The Serbian victory at the
Battle of Cer came at a cost with losses of officers and sub-officers, with the command cadre already weakened by the
Balkan Wars. In order to replenish the officer ranks, the Serbian High Command decided that all students eligible for military service be called for military training in
Skopje. These students were in high school or alumni of gymnasiums, as well as European universities. Some students had already joined as volunteers on the front, and were also called to training in Skopje. They were to support the units at the front that had great losses and had lost faith in a victory. On 14 September 1914 youngsters of several generations down to birth year 1893 began
physical examination, and were then organized into a "Student company" (). The numbers rose in the coming days to around 1,300, and a "Student battalion" was established, with initially five companies of more than 200 each, and a later sixth with European students. They swore Oath in front of general
Damjan Popović,
potpukovnik Dušan Glišić, Metropolitan
Vićentije Krdžić and other officers at the field with an artillery barracks. They danced the
kolo and Popović was enthusiastic, claiming that almost a third of the students had already gained experience fighting in the Balkan Wars. Most of the students came from the
University of Belgrade, and there were also 300 recently finished teachers. Infantry
potpukovnik Glišić was tasked with quickly training the students and sending them to the front. The battalion was organized into six companies: • 1st, called
Plemići, made up mostly of students from Valjevo and Užice • 2nd, called
Bukvarci, made up of agricultural students from Niš, Toplica and Vranje • 3rd, called
Rmpalije, made up mostly of students from Šumadija • 4th, called
Ruzmarini, made up of students from University of Belgrade • 5th, called
Ćevabdžije, made up of students from newly acquired provinces of Serbia and Montenegro, and Austria-Hungary • 6th, called
Kalašture, made up of students in Europe The Serbian High Command gave the rank
kaplar/podnarednik, the lowest sub-officer rank, to all members of the battalion on 15 November 1914. In January 1915 ranks were elevated to
đak-narednik and on 25 October 1915 the rank reserve
potporučnik. The Student Battalion defended Serbia at the end of 1915, retreated through Albania, died on
Vido and on the
Salonica Front. Some members were retired following the war with the rank reserve infantry
poručnik. ==Battle==