Stojan Simonović
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Stojan Simonović ( sr-cyr, Стојан Симоновић, 1872–1937), known by his ''
nom de guerre A ''nom de guerre'' (, 'war name') is a pseudonym chosen by someone to use when they are involved in a particular activity, especially fighting in a war. In Ancien régime, ''ancien régime'' Kingdom of France, France it would be adopted by each n ...
'' Koruba (Коруба), was a Serbian Chetnik.


Early life

Simonović was born into a poor family in Šaprance, at the time part of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
. In 1878 the Preševo ''
kaza A kaza (, "judgment" or "jurisdiction") was an administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire, administrative division of the Ottoman Empire. It is also discussed in English under the names district, subdistrict, and juridical district. Kazas co ...
'', a frontier district on the Ottoman-Serbian border, was established, which included his village. He did not go to school, and worked as a shepherd. When he got older, the
guerilla Guerrilla warfare is a form of unconventional warfare in which small groups of irregular military, such as rebels, partisans, paramilitary personnel or armed civilians, which may include recruited children, use ambushes, sabotage, terrorism ...
movement began in the region.


Serbian Chetnik Organization

Stojan crossed the border in night-time and entered the frontier villages, and went to the Monastery of St. Panteleimon in
Lepčince Lepčince is a village in the municipality of Vranje, Serbia , image_flag = Flag of Serbia.svg , national_motto = , image_coat = Coat of arms of Serbia.svg , national_anthem = () , image_map ...
where he contacted the Central Board of Vranje, then swore oath. He was initially a ''jatak'', helper, and was entrusted with delivering important letters, then escorted bands in groups of ten across the border into the Preševo kaza and also into Macedonia, none of which died. His knowledge of geography made him a pillar of the organization, and he also delivered armament and participated in many events and fights against Ottoman ''
askeri Under the Ottoman Empire, an askeri (Ottoman Turkish: عسكري) was a member of a class of military administrators. This elite class consisted of three main groups: the military, the court officials, and clergy. Though the term ''askeri'' itse ...
'', cavalry and frontier soldiers. The Chetnik band heading for
Poreč Poreč (; known also by several alternative names) is a town and municipality on the western coast of the Istrian peninsula, in Istria County, west Croatia. Its major landmark is the 6th-century Euphrasian Basilica, which was designated a UN ...
, numbering 27 men, descended at dawn on March 27 into the village of Tabanovce. They carried a load of 101 rifles and 30,000 rounds of ammunition. It was commanded by sergeant Vladimir Kovačević, the ''vojvoda'', and the nephew of Herzegovinian revolutionary Stojan Kovačević. The band included, among others, sergeant Veselin Veselinović, lieutenant Dragomir Protić (Kovačević's deputy), sublieutenant Dragomir Vasiljević, Koruba, and Stojan Ristić-Giljanac. The unit's most experienced were Veselinović, Koruba, and Giljanac. Immediately upon arriving, Kovačević divided the band, sending a group of six under Veselinović to a house at the opposite end of the village, while the others were placed in two neighboring houses. A Turkish informant saw Veselinović's group and informed the
Kumanovo Kumanovo ( ; , sq-definite, Kumanova; also known by other #Etymology, alternative names) is the second-largest city in North Macedonia after the capital Skopje and the seat of Kumanovo Municipality, the List of municipalities in the Republic ...
garrison, who already in the early afternoon began searching the houses. Vasiljević was seriously wounded, while Vitko Vranjanac was shot dead; Stojan promptly reacted and ran through the yard, killing two soldiers, then took Vasiljević to safety. The Askeri surrounded Veselinović's house, and
reformed Reform is beneficial change. Reform, reformed or reforming may also refer to: Media * ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang * Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group * ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine Places * Reform, Al ...
Ottoman officer Turić informed the besieged that they had been abandoned by their comrades, who had fled before the army, and that he guaranteed them their lives if they surrendered; as resistance in these circumstances would be futile, they surrendered. Around 15:00 Kovačević's groups and the Ottoman army clashed. Protić and Vasiljević were killed right away when they attempted to break out. The Chetniks fought bravely and stopped the onslaught, which lasted until late at night, with the army retreating; the Ottomans most often avoided nightly engagements with the guerillas. The Ottomans had 60 dead and wounded, while the Chetniks had 11 dead and two lightly wounded. The most notable commanders appreciated the boldness, resourcefulness, lively intelligence, mental and physical stamina of Stojan Koruba. When he appeared, the Chief of the Head Staff, the supreme commander, would stand and walk with him. He became respected in the
Preševo Preševo ( sr-Cyrl, Прешево, ; , ) is a town and municipality located in the Pčinja District of southern Serbia. As of the 2022 census, the municipality has a population of 33,449 inhabitants. It is the southernmost town in Central Serbia a ...
''kaza'', especially in the Pčinja region. The Ottoman frontier units organized many ambushes and pursuits, but he always managed to escape. However, he once fell into the trap; crossing the border from Serbia with an important letter from the Executive Board for the Chief of all Chetniks in the Ottoman Empire, he descended through the Pčinja valley and disguised himself in a watermill, then went home to see his family. He had no idea that the Askeri organized a major ambush in the form of a semicircle. He immediately dropped to the ground and swallowed the letter, unseen to the soldiers, who then stripped and beat him with sticks. In a pool of blood, he saw his house set on fire, and heard the cries of his wife and father, and was then taken to prison in
Skopje Skopje ( , ; ; , sq-definite, Shkupi) is the capital and largest city of North Macedonia. It lies in the northern part of the country, in the Skopje Basin, Skopje Valley along the Vardar River, and is the political, economic, and cultura ...
. They did not find the golden coins which he had hid; he bribed the guards and escaped. Arriving at Šaprance, his family was alive, and he took them across the border to
Vranjska Banja The City municipality of Vranjska Banja ( sr-cyrl, Градска општина Врањска Бања, Gradska opština Vranjska Banja) is a town and one of two city municipalities which constitute the City of Vranje. It is also one of the spa ...
. He then re-joined the Chetniks, who henceforth nicknamed him "the Fox" (Lisica). Since 1911 he lived with his family in
Vranjska Banja The City municipality of Vranjska Banja ( sr-cyrl, Градска општина Врањска Бања, Gradska opština Vranjska Banja) is a town and one of two city municipalities which constitute the City of Vranje. It is also one of the spa ...
, where he received wages and land.


Balkan Wars and World War I

In 1912, with Serbian soldiers and Chetniks, he participated in breaking the Ottoman border post on the Staračka Kula, and descending into Pčinja and the
Monastery of Prohor Pčinjski A monastery is a building or complex of buildings comprising the domestic quarters and workplaces of Monasticism, monastics, monks or nuns, whether living in Cenobitic monasticism, communities or alone (hermits). A monastery generally includes a ...
. From there, he went to the
Battle of Kumanovo The Battle of Kumanovo (Serbian: Кумановска битка / Kumanovska bitka, Turkish: Kumanova Muharebesi), on 23–24 October 1912, was a major battle of the First Balkan War. It was an important Serbian victory over the Ottoman army ...
where he distinguished himself. In World War I he crossed Albania and across Greece and the
Salonica front The Macedonian front, also known as the Salonica front (after Thessaloniki), was a military theatre of World War I formed as a result of an attempt by the Allied Powers to aid Serbia, in the autumn of 1915, against the combined attack of Germa ...
, Vardar valley and Morava valley, in the offensive that liberated Serb lands. He died in 1937 and was buried in Vranjska Banja. His son Vlada, a teacher, had two daughters who married and moved from Vranjska Banja.


Legacy

Stojan Koruba was regarded to have been the most skillful and daring of the Chetnik escorts during the organization's eight years of operations.
Milosav Jelić Milosav Jelić (Skobalj (Smederevo), Kingdom of Serbia, 13 March 1883 – Belgrade, Yugoslavia, 6 July 1947) was a Serbian chetnik active in Old Serbia and North Macedonia, Macedonia. He was also a writer, war poet and one of the leading Belgrade j ...
wrote a poem about him, in the work ''Srbijanski venac'' (1919).


References


Sources

* * * * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Koruba, Stojan 20th-century Serbian people Chetniks of the Macedonian Struggle People from Trgovište 1872 births 1937 deaths Serbian military personnel of the Balkan Wars Serbian military personnel of World War I Royal Serbian Army soldiers