Ilija Gojković

Ilija Gojković (Serbian Cyrillic: Илија Гојковић; 2 August 1854 – 15 February 1917) was a Serbian military commander and Minister of Defence.

He served during the Serbian–Turkish Wars, the Balkan Wars and during the Serbian Campaign (part of the larger Balkans Campaign) during World War I. He became well known for commanding the Serbs in the east around Timok.

Career Gojković was the Minister of Defence of the Kingdom of Serbia from 4 March 1910 to 24 February 1911. He commanded Morava division 1st ban during the Battle of Cer and was criticized by the commander of the 2nd army, general Stepa Stepanović for lackluster performance on the first day of the battle, but performed well thereafter and contributed significantly to the Serbian victory.

Death While traveling to the Salonica front on the Italian troopship SS Minas the latter was sunk by a German submarine SM U-39 near Sicily. Gojković reportedly refused to surrender and was killed while shooting back at the surfaced submarine with his service revolver. He drowned in the Ionian Sea.

Gojković was the highest ranking member of the Serbian Army that died in combat during the First World War.