On October 4th, TRH Hereditary Prince Philip and Princess Danica attended a solemn ceremony yesterday, commemorating the storied legacy of the Kingdom of Serbia’s “Iron Regiment”, a heroic and multiple times-decorated army unit from World War I.
The event took place at the memorial site in Igrište, near Kuršumlija, on the 113th anniversary of the mobilisation of the Second Infantry Regiment of the Morava Division “Prince Mihailo”, which, due to its fearlessness and courage, was even during its time known as the Iron Regiment. The solemn gathering began with a memorial service held for those who sacrificed their lives in the struggle for Serbia’s freedom.
Their Royal Highnesses, together with representatives of the Serbian Orthodox Church, the armed forces, Municipality of Kursumlija, veterans’ associations, and local citizens, descendants of the Regiment’s heroes, gathered to pay their respect to our immortal heroes. The Hereditary Prince laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Family of Serbia, honouring soldiers renowned for their extraordinary courage, sacrifice, loyalty, and pure patriotism.
On this occasion, HRH Hereditary Prince Philip emphasised the importance of preserving the legacy of the Iron Regiment and passing on to future generations the values of patriotism, unity, and selfless service to Serbia, embodied in the war comrades of his ancestors, HM King Peter I and HM King Alexander I. “As a descendant of the Supreme Commander of the glorious Serbian Army in the Great War, the Regent, and later King Alexander I, I had the honor to pay tribute on behalf of the Royal Family Karađorđević to the great heroes of our freedom and their descendants who preserve their glory. I am proud to be the first Karađorđević to visit this magnificent place, situated at an altitude of 940 meters, where the spirit of courage and sacrifice is still felt today.
Their deeds remind us that one does not love one’s homeland with words, but with deeds, every day, at every moment. I stand before you as a proud descendant of the Supreme Commander, a war comrade of your glorious ancestors, but humbled by the legacy they left us. He called them “giant heroes” because their deeds exceeded human capabilities, and the nickname “iron” was given to them by the enemy. Is there a greater recognition?
It is our duty to remember their deeds, but also the way they lived. The least we can do is teach our children how to respect and love their homeland, in every hour, every day, and every act. The freedom they took from the powerful with their blood is not something to be trifled with, their vow reminds us. My dear Toplica citizens, in that sacred work, I count on you, as my ancestors always did. Long live Serbia!“
As part of the official program, recitals of the pupils from Kursumlija, as well as the performance of Youth Cultural Artistic Society “Bata Lačković” and the choir of the Kuršumlija High School occurred, following by the visit to the Memorial Room dedicated to the heroes of the Iron Regiment of Toplica, with photos and authentic items from the Balkan wars and the First World War. The Monument and Memorial Room in Igriste were both established thanks to the great enthusiasm of Života Jevremović, supported by his wife, Nada, who made a tremendous effort to create a dignified place of remembrance for our ancestors, the heroes of the Great War.
It is interesting to remember a historical reference – HM King Alexander I made one of his last public appearances and addressed the people before the assassination in Marseille, exactly in this area. On 9 September 1934, the Knightly King unveiled the Monument to the fallen people of Toplica, commemorating the wars from 1912 to 1918 in Prokuplje, alongside His Holiness, the late Patriarch Varnava. “Šumadija’s Serbia, emerging from Karađorđe’s uprising, created a free Toplica as well, with its blood. And the new Toplica, a worthy home of Toplica Milan and Kosančić Ivan, the old Jug-Bogdan and his nine Jugovics, lit up the face of both herself and her country when the hour of judgment knocked for the other unliberated brothers to be freed. Her Second Regiment, the legendary Iron Regiment, carried her name far and brightly; this is what I emphasise as your Supreme Commander. This monument will tell the story for generations. And it will also tell foreigners that the soul of the people always resists in all circumstances…” stated King Alexander I, as reported by Politika Newspapers of the time.
The Second Infantry Regiment of the Moravа Division of the First Conscription, “Prince Michael”, out of fifty regiments in the Serbian army, was the only one to bear the honorary title “Iron Regiment”. It received its glorious name neither from the king nor from the Serbian Supreme Command, but rather, quite spontaneously, from the Serbian soldiers of other regiments themselves, due to its exceptional courage and great military exploits on the bloody Balkans battlefield. And it was known throughout the Serbian army, and even in the occupying regiment, that this regiment, even at the cost of great losses, would not retreat from the battlefield without a command order.
