Yugoslav Naval Commanders?

[William Russ]

Does anyone know who was in command of the Yugoslav naval coastal forces on April 6th 1941? I cannot find any reference to who it was in all my research for the Axis invasion.
best regards, Bill

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi,

The Yugoslav Sea Coast Command (Pomorska Obalska Komanda) was led by Rear-Admiral Tomo T. Tijanovic.

[William Russ]

Thanks Steen . Your Generals of World War 2 is a great resource. I've used it many a time trying to find information on some of the more obscure Yugoslavian commanders.

all the best, Bill

[Dr Eisvogel]

Hi,

The Yugoslav Sea Coast Command (Pomorska Obalska Komanda) was led by Rear-Admiral Tomo T. Tijanovic.

Dear Mr. Ammentorp,

it seems that the correct version of the Rear-Admiral's surname is Tijanić.

On the following link there are data about many admirals including him, such as birthday, date of promotion to rear-admiral and date of death:
http://www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?to ... 4.130;wap2

Tomo Tijanić
born: 16th September 1887
promoted to rear-admiral: 1st December 1939
died: 7th October 1953

It seems that in the Austro-Hungarian Navy he was known as Thomas Edl.[er] v.[on] Thianich.
http://www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?to ... .275;imode

***

According to this blog Rear-Admiral Tijanić was declared military deserter in March of 1942 in Official Gazette (Službene novine) of the Ministry of Armed Forces of Kingdom of Yugoslavia-in-exile.
http://blog.dnevnik.hr/mojeduhovnevjezb ... avije.html

Also, according to the same blog the commander of the Royal Yugoslav Navy in the April War was Rear-Admiral Julije Luterotti/Luteroti. According to the above list of admirals, he was born on 6th January 1884, promoted to Rear-Admiral on 1st December 1937.

The Czech site has his name as Julije Luteroti, while the blog has him as Julije Luterotti.
http://en.valka.cz/topic/view/68190/Luteroti-Julije

***

Also, the Zagreb City Cemeteries page confirms that there is person under such a name, surname and date of death buried on Mirogoj cemetery:

Prezime [Surname]: TIJANIĆ
Ime [Name]: TOMO
Groblje [Cemetery]: MIROGOJ
Odjel [Department]: RKT [Roman Catholic]
Polje [Field]: 83A
Razred [Class]: II
Broj [Number]: 286
Datum smrti [Date of death]: 07.10.1953
Datum ukopa [Date of burial]:
Starost [Age]: 66

http://www.gradskagroblja.hr/default.aspx?id=382

***

Finally, there is a very valuable article written by one of the naval officers Jerko Kačić-Dimitri, who was the chief of staff for the fleet commander Milan Domainko, with the names of all the ship commanders in the April War: Das Ende der königlich jugoslawischen Flotte, about the last days of Royal Yugoslav Navy:
https://www.google.hr/url?sa=t&rct=j&q= ... bs.2,d.bGg

***

On this page, there are many facsimiles of the Official Military Gazette (Službeni vojni list) pages from 1919 and 1920 announcing incorporation of the former Austro-Hungarian naval personnel into the Navy of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, with their ranks indicated.
http://www.paluba.info/smf/index.php?topic=6582.15

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi,

Thank you for the addition and sources. The name I have on him is from the entry on him in: Generali i admirali kraljevine Jugoslavije 1918-1941 by Mile S. Bjelajac, Beograd 2004.

[zastava128]

Hi, I just wanted to add that in my limited experience Bjelajac isn't very reliable. For example, in the case of the aforementioned admiral Luterotti, he gets most of the dates wrong. He even misses the date of death by 10 years! (1946 instead of 1956)

I know this since, as part of a project I worked on, I accessed Luterotti's personal archival fond in the Croatian State Archives: http://arhinet.arhiv.hr/details.aspx?ItemId=1_4942

p.s. The admiral wrote his name as Julijan Luterotti, though some sources list his surname as Luteroti, and his first name as Giulio or Julije.

[Dr Eisvogel]

Hi, I just wanted to add that in my limited experience Bjelajac isn't very reliable. For example, in the case of the aforementioned admiral Luterotti, he gets most of the dates wrong. He even misses the date of death by 10 years! (1946 instead of 1956)

I know this since, as part of a project I worked on, I accessed Luterotti's personal archival fond in the Croatian State Archives: http://arhinet.arhiv.hr/details.aspx?ItemId=1_4942

p.s. The admiral wrote his name as Julijan Luterotti, though some sources list his surname as Luteroti, and his first name as Giulio or Julije.

Dear Mr. zastava128,

thank you for the information regarding the proper name of the admiral Julijan Luterotti.

The article by Jerko Kačić-Dimitri, Das Ende der königlich jugoslawischen Flotte, cited above, also uses the version Julijan adapted to German language as Julian, instead of other mentioned forms.

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Dili]

Strange i have Coastal Defence Command by Armijski General Živko Stanisaviljević. Not an Admiral.

[Dr Eisvogel]

Strange i have Coastal Defence Command by Armijski General Živko Stanisaviljević. Not an Admiral.

Dear Dili,

first the surname of the general is Živko Stanisavljević and not Stanisaviljević.

Secondly, when according your source, was general Stanisavljević in charge of Coastal Defence Command?

I've found his biography on the Serbian Ministry of Defense web-site, in the section about Military Intelligence history.
http://www.voa.mod.gov.rs/sr-lat/istori ... M5lu2_yvIU

He is mentioned as commander of Primorska arm. obl.[ast] (Maritime Army District) between 27th November 1937 and 13th November 1940. But that was land forces and not naval district/command.

I guess he was retired on 13th November 1940, because no more duties are listed.

The web-page says that in April War of 1941 he was commander of the Troops of Maritime Army District and as such became a POW. Again, it's the land forces command and not a naval command.

U AR kdt Trupa primorske arm.obl. Odveden u zarobljeništvo.

***

I think, based on Kačić-Dimitri's article, it is safe to say that in April War of 1941 the Coastal Defense Command was commanded by Rear Admiral Tomo Tijanić and not gen. Živko Stanisavljević.

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Dili]

So it appears i am making a confusion between those commands. Thanks Dr Eisvogel.

Edit: What were the responsibilities of this Coastal Defense Command: small patrol ships,local minelaying and minesweeping?

[Dr Eisvogel]

So it appears i am making a confusion between those commands. Thanks Dr Eisvogel.

Edit: What were the responsibilities of this Coastal Defense Command: small patrol ships,local minelaying and minesweeping?

Dear Dili,

the reponsibilities of the Coastal Defense Command were precisely those you mentioned: minelayers, minesweepers, small patrol ships, water tankers, salvage ships and training sailing ships.

Check this:
http://www.niehorster.org/040_yugoslavi ... coast.html

Best regards,
Eisvogel

[Dili]

Thank you Dr Eisvogel