Chetnik Divisions

[eiserne kreuz]

Can anyone shed some light on the Chetnik forces involved in the Balkans in WWII. Specifically the order of battle of Divisions, of which two might be Drinar and Sumadija. Thanks in advance.

[Ivan Ž.]

Correction:
Dinarska divizija (Division Dinara) was a četnik formation
and Šumadijska divizija (Division Šumadija) was final name for Serbian Volunteer Corp.

Excellent četnik order of battle can be found in M.Samardžić's book
"Album srpskih četnika gen.Draže Mihailovića u 1000 slika".

Unfortunately i can't post those infos at the moment, since i have that book in my other flat.

Here's a photo of commander of Dinarska divizija,
ex-priest duke Momčilo Đujić.

Cheers,
Ivan

[eiserne kreuz]

Thanks for info. Chap in photo looks very imposing doesnt he?

[Ivan Ž.]

Here you go, četnik order of battle (end of 1943.) according to book i've mentioned.
(in short, i've skipped Brigades and minor units and their commanders):

JVuO high command (Mountain Staff No.1)
Supreme Commander - King Petar II Karađorđević
Chief of Staff - General Dragoljub -Draža Mihailović


Command of Serbia (Mountain Staff No.1a)
Commander - General Miroslav Trifunović
Chief of Staff - Major Dimitrije Antonović

- Krajinski korpus (Mountain Staff No.67)
- Mlavski korpus (Mountain Staff No.69)
- Smederevski korpus (Mountain Staff No.74)
- Avalski korpus (Mountain Staff No.76)
- Rudnički korpus (Mountain Staff No.80)
- I ravnogorski korpus (Mountain Staff No.52)
- I šumadijski korpus (Mountain Staff No.56)
- Oplenački korpus (Korpus Gorske garde) (Mountain Staff No.21a)
- Kosmajski korpus (Mountain Staff No.74)
- Kolubarski korpus (Mountain Staff No.78 )
- Mačvanski korpus (Mountain Staff No.85)
- Cerski korpus (Mountain Staff No.86)
- Valjevski korpus (Mountain Staff No.83)
- Požeški korpus (Mountain Staff No.19)
- II ravnogorski korpus (Mountain Staff No.53)
- Zlatiborski korpus (Mountain Staff No.18 )
- Javorski korpus (Mountain Staff No.51)
- Varvarinski korpus (Mountain Staff No.157)
- II šumadijski korpus (Mountain Staff No.57)
- Rasinski korpus (Mountain Staff No.23)
- Jastrebački korpus (Mountain Staff No.23/1)
- Toplički korpus (Mountain Staff No.33)
- Čegarski korpus (Mountain Staff No.64)
- I kosovski korpus (Mountain Staff No.127)
- II kosovski korpus (Mountain Staff No.193)
- Vlasinski korpus (Mountain Staff No.153)
- Nišavski korpus (Mountain Staff No.45)
- Deligradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.61)
- Timočki korpus (Mountain Staff No.65)
- Knjaževački korpus (Mountain Staff No.190)
- Južnomoravski korpus (Mountain Staff No.165)
- Ivankovački korpus (Mountain Staff No.60)
- Vardarski korpus
- Resavski korpus (Mountain Staff No.79)
- Jablanički korpus (Mountain Staff No.169)


Command of Montenegro & Stari Ras
Commanders
- Lieutenant-Colonel Đorđe Lašić
- Lieutenant-Colonel Pavle Đurišić
Chief of Staff - Major Sava Vukadinović


Command of Montenegro
Commander - Lieutenant-Colonel Pavle Đurišić
Chief of Staff - Major Rudolf Rade Perhinek

- Limski korpus (Mountain Staff No.149)
- Komski korpus (Mountain Staff No.111)
- Durmitorski korpus
- Nikšićki korpus
- Ostroški korpus
- Zetski korpus
- Lovćenski korpus
- Crmničko-primorski korpus
- Bokokotorski korpus
- Dubrovački korpus


Command of Stari Ras (Mountain Staff No.148)
Commander - Major Vojislav Lukačević
Chief of Staff - Major Blagoje Knežević

- I mileševski korpus (Mountain Staff No.505)
- II mileševski korpus


Command of East Bosnia and Herzegowina (Mountain Staff No.200)
Commander - Major Petar Baćović
Chief of Staff - Major Danilo Salatić

- Romanijski korpus (Mountain Staff No.220)
- Drinski korpus
- Nevesinjski korpus
- Trebinjski korpus
- Zenički korpus (Mountain Staff No.240)


Command of West Bosnia (Mountain Staff No.300)
Commander - Major Slavoljub Vranješević
Chief of Staff - Captain Sergije Živanović

- Bosansko-krajiški korpus
- Srednjobosanski korpus (Mountain Staff No.310)
- II srednjobosanski korpus

(Other Bosnian units)
- Majevički korpus
- Ozrenski korpus
- Trebavski korpus


Command of Dinara (Dinarska četnička divizija)
Commander - duke Momčilo Đujić
Chief of Staff - Major David Šoškić

- Korpus "Gavrilo Princip"
- I lički korpus
- I dalmatinski korpus
- II dalmatinski korpus
- III dalmatinski korpus


Command of Upper Lika and Croatian seashore
Commander - duke Dobroslav Jevđević

- Ličkokordunaški korpus
- Primorski korpus


Command of Slovenia and Istra
Commander - Major Karlo Novak


Command of Vojvodina
Commander - Major Dragiša Đ.Rakić


Command of Srem
Commander - Lieutenant-Colonel Dragomir Radovanović


Command of Slavonija
Commander - Colonel Aleksandar Nikolić


Command of Belgrade
Commanders
- Major Žarko Todorović
- Major Radoslav Đurić
- Lieutenant-Colonel Dušan Manojlović
- Captain Ivan Pavlović
- Major Žarko Todorović
- Major Aleksandar -Saša Mihajlović
Chief of Staff
- Captain Branko Stanić
- Major Božidar Ranković

- I beogradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.2/1)
- II beogradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.2/2)
- III beogradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.2/3)
- IV beogradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.2/4)
- V beogradski korpus (Mountain Staff No.2/5)

*Korpus = Corps

[eiserne kreuz]

Thnks for this invaluable data.Just how large was a Korpus? Second question is- why were they also called Mountain Staffs and are there numbers that are not known? Thanks again.

[Ivan Ž.]

At the begining of summer 1941, there were 100 četnik squads.
Squad was made of battalions, battalions of companies (Serbian "četa", members of četa = četniks),
companies of groups of three men.

By D.Mihailović's command on 30.XI 1941, squads became brigades.
In 1942, brigades were grouped into corpes,
and corpes were grouped in groups of corpes by the end of 1943.

Most of the time corps was the basic četnik unit.

(more info later...)

/Ivan

[Ivan Ž.]

JVuO high command (Mountain Staff No.1)

photo 1 - Supreme Commander - King Petar II Karađorđević
photo 2 - Chief of Staff - General Dragoljub -Draža Mihailović

[Ivan Ž.]

Command of Serbia (Mountain Staff No.1a)

photo 1 - Commander - General Miroslav Trifunović
photo 2 - Chief of Staff - Major Dimitrije Antonović

[Ivan Ž.]

Krajinski korpus (Mountain Staff No.67)
Commander:
- Colonel Velimir J.Piletić
Chief of Staff:
- Captain Nikola Gojnić
Brigades:
- Porečka
- Ključka
- Brzopalanačka
- Golubačka
- Zviška
Number of soldiers - 2000 armed men

photo - Commander - Colonel Velimir J.Piletić

[Ivan Ž.]

Mlavski korpus (Mountain Staff No.69)
Commander:
- Colonel Simeun Ocokoljić "Siniša Pazarac"
Replacement commander:
- Captain (?) Puriša Vešović
Brigades:
- Mlavska
- Homoljska
- Moravska
- Ramska
Number of soldiers - 1500 armed men

photo - Commander - Colonel Simeun Ocokoljić

[Ivan Ž.]

More info later, i have to go to work now...

/Ivan

[Momo]

Djuic was a very strong man in pictures and in person.
When I was 10 or so, he asked me my name and when I said Momcilo (his name sake) he had our picture taken and put into the Chetnik newspaper "Serbia". I'll never forget.

Momo

[Ivan Ž.]

Smederevski korpus (Mountain Staff No.74)
Commanders:
- Captain Prokopije Glavičić (1943)
- Lieutenant Živan Lazović (1943-1945)
Brigades:
- Smederevska
- Podunavska
- Palanačka
- Jasenička
- Velikooraška
- Velikoplanska

- II podunavska
- II velikooraška
- II jasenička
Number of soldiers - 1500 armed men

photo - Commander - Lieutenant Živan Lazović

[Ivan Ž.]

Avalski korpus (Mountain Staff No.76)
Commander:
- Captain Svetislav Trifković
Commander assistants:
- Major Dragoslav Đorđević
- Major Josif S.Sendić
Brigades:
- Posavska
- Gročanska
- Vračarska
- Lipovačka
- Flying-Brigade "Major Mišić"
- Flying-Brigade "Captain Mašniković"
Number of soldiers - 1000 armed men

[Ivan Ž.]

Rudnički korpus (Mountain Staff No.80)
Commanders:
- Captain Dragiša Ninković
- Captain Dragomir -Gaga Topalović
Brigades:
- Kačerska
- Kolubarska (Lazarevačka)
Number of soldiers - 800 armed men

photos:
1- Commander - Captain Dragiša Ninković
2- Commander - Captain Dragomir -Gaga Topalović