Non German/Italian Airborne Units

[Von_Genschler]

Anyone have any information on these kinds of units? I believe Bulgaria had a parachute unit? Did it serve/see any kind of action? The only thing I can recall from a photograph is that they had rather large 'tashes!

[KACKO]

I believe, Bulgarian paras, same as Slovak saw action...
Against Germans.

[Von_Genschler]

I believe, Bulgarian paras, same as Slovak saw action...
Against Germans.

Hello Kacko!

Nothing like biting the hand that feeds you

Do you know of any websites/resources?

Thanks,

OVG

[KACKO]

Well I don't know who fed who, but what I red Slovakia exported so much materials and products (food, ore etc.) to Germany, that Germany was actually in debts to Slovakia. Maybe that's what was uprising about - to get the money back.
Anyway. About Slovaks we already had few topics on Minor Axis Nations Forum. And Bulgarians. Hmm. I saw link year or two ago. I will look in my computer if I still have this link for Bulgarians.

[Von_Genschler]

;)
Well I don't know who fed who, but what I red Slovakia exported so much materials and products (food, ore etc.) to Germany, that Germany was actually in debts to Slovakia. Maybe that's what was uprising about - to get the money back.
Anyway. About Slovaks we already had few topics on Minor Axis Nations Forum. And Bulgarians. Hmm. I saw link year or two ago. I will look in my computer if I still have this link for Bulgarians.

Thanks!

[dibo]

We had a drujina (battalion) of paratroopers and yes it saw action against the Germans in 1944. Here are some links in Bulgarian that contain some photoes of the paratroopers:
http://bgarmy.eamci.bg/Scripts/isapiVWB ... MEID=42616
http://www.vi-books.com/vis/vis4/vis4_3/08.htm
http://www.eamci.bg/Scripts/isapiVWB.dl ... MEID=18797

[KACKO]

Excellent dibo. And even pretty easy to read.

I believe I saw link about Bulgarian Paras in English, but can't find it anymore.

Von_Genschler, here is link to Brief history of Slovak Para. More was published in Slovak books Slovenske letectvo 2 and 3. In 2 it's building and training and 3 actions in Uprising in September and October 1944.
http://www.geocities.com/cs_helmets/para.html

[taltos]

There were also two Hungarain paratrooper battalions. They served in Yugoslavia, and after that I don't think they were in combat until the Russians and Romanians entered Hungary in 1944. At that time they were incorperated into the St. Laszlo division which was a mix of multiple fagmented units. Here's a photo of a paratrooper tunic a friend of mine owns.

John

[Serbian boy]

Yes, some soldiers of the hungarian paratrooper regiment (not battalion) sawed action against yugoslav troops...The Hungarians planned in 12th april with three SM-75 planes, carring 3*30 paratroopers to made jump near Novi Sad-Ujvidek, but the first plane fall back from around 50 meter height, 23 paratroopers died and 6 more suffered serious wounds.After this the operation was continued but only 24 paratroopers (three planes with eight soldiers) were dropped. The landing zone was missed for around 20-25 km.The action was ended in 21 hour 10 minutes.

[Von_Genschler]

Thanks people,this is excellent!

[Ardee]

The Romanians also had paratroops, according to (IIRC) Osprey. Can't remember anything about their combat activity.

[Dan E. Moe]

I remember seeing something about Romania opening a paratrooper school in 1937, anybody know more about this?

Dan

[dragos03]

More details here:
http://www.worldwar2.ro/organizare/?article=26

The 4th Paras Battalion didn't see any action against the Soviets. When Romania concluded an armistice with the Allies on 23 August 1944, it was one of the few combat units around Bucharest that were available to protect the capital against the Germans, who attacked almost immediately. It saw heavy combat (used as regular infantry) and performed well, even against elite German units such as the Brandemburg commandos. Its heaviest losses came from a friendly fire incident, when an USAAF raid intended to hit the Germans bombed their positions instead. The unit was later disbanded, along with many other of the elite Romanian units, at the request of the Soviets.

It is possible that other smaller Romanian para units, which were used as airfield security troops, were the ones that repulsed several commando attacks of the Brandemburgers directed against Romanian airfields after 23 August (the purpose of these raids was to destroy the German planes in Romanian service).

[Csaba Becze]

16 Hungarian paratroopers died at the crash of Veszprém, not 23. BTW it was a Battliaon at this time, not a Regiment (the Regiment was formed later)
The Hungarian paratroopers fought not just in 1944-45 intensively, but earlier as well (in 1942-43 many NCO's and officers were sent the the motorized infantry of the 1st Field-Armoured Division to collect wartime experiences). In every cases, they performed superbly.

[J]

Nezavisna Država Hrvatska also had a Parachute Battalion

http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=4102 - note that the correct word for battalion is bojna and not bonja as written in the text

and the 17. company on the eastern front

http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=4103 - note that while 17. satnija is correct it was also known as 17. sat due to nightmarish grammar standardisations