Military ranks of Serbia

River Flotilla

Although a landlocked country, Serbia maintains a river flotilla (small river navy) of about 15 vessels on the Danube river.

Generals

There were only three ranks in pre-World War I Serbia: General (from 1872), Army General (from 1900 to 1901) and Field Marshal (Serbian: Бојни Bojвода / Bojni Vojvoda) (from 1901). Four ranks were introduced in Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes in 1923, and lasted until 1945. There were only two types of shoulder cords: with doubleheaded eagle and coat of arms of Kingdom of SHS or Kingdom of Yugoslavia for Field Marshal and without for all other General ranks. The different general grades were indicated by 6-pointed stars on the cuffs. Also the backing cloth for the shoulder cords was light blue for army general (was honorary rank in period from 1900-1901) and divisional generals and in a colour of service for brigadier general. During the Middle Ages, the Vojvoda was a military commander rank and a noble titule. In the Balkan Wars and World War I this title was used to designate the highest military rank in Serbian Army and later Royal Yugoslav Army (above the General - as equalent of Field Marshal in other armies). This rank was introduced by the law on the Organization of the Army Kingdom of Serbia in 1901. It has been awarded only during the war for: special merits of top generals. The first Field Marshal was promoted by the Great military decree of the Kingdom of Serbia on 20 October 1912. Only four people ever officially held that military rank: Radomir Putnik (got it in 1912), Stepa Stepanović (1914), Živojin Mišić (1914) and Petar Bojović (1918). Honorary title but not military rank held Montenegrin General Janko Vukotić (1915) and the French General Louis Franchet d'Espérey (1921). After unification of Kingdom of Serbia in to Kingdom SHS (later Kingdom Yugoslavia) no further officers where promoted to rank of Field Marshal. King of Yugoslavia held the rank of Supreme Commander and wear special Field Marshal uniform.