ПРЕКО СИБИРА ДО ОТАЏБИНЕ: СРПСКИ ДОБРОВОЉЦИ У ИТАЛИЈАНСКОМ БАТАЉОНУ „САВОЈА“
ACROSS SIBERIA TO THE HOMELAND: SERBIAN VOLUNTEERS IN THE ITALIAN “SAVOIA” BATTALION

Summary/Abstract: The "Savoia" Battalion was the first Italian unit to enter Russia to fight the Red Army; however, it was not the only Italian military formation in Russia. A volunteer unit was spontaneously created, probably the last to be formed in Russia, which successfully retreated to Vladivostok from where it was evacuated to Italy. Formed spontaneously under the command of civilians and completely left to its fate, it was forced to manage, fight and survive while crossing Siberia to Vladivostok. Organized and serving as a top military unit, it demonstrated great heroism as evidenced in numerous archives. A significant part of the unit was comprised of Serbs captured as Austro-Hungarian soldiers and left behind in Russia after the departure of the last divisions of the Serbian Volunteer Corps. Out of the 169 names of volunteers in the “Savoia” Battalion at least 30 Serbian names can be read on the list of war survivors. Their fate and role have unjustly remained unexplored. Although an inherent part of the Italian volunteer unit, they did not lag behind the others in courage, heroism, ability and sacrifice, and they deserve an honourable place in Serbian historiography.

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