FM. Svetozar BOROEVIC Von Bojna

O P I N I O N

of the application for military knights cross of the Maria Theresa Order of the captain Johann ISKRIC:

I fully agree with the opinions of the corpus command

515, 6/29/1918

Boroevic fm.
than the commander of the Isonzo army

Imperial-royal command of I. infantry division

Fmlt. Josef M e t z g e r.
Op. Nr. 616.

O P I N I O N
of the request of captain I s k r i c for Maria Theresa Order.

With gentle appearances and modest behaviour, captain I s k r i c combines tremendous will power with simple and utter carelessness for personal safety, which is in my opinion the highest and the noblest form of heroism, which can be also applied to his subordinates.
Highest opinion of captain Iskric, which I had even before 11. battle of Soca, and the trust for his persistence and his reliable and skilful leadership was guiding me, when I relieved sickened major G a a l and appointed captain Iskric to be the commander of battalion on a very important section of the front at AUZZA (Avce). At that time, in the august 1917 there were many signs of Italian spreading their attacks to the section of LOG -- DOBLAR -- AUZZA (Avce).
Captain Iskric completely fulfilled given trust and has persisted in three days of heavy battle and hopeless situation and so exceeded his orders and duties, as only a hero could.
I had been an eyewitness to the battles on the heights of LOM from the position of the command of the I. infantry division on height 981 at KOREN and I am confirming the accuracy of the description of the battle in the application of captain I s k r i c.
Even though surrounded on the right wing at village OVSJE, and on the left wing under FRATTA, captain Iskric has in time form 8/18 until 8/20 deflected all the enemy's attacks and attempts of crossing at his section.
Until 8/20 in the morning he could still hope for ease of his situation by counter-attacks of our troops on both neighbouring sections, but in the same time he knew that for the success of those counter-attacks the space at AVCE had to be held at any price.
On the 8/20 in the morning it has became clear to the captain I s k r i c  that the counter-attack of the 37. Sch. regiment on the right wing had failed and in the same time the enemy had advanced over the top VRH, so the counter-attack of the 21. Sch. division wasn't possible anymore.
Although captain I s k r i c (in spite of seemingly hopeless situation and in spite of commanding 22. Geb. brigade has specifically let the decision of the retreat to his judgement) had on 8/20 persisted with his forces on his territory, my duty commands me to acknowledge that with this connection of powerful enemy troops on the section at AVCE (and with that holding enemy assaults in the direction of the villages OVSJE and SIROKA NJIVA) the command of the I. infantry division had been given a chance to, with arrival of backup forces, form the new continuos front line on the height LOM and so to stop the enemy.
Thanks to unbreakable determination of captain Iskric, the enemy assault on the heights of LOM was limited and theirs plans to came behind enemy at the bridging at MOST NA SOCI failed. The request of the captain Iskric for the military knights cross of the Maria Theresa Order is in my opinion well founded and justified.

Field post Nr. 521 2/5/1918.

Metzger feldmarshal

Imperial-royal military command Przemysl

Generalmajor Vendelin Colerus Von Geldern

Certificate of courage

Captain Johann Iskric K.u.k. I.R. 86 had been in 11th battle of Isonzo from 8/17 - 8/20 1917 as commander of section of Soca coastal position at Avce, because of his heroism, fearless courage and his continuos self-esteem, so stimulative to his team so that they insisted on position even when both flanks were destroyed and the back seriously threatened.
Captain Iskric had furthermore deflected all attempts of enemy crossing of Soca at Roncinj and fought many assaults of the enemy and by doing that held the enemy from winning our positions.

Przemysl, 4/1/1918

Vendelin Colerus Von Geldern generalmajor
than commandant of 22. Ldst. G. brigade
and superior officer

1st General-headquarters' officer of command of 1st infantry division

Captain of General-headquarters

Erich Von R E I S E N A U E R

R E P O R T

Of captain I S K R I C's (infantry battalion III/85) actions during 11th battle of Isonzo

On the 8/19/1917 the command of the 1stinfantry division, where I was than stationed had appointed me to relieve heavily wounded captain zug. dem Gtsbe. P O D H R A J S K Y on the watch position as the 1st General-headquarters officer of the 22nd mountain brigade. Brigade command of the 22nd mountain brigade was in that time in the mountain Na Grad, directly behind first front line, which has given me direct view over the battlefield and the position of captain ISKRIC.
The description of the position in the report of captain ISKRIC is completely accurate.
The link between brigade's command and the position of captain ISKRIC was continuously interrupted because of extreme heavy enemy shelling of the whole position. All the attempts of regaining the telephone or courier links had failed, because of heavy losses of the telephone troops and couriers. Even visual link was impossible because of explosions and smoke. Continuos connection and the passing of orders were in these conditions impossible. The leadership was so given to the officers on the battlefield, mainly to the captain Iskric, who was well known to the brigade's commands.
8/20 in the afternoon I managed to give to captain ISKRIC, beside the information of the situation, the orders of the brigade's command in which he was told to hold as long as he can but the moment of the retreat was given to his judgement.
Brigade's command than saw that captain ISKRIC was in double surrounded and in the same time the situation was given to us by the phone from 1st General-headquarters' officer of the 1st. infantry division - lieutenant-colonel Z I M M E R.
Because captain ISKRIC was determined to hold his positions, but the links and help were impossible, so the total destruction of his team was foreseeable. That result would be devastating for the front line, because there wasn't any backup to secure the line.
Captain ISKRIC had exceeded his duties tremendously.
The team under his command was functioning as a wedge deep behind the enemy lines. It has successfully defending the progress of the Italians and was one of the best successes in those days.
All of us, who were witnesses of the actions of the team under command of captain ISKRIC, are full of admiration.
As I am proud, that I was personally involved in those hard battles on the field of glory I am also convinced that the work of captain ISKRIC and his heroic few will be one of the best chapters in the history of our army.

Field post nr.512, 2/3/1918

Erich Von Reisenauer captain
during 11th Isonzo battle 1st General-headquarters
officer of the 22nd mountain brigade

Infantry battalion IV/25

lieutenant-colonel Josef Navratil

Certificate of courage
of mr captain Johann Iskric for his application for
military knights cross of the Maria Theresa Order

I was adjutant of the section Log - Auzza (Avce) in the mentioned battles, and as an eyewitness I am aware of all of the events. They were going on in the exact way as they are written in the report of the battle.
I am especially confirming that the connection to the highest commands was disconnected almost all the time and that therefore captain Iskric was in the time of the critical situation doing everything on his initiative. If the connections were functioning for the brief time, it was used exclusively for the directioning of our artillery.
I am also confirming that because of threatened positions on the 8/20 in the afternoon, the command of the 22nd Ldstm. Geb. brigade let the decision of the retreat to captain Iskric, but captain Iskric has voluntarily decided to carry on.
Not until captain Iskric collapsed and had to be carried away, the command for the retreat which than began, came from the brigade's command.
Captain Iskric had arranged the defence of the section immediately after gaining command of the section, even before 11th battle of Isonzo. During the battle he was constantly active and had influenced his subordinates with his appearance and special courage. His influence is the main reason for any hesitation, which has occurred from times to times in the face of the critical situation, to disappear instantly and that the front held so long.

Josef Navratil lieutenant-colonel
k.u k.
Inft.Baon. IV/25

K. u. k. Infant. Regt. No. 83

Karl Siesz
Oblt.i.d. Res.

Certificate of courage
of mr captain Johann Iskric for his application for
military knights cross of the Maria Theresa Order

As the second adjutant and the communications officer I took part in the battles which occurred exactly as they are written in the report of the battle. I was always near captain Iskric and I can confirm as an eyewitness, that during the battles he was constantly active.
With his remarkable personal courage and his tranquillity in all the critical situations, he had influenced his team in such manner that any hesitation immediately disappeared and everyone had great trust in the captain and held in the battle.
In spite of all the efforts, the connection with the higher command was unavailable during the whole day and so captain Iskric depended only to his inactive.
Captain Iskric had all the time and in every hard situation working with his own inactive. This was also true when the brigade's command, who had realised the hopeless situation of the men fighting there, gave the command for retreat. In spite of this he had held positions until he could. He hold in voluntarily so long as he could.
Soon after he collapsed, the retreat began.

Field post nr 4, 3/22/1918

Karl Siesz oblt i. d. R.
than assigned to I. R. 83 from I. R. 48