Pictures from Yugoslavia 1941-1945: take a look!

G. Trifkovic · Post by **G. Trifkovic** » 14 Jun 2005 23:11

Hey Mark;

The info comes from Marijan F. Kranjc: Zarote in atenati na Tita.

There was a "feljton" on http://www.novosti.co.yu, with translated chapters from that book a couple of months ago. What about the book as a whole? Any good?

Komsija;

I have the same pic of Deakin and Tito; it's from "Embattled Mountain".

Cheers,

Gaius

Lt.-Colonel · Post by **Lt.-Colonel** » 15 Jun 2005 08:03

Enciklopedija Jugoslavije, Leksikografski zavod FNRJ, Zagreb MCMLVI

Partisans from the 1st Croatian Proleterian Battalion on the move, early Autumn 1942

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 15 Jun 2005 08:40

Images are from Husar m.m.
Crushed german glider in Drvar,partisans shot down 2 gliders,and damaged 3. One damaged glider landed outside Drvar.

German positons near the church:

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 15 Jun 2005 08:45

From Husar m.m.
JBT escape route(pećina=cave), notice church on the right:

Germans firing from the church:

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 15 Jun 2005 10:34

Wery interesting reply,Mr.Mark, were these soldiers from Slovenia ex members of 1st and 2st Oversea Brigade, or they came from Slovenia to Drvar?
Can anbody give national structure of Escort battalion, from what units it was formed, what happened to this unit after Drvar, was it disbanded?
Also I am interested about actions of partisan armor in Drvar,I know that one tank platoon from 1st Proletarian Corps was stationed in Drvar on Trninić hill, that unit had two italian L6/40 tanks, one tankette CV L3, and one armoured car AB 41.

According to Husar magazine, partisans attacked german positions with tankette during the morning of 25.05. and managed to cause confusion in german ranks for moment, before tankette was destroyed.
Also colonel N.Anić in his article about Drvar landing mentiones that partisan tanks broke trought german lines,and paratroopers which obviosly lacked AT equipment throw blanket on one tank, blinding the crew,luckily for the tank one girl from local SKOJ organisation (I don`t have that article here,and don`t know girl`s name, but she was later awarded with Hero of the people title)jumped on the tank,and throw the blanket down, tank managed to get away, but girl was shot.
Can any other source confirm that?

Lt.-Colonel · Post by **Lt.-Colonel** » 15 Jun 2005 11:24

I read the story about the blanket in several books/articles. Will dig into that during the afternoon.

G. Trifkovic · Post by **G. Trifkovic** » 15 Jun 2005 13:38

Thanks Jure ,your pic clears a lot of "geographical" questions I had. I'm not sure of ethnic composition of the Escort battalion, but Deakin mentions that in mid-1943 it was mostly composed of the members of the Serbian and Montenegrin squads from the first days of the uprising . And all were members of KPJ, I believe.

About the girl; pretty sure her name was Stana, and her feat was videly covered in Yu books.

Cheers,

Gaius

Lt.-Colonel · Post by **Lt.-Colonel** » 15 Jun 2005 17:32

"Blanket girl"=Mika Bosnić

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 15 Jun 2005 19:18

Thanks for the info,Lt.-Colonel, I`m sure that most of us have seen these photos,but anyway:
Column of Italian-produced L 6 light tanks in the town of Kocevje, in southern Slovenia, probably on 12th December 1943. On that day the town garrison, that for several days had been encircled by the partisans in the castle in the town center, was relieved by German units supported by the 13. (verst.) Pol.Pz.Kp.

Yugoslav t-34/76 in Trieste(Trst) at the beginning of May 1945, in Garibaldi Square:

Images are from: http://www.panzer-ozak.it/newphotos.htm

Mark V. · Post by **Mark V.** » 15 Jun 2005 20:11

Great picture, streljko - especially the one with Tito's escape route!!

Those Slovenian partisans escorted the head of the Slovenian OZNA - Ivan Maček-Matija (who BTW received, during his stay in Drvar, the instructions for post-war killings). One of them is still alive, here's an interview with him - http://www.mladina.si/tednik/200120/clanek/drvar/ .

The book is really not that good but has a lot of insider information

.

G. Trifkovic · Post by **G. Trifkovic** » 16 Jun 2005 03:46

who BTW received, during his stay in Drvar, the instructions for post-war killings

Hmm, could you elaborate a bit?

Cheers,

Gaius

P.S. Thanks for the link,Jure

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 16 Jun 2005 11:42

Mr.Mark, very interesting link, that is not first time I read about suspicious decision of Arso Jovanović, according to Anić he moved some units of 6th Lička division from Drvar few days before attack,and also was responsible for high number of casualties of IV army during the Rijeka and Trst operations (mr.Anić was at that time member of 12.dalmatian brigade,and his unit suffered high casualties near Rijeka), but his postwar fate makes him a great scapegoat.
I belive that Ivan Hiti`s group couldn`t see Escort battalion because its units were positioned along Unac river and well hidden. A small group of soldiers could not alone stop german attack, but was able to protect JBT,and escort him to safety.

G. Trifkovic · Post by **G. Trifkovic** » 16 Jun 2005 13:18

Interesting read,Mark. I like the part about slivovka.

Cheers,

Stoigniew · Post by **Stoigniew** » 16 Jun 2005 13:59

Very interesting topic and great photos

BTW: Germans and their allies in Yugoslavia used a lot of captured vehicles (French, Polish). German tanks Pol.Pz.Kp. on the photo from Kocevje posted by streljko 1 seem to be captured polish Vickers or 7TP... or I'm wrong. Sorry, it's a little off topic

streljko1 · Post by **streljko1** » 16 Jun 2005 14:05

Hello,Stoigniew, tanks from Kočevlje are italian made L6/40 tanks, they were intensively used by all sides during the 1941-1945.