Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

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David W
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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#16

Post by David W » 14 Feb 2015, 11:03

Thanks.

Any idea of its movements in the latter half of 1942?

trekker
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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#17

Post by trekker » 15 Feb 2015, 13:40

David W wrote: Any idea of its movements in the latter half of 1942?
None. I'll post when I get something.


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David W
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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#18

Post by David W » 15 Feb 2015, 13:43

Thanks

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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#19

Post by trekker » 18 Feb 2015, 14:08

David W wrote:Any idea of its movements in the latter half of 1942?
I have just read a diary of a Slovene living in Jerusalem in 1942. He mentioned the Yugoslav Guards Battalion being near Haifa twice – on 13.9.1942 and on 20.12.1942. Adding general Auchinleck's statement that the battalion was moved to Haifa as it was considered desirable to remove its Slovene members from the possibility of contact with the Italian army I think one can reasonably assume that the Yugoslav Guards Battalion passed the September - December 1942 period near Haifa, occasionally leaving the camp for military training.

The same author mentioned that the battalion was 800 men strong since September 1942. He could only obtain this information from Yugoslavs living in Jerusalem. One of them he met regularly was colonel Stropnik - well-connected to the battalion, being its commander in 1943.

Regards.

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David W
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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#20

Post by David W » 18 Feb 2015, 14:16

Thanks.

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MarkoZ
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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#21

Post by MarkoZ » 19 Feb 2015, 19:30

My father was in the King of Yugoslavia's Guards Regiment they disappeared after the German Invasion, the British Army used released POWS to form units to 'Guard' military facilities, My uncle and Godfather served in such units.
This unit is clearly one of the latter units.
I think it would be more practical to refer to them as Guard Battalions ie security units rather than use the term Royal which would suggest an Elite unit.

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Re: Royal Yugoslavian Guards Battalion serving Africa'42

#22

Post by trekker » 20 Feb 2015, 09:05

I am of different opinion, Marko.
After having been invaded, the king, government and seven generals of Yugoslavia fled the country and left their army alone. Yet, when they arrived to the Middle East, they realized they had some kind of the army – a submarine, two torpedo boats and ten seaplanes with the men who had disobeyed orders of their superiors to hand their arms to the enemy. Instead, they escaped via Greece to Alexandria, Egypt. So, the Royal Yugoslav Government, already having a small navy and air force, established the 1st Royal Yugoslav Guards Battalion end of May 1941. There were no soldiers yet, just officers. Therefore, the purpose of establishing the battalion was not a military but political one. The King and Government of Yugoslavia wanted to show they had an army of their own - similar to the Polish and Greek armies in the Middle East. It was also the political interest of the Great Britain to present a wide alliance of armies proving she was not alone to stand against the Axis so the British assisted the Yugoslav Royal Army officers to recruit POW.

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