff . King Alexander I of Serbia has decorated him with Order of the Cross of Takovo II class . In this period he was honorary professor of mar craft in High school , where he lectured Napoleonic of 1796 and 1805 . He was also editor of military magazine Ratnik ( Warrior ) . Change on the Serbian throne ( 1903 — 1907 ) . May Overthrow happened on 28 / 29 . May 1904 . This did not affect Stepanović ’ s career , but he did not like conflict between officers . After overthrow , he became section head of common department in Ministry of defense , and then he became commander of Šumadija division . Because of these positions , many historians think that Stepanović was on the side of conspirators , even tough he said on numerous occasions that he was neutral . Newly appointed king , Petar I Karađorđević decorated him with Order of the Star of Karađorđe III degree on 29 . June 1904 . Stepanović , took an example from general Đura Horvatić and instituted Prussia n drill in his division . He punished every irregularity , inaccuracy , legal offence and confiscation of state property . In the Spring of 1906 in Kragujevac , where Stepanović was garrisoned as commander of Šumadija division , there was so called Corporal counter conspiracy . Some historians believe that conspiracy has been triggered by Stepanović ’ s strict regime . About 30 officers of Kragujevac garrison had planned to take several important public buildings in Kragujevac and then to arrest Stepanović . However , conspiracy has been discovered on 30 . April 1906 and Stepanović arrested 31 persons . He wanted to arrest more , but he was stopped by the minister of defense general Radomir Putnik . Stepanović was deeply shook by the conspiracy and later declared : Ministry and preparations for war ( 1907 — 1912 ) . Stepa Sptepanović was elevated to the rank of general on 29 . June 1907 , but he stayed as commander of Šumadija divisional area . After Corporal scandal and Artillery question , Nikola Pašić formed new government on 12 . April 1908 and Stepanović became Minister of military . During his mandate , Stepanović tried to modernize armament and to remodel old rifles of Mauzer - koka system . One of his decision was to buy new Artillery from the France . When Serbia was trying to buy machine guns , Stepanović was very conservative as Colonel Vlajić , who worked in Stepanović ’ s cabinet , wrote : In October 1908 , after annexation of Bosnia , massive protest erupted in Serbia and Montenegro . Great amount of citizens wanted to wage war against Austria - Hungary , but the Stepanović as minister assured government and the parliament that country and the army were not ready for war , and that there is to undertake great amount diplomatic , financial and military training . His attitude on this matter , caused him a barrage of criticism from many sides , even in the press . Therefore , at the beginning of 1909 , he was dismissed as minister of military and became minister without portfolio . During 1909 , he actively collaborated with the Putnik on the preparation of the army for war . At the beginning of 1910 , he became commander of Morava divisional area , and achieved much with his experience and work enthusiasm so that Morava division was prepared for war . At the beginning of March 1911 , Stepanović became minister of defense again . Soon after , an event occurred which caused suspicion among Prince Aleksandar Karađorđević that Stepanović is sympathizer of Dragutin Dimitrijević Apis . As Prince once heard that Apis wasn ’ t really friend of the House of Karađorđević and that he wanted foreign monarch on the Serbian throne . Then , outraged Prince called Apis to come to the General Headquarters where he shouted on him . Apis calmly listened to Prince ’ s angry words and then told him : ″ Yes ! And what did you think ? Did we put our head in the bag so you two could fight and scramble for the throne like with some kind of throne ? You are wrong ! We can again put our head in the bag . ″ Hearing this , Prince rushed right to the minister Stepa Stepanović in the Military headquarters and requested that Apis and General staff major Milovan Milovanović Pilac get transferred from the Belgrade . Stepanović told him that ″ the request isn ' t within competence of the Prince , but he will tell the king and if king decides . ″ Unhappy with this Stepanović ’ s attitude , Prince went back to his office and wrote his resignation as Supreme army inspector and sent it to the king . King tomorrow called him and tore his resignation down . When Stepa Stepanović became minister of defense for the second time , the government of the Kingdom of Serbia realized that Great powers wanted to divide Balkan and that Christian population of Ottoman Empire was struggling . During his term , Serbia signed a several defense agreements other Balkan countries thus was creating Balkan League . Stepanović alongside general Radomir Putnik and colonel Živojin Mišić , developed plans for mobilization , concentration and strategic development of the Serbian army in the war against Turkey . In the fall of 1912 , the government of Milovan Milovanović resigned after his death and when Marko Trifković formed new , Radomir Putnik became new minister of defense . First Balkan War ( 1912 — 1913 ) . First operations . With the start of the First Balkan War , Stepa Stepanović has became commander of the Second army , which had 60 000 soldiers and 84 cannons . The army was concentrated in the Kyustendil – Dupnitsa area . It contained I Timok infantry Division and Bulgarian Seventh Rila infantry Division . The army had mission to attack rear and back Turkish positions before the First Serbian army . Informing the Serbian troops that the Seventh Rila Division became part of the Army , Stepanović said this : ″ I look with confidence our future work and strongly believe in success , because for centuries separated and now fraternized and embraced , closest brothers , Serbs and Bulgarians represent an irresistible force that will crush all hurdles and liberate downtrodden brothers . ″ On 17 . October 1912 , General Putnik told general Stepanović that war was declared against Ottoman empire and ordered his army to move closer to Ottoman border , but not to cross it until further notice . However Bulgarian High command told commander of Rila Division , General Todorov , to cross border and attack Carevo selo and Gornja Džumaja , which he managed to capture . Stepanović congratulated them with the words : ″ Hurray heroes of the Seventh division . ″ During the 18 . October , Timok Division started to attack Ottoman positions in direction Rujen - Crni vrh , and next day they captured Crni vrh on the orders of Stepanović . On 21 . October , Serbian High command ordered Timok Division to start offensive towards Kumanovo . Uninformed that battalion , commanded by Mayor Dobrosav Milenković , already captured Kriva Palanka without fight , Stepanović ordered all the necessary maneuvers for capturing the town . This wasted a lot of time , but majority of the Division managed to pass through Krivorečka gorge without any resistance . In the early noon , Calvary Regiment started a fight 5 – 6 km away from the Stratsin and managed to capture it until the nightfall . Yet again , Stepanović hasn ’ t been informed about this event , and next day he ordered his troops to capture Stratsin , which wasted a lot of time . After this event , communication was established between the First and the Second Serbian army and road to Kumanovo was open . First world war . At the beginning of World War I he acted as the representative of the absent chief of staff Radomir Putnik . He was responsible for mobilization and some war preparations . After Putnik ' s return he took command of the Second Army . In World War I , he led the Serbian army in a great victory in the Battle of Cer , where his Second Army completely defeated the Austrian Fifth Army , arriving to the scene after a forced march . This was the first allied victory of the war , and he was promoted to Vojvoda ( Field - Marshal ) . His army achieved successes in the Battle of the Drina and Battle of Kolubara , in addition to the defence of Serbia in 1915 . In 1918 he was again in command of the Second Army which was a part of the large Allied offensive in Macedonia , they achieved a breakthrough on 15 September . The Second Army advanced to the Bulgarian border and from there , after Bulgarian capitulation on 29 September 1918 turned West towards Bosnia and the Adriatic Sea . He was an active officer until the end of 1919 , when he retired from service as the commander in chief of the Serbian army . During his career he was also serving as the minister of the army on two occasions . enuis He was decorated with the " Takovski krst sa ukrštenim mačevima " medal for bravery during the 1876 - 1878 wars against the Turks . He was also awarded the Knight Grand Cross ( GCMG ) of The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George . He died in the town of Čačak on 29 April 1929 .