Branislav R. Milosavljević (Serbian Cyrillic: Бранислав Р. Милосављевић; 2 August 1879 – 17 April 1944) was a poet and a colonel of the Army of the Kingdom of Serbia, the first mayor of Durrës within Drač County and author of numerous patriotic poems, most notably the famous war poem Izgnanici, better known as Kreće se lađa francuska (The French Ship is Sailing). During World War I, his patriotism inspired him to write stirring war songs, one which, Kreće se lađa francuska, was printed by the order of King Peter I of Serbia and distributed in the thousands. It was immediately transcribed into music. In 1940, Milosavljević retired to his property at Belgrade, where he, by his vast library of books, devoted himself to literature for the rest of his life. Milosavljević's dramatic talent was characteristically Serbian, his poems were well constructed and effective, arousing emotions. After returning from Nazi captivity, he was killed in Belgrade on 17 April 1944 as a result of the Allied bombing of Yugoslavia. References 1879 births 1944 deaths Military personnel from Požarevac Royal Serbian Army soldiers Serbian military personnel of the Balkan Wars Serbian military personnel of World War I Royal Yugoslav Army personnel of World War II World War II prisoners of war held by Germany Serbian male poets Mayors of Durrës 20th-century Serbian people Deaths by airstrike during World War II Burials at Belgrade New Cemetery Serbian civilians killed in World War II Yugoslav prisoners of war Poets from the Kingdom of Serbia