▁British ▁Mal ta ; ▁the ▁division ▁was ▁responsible ▁for ▁pat rolling ▁the ▁area ▁between ▁Cap o ▁Col onna ▁in ▁southern ▁Italy ▁and ▁the ▁eastern most ▁point ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁island ▁of ▁Cre te . ▁ ▁At ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 5 , ▁the ▁French ▁and ▁British ▁decided ▁that ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁position ▁in ▁Mont en eg ro ▁and ▁Alban ia ▁was ▁un ten able ▁and ▁that ▁the ▁army ▁would ▁have ▁to ▁be ▁ev acu ated . ▁They ▁decided ▁to ▁occup y ▁the ▁neutral ▁island ▁of ▁Cor fu ▁to ▁provide ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁the ▁Ser bs ▁to ▁recuper ate ▁and ▁to ▁re build ▁their ▁army . ▁Jules ▁Fer ry ▁fer ried ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁occupation ▁force ▁to ▁Cor fu ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁In ▁March , ▁the ▁Al lies ▁decided ▁to ▁occup y ▁the ▁Greek ▁island ▁of ▁Arg ost oli ▁to ▁serve ▁as ▁a ▁base ▁for ▁the ▁battle f le et ▁while ▁the ▁arm ored ▁cru is ers ▁were ▁based ▁further ▁north ▁at ▁Cor fu . ▁The ▁Royal ▁Ser bian ▁Army ▁was ▁de emed ▁fit ▁for ▁combat ▁in ▁May ▁and ▁the ▁French ▁arm ored ▁cru is ers ▁provided ▁distant ▁cover ▁for ▁the ▁transfer ▁to ▁the ▁Sal onica ▁Front ▁until ▁it ▁was ▁completed ▁on ▁ 1 5 ▁June . ▁Short ages ▁of ▁coal ▁and ▁trained ▁man power ▁ham per ed ▁most ▁training ▁for ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁and ▁became ▁even ▁worse ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 7 . ▁On ▁ 1 2 ▁August ,