This thread it’s a preserved version of latest updated page on the currently (hopefully not forever) closed forum “Soviet-empire”. Years ago I begun a process of reading, studying and researching entirely for hobby/amateur interest the history of naval warfare involving the Soviet Union. Years by years, my interests expanded to other conflicts (Russian and Spanish Civil Wars, Cold War conflicts etc.) often poorly described in mainstream media and sites. It doesn’t claim to be definitive or error-free, but I believe it’s valuable or interesting for people curious to see aspects of less known naval warfare (especially in English). This and my other works can be obviously used or re-posted for not-commercial purpose on other sites/forums, I've sadly seen how there is some commercial exploitation (publications of few books i am absolutely not involved at all!). Obviously these "authors" probably never checked the original sources or bothered to notice how each of these works it's not immutable and sometimes changes and corrections happens after years.
YUGOSLAVIAN PARTISAN FLEET OPERATIONS
Partisan operations in Yugoslavia include the following sources:
vojska.net; forum.axishistory.com, paluba.info (very useful), original Kriegsmarine general command KTB (American translation – available online), historisches-marinearchiv.de (German database).
Italian source: “Dalmazia una cronaca per la storia” by Oddone Talpo.
Extremely useful Jugoslavian sources: “ZBORNIK DOKUMENATA I PODATAKA O NARODNOOSLOBODILAČKOM RATU JUGOSLOVENSKIH NARODA (Volume VIII)” by Kukoč Milić and K. Popović
NOTES:
1) The page include only the operation of “National Liberation Army”
2) The page DO NOT include Partisan transport or supply boats lost by enemy aircrafts
3) The page DO NOT include Partisan successes scored with ground fire or ambushes from shore without partecipation of boats.
DIFFERENCES from the original Soviet-Empire latest's updated thread
1) Added one episode on 2/Jul/42
2) Added one episode on 18/Jul/42
3) Added one episode on 9/Aug/42
4) Added a massacre on 16/Nov/42
5) Added one episode on 23/Jan/43 (of particular interest to the author for personal family reasons)
6) Added episode on 6/Febr/43
7) Fixed date of "Padre Felice" happened on 22/February/43
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23 May 1942
Partisans using a fishing boat captured transport boat Mira (cargo: wheat and potatoes).
2 July 1942
Italian sources indicate the loss by capture of a schooner near Postira (Brač Island). No indication of her name, fate or cargo.
18 July 1942
In Zaton channel, connecting Prokljan Lake to the sea, twenty partisans onboard two rowboats boarded a barge employed as ferry carrying 15 persons.
1 armed Italian soldier who opened fire was killed, alongside 6 other persons (apparently collaborationists) while the others took off from the ferry. Partisans attempted to destroy the barge with explosives but she rather grounded herself. Italians recovered the bodies of the fallen plus three wounded that apparently went hiding.
26 July 1942
Near Iž Island, Italians brought onboard the motorboat Sofia (20tons) a group of twenty suspected rebels. Once on sea they rebelled despite suffering 1 killed and 7 wounded, they killed 3 soldiers and 3 Italian civilians before taking control of the boat and reaching Iž Island where many local people joined the partisan movement and then fled the island. The fate of the ship is unclear.
9 August 1942
Italian sources report the boarding off Sutivan of motorboat Vinka (cargo of vegetables and barley). It’s unclear the actual fate of the boat.
11 August 1942
Partisans using a fishing boat captured transport boat Dux. (cargo: 6 tons of olive oil).
19 October 1942
Partisans using a fishing boat attacked two transport boats. The attack failed: there are scarce details.
16 November 1942
Primošten massacre: the Italian Navy took part in a retaliation massacre with the old torpedo boat Ernesto Giovannini bombing the city killing 55 (according Italians) to 82 (according partisans) persons.
The massacre was done after a previous partisan ambush killed 14 Italian soldiers while moving on two vehicles. The local Italian bishop of Srebrenica raised protests over the action.
18 November 1942
Partisans using a fishing boat captured a transport boat. Scarce details, partisans reportedly unloaded the cargo.
18 December 1942
The Yugoslavian’s People Liberation Navy officially founded.
On December 1942, Partisans officially put in service their first armed patrol boat named “Pionir” (a former fishing boat with only 8 crewmember and 1 machinegun).
This single boat would later joined by “Partizan” and “Proletar” by the end of January.
31 December 1942 – 1 January 1943
Partisan patrol boat “Pionir” captured five transport boats: Istok, Madre Giovanna, Otac Vladimir, Zdravlje, Sveti Ante on 31 December and transport boat Europa on 1 January while “S.Eufemia” escaped (overall cargo: cigarettes and 140tons food including corn, beans, potatoes pasta, cigarettes. A package of 600 cigarettes gifted to Marshal Tito. Europa would later become second armed patrol boat, named “Partizan”. A reported Italian attempt to recover the six seized boats in Pogdara harbor with small minelayer Pasman repulsed with ground fire (no Italian report of this alleged action).
4 January 1943
A partisan boat attacked transport boat San Spiridione. Italians report how the action of a patrol vessel prevented the capture.
6 January 1943
Italian torpedo boat T-5, small minelayers Ugliano and Pasman, antisubmarine boat Marongiu and armed tug Poderoso attacked Pogdara harbor claiming the destruction of up “39 boats”. Partisans indicate the attack on the morning of 7 January, stating it was repelled with intense ground fire and without damaging the “Partizan” or the “Pionir” but other two boats (likely ex-fishing boats used as transports). The operation was unrelated to the gunfire directed against the Italian anti-partisan ship NAP-2 (close Gradac), killing onboard the Italian commander Gregoretti of the naval Makaraska office notorious for terrorizing the local fishermen with raids and robberies.
22 January 1943
A partisan boat captured and burned transport boat Giuditta.
23 January 1943
A friendly-fire accident occurred near Maslinica when the Italian tug Polluce with onboard Bersaglieri soldiers sailed to inspect the shore in search for partisan activity. An unidentified ship approached from the sea and rifle-fire was initiated on both side, the second ship actually carried onboard other Italian Alpini soldiers that suffered 3 dead and 2 wounded. ((Personal author’s note: onboard Polluce there was my grandfather’s brother: a sub-lieutenant of the Navy that was attached to the Bersaglieri group)).
6 February 1943
Italian patrol motorboat ND-185 briefly chased two boats in the northern tip of Dugi Otok island, but they fled in the darkness
22 February 1943
The Italian small minelayer Ugliano intercepted and shelled the Partisan-controlled transport boat Padre Felice (35 tons), until her explosion.
24 February 1943
Partisan patrol boat Partizan (former captured transport boat Europa) sunk by Italian seaplane. The Italians describe it as a coordinated operation against Pogdara harbor with the small minelayer Ugliano. This left only the Pionir as official patrol boat in service alongside the small launch Proletar.
25 February 1943
Italian sources describe the loss of transport boat Antonietta B. (48 tons): three partisans on a fishing boat approached and seized her after pulling out hidden weapons after jumping onboard. Partisans actually planned to seize another boat (Antonietta Madre) with a cargo of fuel, interestingly the Italian crew prisoners later reported presence of Italian defectors among the partisans in Kraj (close Makaraska).
8 March 1943
The Italian anti-partisan boat NAP-2 intercepted and seized on sea the motorboat Maria suspected to have secretly transported partisan recruits.
20 March 1943
A group of 25 partisan disembarked from the motorboat Mia Sant’Anna (10 tons) surrendered to Italians and the enemy recovered the boat at Vela Luka.
22 March 1943
A partisan boat captured and sunk transport boats Maria Luisa (47 tons) and Renato (23 tons). Italians claim the sinking of a partisan boat (unconfirmed), the Maria Luisa was later converted into a small hospital-boat to transport wounded.
14 April 1943
A partisan boat disguised as a fishing boat infiltrated a small convoy and captured motor ship Africano (70tons). Most of armed partisans remained hidden under the deck, until the right moment for boarding. Another Italian boat, named Fedora, was briefly boarded but abandoned after the reaction of the Italian armed boat Luigina. There was an exchange of machinegun fire from the Luigina and the Partisan boat that still managed to escape with Africano as prize. The captured boat was set afire and cargo unloaded, 5 crewmembers captured.
1 May 1943
The Italian anti-partisan ship NAP-24 and motorboat MB-9, engaged Partisans at Makaraska. During the operation they at first damaged then took the armed launch Proletar used by partisans to ferry troops, but she sank in tow due earlier damage. Some sources wrongly indicate the year 1944.
27 May 1943
A partisan boat attacked a convoy. Scarce details.
21 July 1943
A partisan boat captured a transport boat. Scarce details. Italian sources indicate the loss of the Ustasha tug “Rudnik” at Drasnice (close Podgora), with partisans opening fire from a boat using a small gun on unreported date: unclear if the tug was the actual boat seized on 21 July. Croatian sources gave little details but describe “Rudnik” as a rarity in early 1943 because Italians didn’t want Croatian authorities to use an own naval force.
8 September 1943
The surrender of Italy will bring a big change on the Partisan Naval Force that will start to be re-organized and re-armed, with proper patrol boats ("PC", usually former fishing boats) converted and re-armed and gunboats ("NB", larger units) with more weapons.
27 September 1943
During transport operations at Lošinj, the partisan transport boats Lav and Makarska captured a small Chetnik tanker boat (cargo: 80tons of fuel). It was an interesting small success because the Partisans had rare occasions to encounter Chetniks on sea. Italian sources indicate the loss of the small motor tanker Emilia (175 tons) off Otok Plavnik Island (between Krk and Losinj): it’s possible she was under Chetnik control at the time, but there is no confirmation if she was indeed the tanker seized by the transports boats.
1 October 1943
Gunboat NB-9 Biokovac opened fire (with support of ground forces) against the enemy transport ship Rab (was carrying Ustasha troop), no damage was caused but ship retreated.
6 October 1943
Italian torpedo boat Missori captured an unidentified transport boat (cargo of weapons). Technically the ship was under German control mostly Italian-manned: Italian sources actually describe a sabotage occurred on the very same 6th October that forced the Germans to repair her, without mentioning attacks or seizure of hostile vessels. Details about the attack on partisan boat are unclear: it’s possible it was captured a local Italian vessel or a civilian craft. On December the Missori was incorporated to the Kriegsmarine as TA-22.
20 October 1943
A German war diary, reports a clash between an auxiliary sailing boat against an hostile similar unit close Ilovik island. The same German boat reported to have clashed against other two enemy vessels at Isto Island, returning finally to Pola with casualties. It's unclear both the identity of the German vessel and the attackers. It's also possible that the clash has been reported with some delay into the main KTB. Partisans do not report a similar episode (only an attack by coastal forces on 13 October): it’s possible it was an unreported skirmish, or maybe a clash against armed civilians, Italians, smugglers or bandits.
3-4 November 1943
During the night, the gunboat NB-9 Biokovac had a clash against the enemy armed boats Marija and Naprijed: the gunboat suffered few hits and the commander was wounded. Also the Germans suffered damages, an officer and other 6 sailors wounded .
5-6 November 1943
Small patrol boat PC-61 Udar forced to escape the German transport boat Sv. Franjo that was also damaged.
Enemy suffered 8 killed and 5 wounded, because of the close-quarter fight and launches of hand grenades.
11 November 1943
Patrol boats PC-21 Miran and PC-22 Streljko reportedly attacked two larger enemy transport boats (larger one estimated to be 500tons). A firefight ensued, with one boat claimed as damaged and saved from the boarding only by the defensive action of the second. However, partisans reported that the damaged boat despite being on tow, sunk near Žuta Island. Currently there is no confirmation for the ships identities and no loss indicated by German accounts.
13 November 1943
German cruiser Niobe and torpedo boat TA-21 captured the already damaged patrol boat Partizan-III and a small boat (both damaged by air raid). The two Partisans boats attempted to flee, but they were attacked, further damaged and forced back to harbor, 8 British onboard also captured, while some partisan crewmembers were also wounded. At the time of the loss, the Partisan Navy was in the process of changing names reorganize itself, with many boats changing name and not all already bearing an official hull number. In addition, Germans reported other vessels captured, but they were probably civilians. The patrol boat was not part of the new flotilla of classified and named gunboats (NB) and patrol boats (PC), but was part of the previous 1943 period.
17 November 1943
Small patrol boat PC-59 Lapad attempted to attack the enemy stranded motorboat Roditelj, that alongside with motorboat Milos, suffered an attack from partisan batteries in Mali Vratnik. The attack however failed because of enemy machinegun fire from the shore, PC-59 Lapad pulled back without losses.
20 November 1943
The Partisan transport sailing ship Jela (335 GRT) sunk of Bari in Italy on a mine laid by German submarine U-453. 7 crewmembers died.
The ship was empty at the time of the sinking because was coming from Vis Island. Contrary to most of the western reports she wasn’t part of the exiled royalist forces, but was under partisan control.
28 November 1943
German motor torpedo boat S-61 claimed to have boarded and then scuttled what they claimed to be a Partisan transport boat. There are no Partisans details or mentions for this loss: possibly, it was a civilian boat. German documents however indicate no cargo onboard.
8-9 December 1943
During the night, gunboat NB-9 Biokovac, with support of PC-54 Turist, captured the Ustasha transport boat Jadro. Apart the crew of 6 (including the commander that actually collaborated with the Partisan Intelligence and signaled the route of the ship), were captured 30 Ustasha and 2 Germans (even if one of them escaped, throwing himself overboard and swimming to the coast). Apart the weapons of the Ustasha (31 rifles and 8 guns) was captured also the cargo of 90 tons of food.
9-10 December 1943.
During the night, the gunboat NB-6 Napredak, with support of the small patrol boats PC-43 Napred and PC-45 Batos, captured the Ustasha transport boat Sv. Nikola. Differently from the capture of “Jadro”, the boat made resistance but most of the crew left by swimming to the close shore except a German and the captain of the ship who died in the fighting and 6 passengers captured. 1 Partisan was also slightly wounded. The captured loot included 1 light mortar, few weapons, mail, ammunition and food: crewmembers and passengers likely brought with them a good amount of weapons because kept firing even after reaching the shore. It appears that as the capture of Jadro, Partisans agents among the Ustasha had contacted the Intelligence and signaled the route of the boat.
10 December 1943
Patrol boat PC-3 Skampo attacked an enemy steamer without results.
12 December 1943
Gunboat NB-8 Kornat was damaged by enemy ground mortar attack: 1 sailor killed, 1 wounded
16 December 1943
Patrol boat PC-3 Skampo attacked an enemy steamer, her identification as well as claim of damage are unproved so far from German side. Other three boats originally planned to attack the steamer but the coordinated attempt failed because technical issues.
17/18 December 1943
Sailors of the patrol boat PC-2 Macola attacked from ground a German motor boat, some partisan sailors were killed.
This event match with the loss of German landing craft SF-193: she hit and grounded due artillery fire from British motor torpedo boat MTB-637, but later targeted by the partisans. Germans suffered 6 KIA, 11 MIA and 29 later rescued. Ship also carried 24tons of fuel for vehicles, 29 infantrymen and 800 lifejackets.
Other partisan sources claimed a second PC boat involved, with an overestimate of troops transported (up 150).
Technically, this shared success represent the most significant officially rated warship of Kriegsmarine lost due shared British/Partisan action (excluding the un-rated minelayer Pasman, and a number of armed boats of civilian origins: they were however often more armed and larger than this Siebel landing craft).
Interestingly, Partisans documents indicate the landing craft was used as a transport maona (motor barge), but without indicating a change of name or the incorporation as a fighting boat.
20 December 1943
The patrol boat PC-53 Zora and the small patrol boats PC-41 Napredak, PC-42 and PC-43 Napred with the allied British motor torpedo boat MTB-649 and the help of partisan coastal artillery, attacked and captured the German armed boats HZ-8 and HZ-9. 1 German sailor was killed after the fire of the coastal artillery. The Partisan Navy will later use the two units as gunboats (NB-1 Krava and NB-2 Koca). It was the most effective coordinated Partisan and British action against Germans.
24 December 1943
Small patrol boat PC-64 Neutralni attacked and sunk a German landing boat. Actually, according the German KTB (War Diaries) online, the Germans lost two landing boats during landing on Korcula Island. It is possible that the other unit sunk by coastal artillery. Currently it is unclear the class of the lost boats (they were likely StuBo assault crafts or small seized motorboats). There are scarce Partisans descriptions of the action because the Flotilla was heavily engaged in the evacuation of troops from the Island. Subsequent partisan records indicate that a boat named “Sv. Ante” was captured during the action, however it’s unclear if she was the first or the second lost boat, and how she was captured exactly.
27 December 1943
Small patrol boat PC-61 Udar and the gunboat NB-5 Ivan were all sunk by German air attack. PC-61 raised and brought to Vis Island on July 1944, but eventually scrapped.
Some sources report also the loss of the small patrol boat PC-67 Kerc, this is actually fully confirmed by Partisan documents.
NB-5 Ivan was a former American submarine chaser (SC-1 class) acquired before the war and used for civilian purpose.
28 December 1943
The small Partisan patrol boat PC-60-II Vjekoslava was sunk by a German air attack.
31 December 1943
The German small minelayer Pasman accidentally stranded, on the way to be moved to the Ustasha naval forces (technically she was not a Kriegsmarine rated nor was yet part of the Navy of “Independent State of Croatia”). Partisan sources identified the target with the original Yugoslavian name, “Mosor”.
Despite her unofficial status (due the transfer) she was effectively the largest/most advanced warship lost due partisan naval action.
Gunboat NB-3 Jadran attacked the Pasman, forced the crew to surrender (24 Germans and 4 Croats) after their garrisoned in a nearby building, and later destroyed the minelayer with explosive charges on day 5 January. A German rescue mission with the torpedo boat TA-22 occurred only on 9 January (it was delayed by weather) when it was already too late. The Pasman was a small ship but could have had some combat value in her functions.
3 January 1944
Patrol boat PC-1 Jadran and PC-3 Skampo attacked the enemy transport ship Slavija, but she managed to escape. Partisans boats experienced failures to their weapons and this was the main reason for the attack’s failure.
8 January 1944.
During the night, a patrol boat described to have captured an enemy motor boat, reportedly close Baska (Krk island). Still unconfirmed claim with poor details and no official Partisan claim of victory.
NB-3 Jadran and NB-8 Kornat operated between Biograd and Piovac (very distant from Krk!) on escort mission but there is no detailed account of seizure or clash. Partisan sources also indicate the recovery of an abandoned boat at Sucuraj on 10 January, with suspects on spies’ infiltration (2 German and 1 Italian spy later captured) and possibly different sources merged all these operations.
9 January 1944
First German motor torpedo boat raid: S-36 and S-55 claim to have captured 2 transport boats (allegedly carrying fuel and ammunition) and scuttled them with charges. Partisans sources indicate convoys and transports boats operating between 8 and 10 January, but no reference to attacks or losses. It is possible the Germans attacked civilian boats.
10 January 1944
German motor torpedo boats S-36 and S-55 score a third victory: the partisan transport ship Marija (450tons) was seized. However, the following day the prize was sunk by a British air attack that sunk also S-55 and damaged S-36. At least one source indicate the loss of a boat named “Marijian” on 12/Jan/45 reportedly by mine, however this is unconfirmed by Partisan data and possibly it was a mistaken report of “Marija” loss in 1944.
13 January 1944
A German sailing boat sailed to Olib island and 2 German sailors disembarked to collect firewood. A group of partisans ambushed and wounded them and triggered return fire from the boat: she attempted to flee and had a brief encounter with an unidentified Partisan armed boat until a seaplane made a strafing run allowing the boat to escape toward Zadar. Two Partisans units that could have been engaged are NB-6 Napredak or PC-21 Miran, but the same Partisan sources gave no further confirmation.
14 January 1944
During a bombing on Vis Island, the patrol boat PC-24 Marjan suffered damages, while a sailor of PC-54 Turist died.
16 January 1944
Two German assault boats claim the sinking of 2 transport boats. Partisans indicate the loss of motorboat Sretan-II (25 tons) and Dobaroctar (50tons) both heavily damaged near Cape Pelegrin (Hvar Island) and later sunk into Zaglav Bay of Pakleni islands.
19 January 1944
Four German assault boats claim to have sunk 2 transport boats. There is no Partisan indication of losses or attacks (differently from the attack of 16 January); and it’s possible that Germans attacked civilian fishing boats.
On the same day,
German sources report the loss of an unidentified landing craft during a landing at Hvar Island. She stuck an anti-tank mine buried under sand, killing 21 soldiers. Identity is unclear but she was possibly a smaller assault craft (and not a larger MFP or Siebel type landing craft).
25 January 1944
During the night between 24 and 25 January, Patrol boats PC-1 Jadran and PC-3 Skampo attacked the enemy armed tug Costante (500tons), that was grounded.
The enemy crew surrendered shortly after midnight without resistance despite weapons onboard (3 machineguns, a single 75mm gun but without ammunition, light weapons). 1 German and 13 Croats captured. Another German attempted to escape inland and assumed dead. Partisans had news that other two Germans previously left the grounded ship, and fearing the risk of arrival of enemy units, the patrol boats destroyed the tug with three guns hits aimed at the engine room. Before the scuttling, Partisans seized all the weapons and ammunition onboard in addition to all material that could be recovered (including ropes, supplies and even the kitchen tools).
2 February 1944
Small patrol boat PC-66 Proletar captured by the enemy. Commonly reported as lost alongside NB-10 Sloga, actually captured on a separate incident. Her loss received little attention also in Partisan documents, likely to her small size. Details of the incidents are unclear, but there was no report of sailors captured, meaning the boat was likely seized when abandoned by crew.
8 February 1944.
During the night, German assault landing boats I-72, I-73 and I-106 ambushed and captured the gunboat NB-10 Sloga later sunk by Germans. Partisans sources found some details of the loss of Sloga: apparently she accepted the fight with one enemy boat, suffering 2 KIA in the process, before being surrounded by the other two boats and forced to surrender with the rest of the crew captured.
20 February 1944
Gunboat NB-9 Biokovac accidentally rammed and sunk by an Allied British destroyer. The whole crew saved.
28 February 1944
Few hours after midnight, patrol boats PC-2 Makola and PC-3 Skampo attacked and captured the transport boats Maria Jose (70tons) and Haraelis (15tons) full with troops on leave. The action involved a prolonged chasing with firefight by PC-3, with damage inflicted on both the enemy units until PC-2 placed herself between the boats and the coast, preventing an escape and forcing the surrender. Both crafts suffered fires and extensive damages, sinking quickly with still Germans onboard. The enemy suffered heavy casualties: 18 KIA and 89 POW (including 1 officer but excluding 1 woman), of them 13 seriously and 20 lightly wounded.
German sources usually indicate a slightly different toll (12 KIA, 95 POW, including 24 wounded), but the Partisan record appears to be the correct one.
The loot captured included small arms and some personal supplies of the soldiers including tobacco, liquor and coffee. Partisans suffered no damages or casualties.
There is some discrepancy also on the name of ships, with at least one source indicating “Maria Rose” and “Zara-1”. By sheer number of enemy casualties, it was one of the most effective attacks committed by the Partisan Navy.
On the same day,
Patrol boat PC-22 Streljko captured the transport boat Giuseppe Cesira (291 tons). Named “Giuseppe Cesario”, in other source, likely by mistake. Interestingly, the patrol boat was on a mission to transfer three American telegraphists who were onboard during the action who actively took part at the capture: partisans and Americans attacked from shore. 7 Italians and 8 Germans POW (Italians were actually not considered as prisoners), Cargo: food, gasoline, straw, barbed wire, weapons and ammunition (the food, mostly 170tons of flour, was actually immediately given to local civilians). The boat remained stuck on rocks and then set afire to prevent recapture.
29 February 1944
Gunboat NB-8 Kornat was damaged by Allied friendly-fire from British gunboats. 3 Partisans and 1 American captain onboard Kornat wounded during the incident, while the gunboat suffered a leak and damage to the machines.
9 March 1944
British motor torpedo boat MTB-649 accidentally sunk the small patrol boat PC-59 Lapad in a friendly-fire accident.
16 March 1944
In the Italian Gallipoli harbor, the royalist Yugoslavian merchant Senga (5140 GRT) officially declare loyalty to the communist partisan movement (NOVJ). Local British forces accepted this transfer without opposition the next day. The Partisan leadership ordered the ship to keep maintaining the same service routes for the Allies, albeit with the partisan movement’s flag. Another ship, the Timok, made the same choice on 19 May in Bizerte harbor.
17 March 1944.
During the night, German motor torpedo boats S-36 and S-61 sunk with gunfire the gunboat NB-2 Koca.
The Gunboat at first mistook the motor torpedo boats for friendly units and alerted them with flare signals.
Both the 20mm and the single 40mm gun onboard suffered hits and were disabled in the early stage of the attack, rendering the ship almost defenseless. Koca suffered an extensive fire onboard but the Partisans managed to evacuate the ship with only 4 sailors wounded (1 later died of wounds) while the German left.
18 March 1944
Gunboats NB-1 Krava and NB-6 Napredak with the patrol boats PC-2 Macola and PC-4 Junak ambushed and captured the German assault boat KJ-10 (Sturmboot-42 type). 16 POW, loot included the soldiers’ personal weapons and individual equipment (including gas masks) and two bags of post. The German craft took refuge into the Bay of Molat Island attempting to fix an engine problem was surrounded with a coordinated action by the partisan crafts and attempted no resistance. KJ-10 will become PC-75 in partisan service.
20 March 1944
Gunboats NB-1 Krava (3 WIA, but one of them later deceased) and NB-6 Napredak sunk by German air attacks during two subsequent raids.
23 March 1944
Small patrol boats PC-5 and PC-70 Mandina sunk by air attack. During the attack PC-21 and PC-22 opened fire against the planes after bombs missed because of excessive attack height.
Loss of PC-5 not clearly listed in original partisan documents because she was a very small boat armed only with machineguns (differently from other early PC boats, she received no name).
3 April 1944
Partisan boat attacked two sailing boats near Silba Island. Unclear episode but apparently it was simply partisans from a local garrison shooting with rifles from a small boat.
6 April 1944
Patrol boats PC-21 Miran and PC-22 Streljko attacked and captured the transport boat San Antonio (40 tons). 4 Italian and 2 German POW, crew surrendered after two warning shots. Cargo: 30 tons of rye, 4 tons of fodder, ammunition. Ship later become Val, in partisan service (Yugoslavian source indicate 70tons of weight).
7 April 1944
Patrol boats PC-21 Miran and PC-22 Streljko attacked the motor sailing boats A-91 and A-302 but caused no damage. Enemy boats returned fire, but the engagement ended because of the proximity of the enemy shore garrison. Partisans suffered no losses or damage.
12 April 1944.
According some sources, the captured boat KJ-10 was going to be commissioned as small patrol boat PC-75 when she was reportedly sunk by friendly fire from Allied aircraft.
This information is completely wrong; partisan documents officially indicate the loss in September. Moreover, the boat at the time was not named “PC-75-I” (used only in literature after her loss) or “Annie” (the name given to the replacement boat after the original PC-75’s loss in September).
21 April 1944
Gunboat NB-7 Enare-II accidentally collided with NB-8 Kornat and heavily damaged. The unit self-sunk to prevent the capture by enemy. The loss occurred during the successful partisan landing operations in Mljet and Korcula Island. During the operation, partisan boats claimed an enemy plane shot down by defensive fire, but it’s unconfirmed.
22 April 1944
Patrol boats PC-21 Miran and PC-22 Streljko attacked and captured the transport boats Giuliana (44tons) and Emilia (50tons)(cargo: 50tons of coal, gunpowder, motor oil). The enemy suffered during the action 2 German soldiers KIA while 4 German soldiers and 8 Italian sailors POW. Giuliana become “Ilirija” in Partisan service, while Emilia become “Velebit” but she sank by accidental explosion on 7 November 1944.
27 April 1944
The crew of the patrol boats PC-3 Skampo and PC-4 Junak attacked from the shore and forced to surrender the German anti-partisan ship Anton (a former Italian anti-partisan armed ship “Bianca Stella”), enemy suffered 4 KIA and 15 POW (11 of them wounded). Only one partisan, not part of the boats but of the local garrison, suffered light wound. She will be turned into the larger Partisan gunboat: NB-11 Crvena zvijezda (24 meters of length and 180 tons of size, weapons included also 1 gun of 88mm in addition to 37mm and 20mm).
11 May 1944
Shortly after the midnight, German motor torpedo boats S-30, S-36 and S-61 sunk with gunfire the hospital ship Marin II (250 tons): 59 wounded people died, including a German officer POW.
Partisan boats NB-3, NB-8 and PC-57 did not found the enemy and searched for survivors (four, including the commander). Survivors described how Germans strafed people on sea.
On the same day,
Gunboat NB-4 Topcider was damaged by friendly fire Allied air attack. The boat later converted in hospital-boat as BB-4 Topcider, having up 24 beds for wounded.
31 May 1944
Small patrol boat PC-76 "MC-22" destroyed in harbor by enemy assault forces: the boat entered Oilib harbor, unaware that enemy seized it. Enemy forces was the Croatian-manned but German-led “Legionnaire” 392nd Infantry Division and opened intense ground fire against the boat. 3 sailors were killed, while commander took his own life. Another partisan report indicate the boat as directly sunk by the enemy fire rather than being heavily damaged and seized, given the small size there is no clear German report of her recovery.
31 May – 1 June 1944
After the success scored sinking the hospital ship Marin-II, German motor torpedo boats S-153, S-155, S-156 and S-158 engaged in another raid. They ambushed a convoy sinking the three partisan transport boats Palma, Sokol and Sloga, and two other smaller boats. German sources claimed one or two additional victories (not confirmed) including a “small tanker”. A high number of prisoners because the boats were full of passengers: 159 Partisans, Italians and British advisors, 1 American pilot, 37 women and 5 children.
1 June 1944
Germans achieved a repetition of the previous success: motor torpedo boats S-153, S-155, S-156 and S-158 ambushed a second convoy. Partisan transport boat Mali Ante (20tons) and two other smaller boats sunk, once again a high number of prisoners: 77 partisans, 2 British advisors, 50 women and 24 children.
1-2 June 1944
Battle of Blitvenice
During the night, the German motor torpedo boats S-153, S-155, S-156 and S-157 were once again on raiding mission but encountered the partisan gunboat NB-8 Kornat. S-156 moved to the side of the gunboat, pretending to be an Allied boat to trick the partisans, but as soon as a German sailor boarded the gunboat, he was recognized and knocked out. A close-quarter gunfight erupted; involving the gunboat and S-155 and S-156 (the other pair was not directly involved). Both the German motor torpedo boats were damaged: S-155 suffered a number of hits while S-156 had two different fires. NB-8 Kornat suffered minor damage but achieved a good success because repelled the German attacking group, preventing further losses.
During the fight Partisans suffered 9 wounded, Germans suffered 11 wounded and 1 captured (the sailor that boarded the gunboat). Partisan command praised the wounded sailors that helped the comrades by carrying ammunition or reloading weapons despite their wounds.
Partisans wrongly claimed to have damaged all four the enemy boats, however Germans clearly stated that only S-155 and S-156 were damaged in action: on their part Germans reported to have encountered a proper metal gunboat (while NB-8 clearly was not, being a former civilian craft converted, like most of partisan units).
2 June 1944
A partisan report indicate the capture of two Germans on a small boat with some ammunition. There is no direct claim or report of activities by main Partisan boats; likely because of the minor importance of the incident.
3 June 1944
NB-3 Jadran claimed an enemy aircraft shot down (described as a Messerschmitt) close Brac. It is a still an unconfirmed claim: if confirmed it was the only partisan naval anti-aircraft success.
12 June 1944
21 Croat crewmembers (including an officer) of the “Ustasha” old torpedo boat T-7 defected to partisans and discussed plans to organize the defection and seizure of the warship. However, Germans realized the danger and replaced the crew of the torpedo boat to prevent this defection, arresting 60 crewmembers.
Twelve days later the British motor torpedo boat MTB-670 and motor gunboats MGB-659 and MGB-662 attacked and destroyed her.
22 June 1944
Partisan launch B-4 (10tons) accidentally sunk by Allied friendly fire from gunboats. 3 killed. Recovered and towed to Vis for repairs on 2 July 1944
On the same day,
There is a Partisan report of a brief clash between unidentified boats on minesweeping task (or more properly searching for enemy mines and relocating them) with a reportedly Chetnik-manned boat. The brief contact was inconclusive with the hostile boat escaping under Partisan fire, after refusing to surrender.
11 July 1944
Germans landed troops on Pasman Island where Partisans kept no forces. Still patrol boats had a bit contacts with the landing force, and later Allies planes hit and destroyed one landing boat.
PC-22 Streljko inspected the sunk craft that also received self-inflicted damage by the retreating Germans before leaving the Island. PC-3 Skampo and PC-4 Junak also took part at the patrol without meeting the enemy.
28 July 1944
Gunboat NB-8 Kornat accidentally grounded and the crew set her afire to prevent enemy capture.
29 July 1944
Patrol boats PC-2 Macola, PC-4 Junak and the small one PC-71 Sv.Friz captured the armed transport ship Felice with support of ground forces. The operation involved gunfire, and while all credited to victory, it was PC-4 and PC-71 that properly boarded the craft that received heavy damage during the attack. Cargo: 54 tons of food, enemy suffered 6 KIA and 23 POW (including 7 wounded) both German and Ustasha. Partisans suffered 1 WIA. Macola needed some repairs at the engine because due excessive recoil, despite damage the captured ship brought to Vis Island.
Partisans attempted to repair the captured ship, but her condition was too bad and they saved only the engine and weapons in September.
5-6 August 1944.
During the night, patrol boat PC-22 Streljko faced in battle the two German minesweeping boats R-15 and R-16: there was a gunfire battle that caused no damage on both sides (even if Germans claimed to have scored hits on the partisan boat). It was effectively a rare gunnery fight between Partisans and properly rated Germans warship, but differently from the Battle of Blitvenice it caused no harm. Germans also claimed to have sunk a boat and seized a second vessel, but no actual Partisan loss and they probably attacked some civilian fishing boats.
22 August 1944
Small Ustasha patrol boat PT-79 (just 8 tons and 1 machine gun) defected to partisans. She became PC-79, in partisan service.
27 August 1944
While supporting Allied landing operation, transporting artillery guns and ammunition, the Partisan landing ship MS-1 was damaged with 1 WIA and MS-2 suffered slight damages. It was the first significant operation for the newly arrived landing ships with hostile contact, nevertheless useful to support the Allies. The Royal Navy provided twelve LCT-landing crafts to partisans that proved extremely precious to Partisan landing and transport operations for the Adriatic Islands liberation.
29 August 1944
Small patrol boat PC-47 Sv.Nikola-I sunk by enemy ground mortar fire. She suffered casualties (political commissar killed, 3 wounded, one of them seriously. Small boat PC-45 Batos suffered damage. There is confusion on these losses because an early Partisan assessment of the clash switched the identity of lost and survived boat, but later this changed in every subsequent list and document. Partisan motor boat Zmaj attempted two days later to recover the boat but she repelled by artillery fire. Loss of PC-46 Sv. Juray, as indicated by some sources it’s wrong, not involved during the action.
1 September 1944
German I-boats assault crafts J-74 and J-102 intercepted and captured a small partisan boat carrying mail, 2 Partisans captured. Boat not officially listed among the Partisan Naval units and losses, likely due her insignificant size. Could also have been a local civilian boat used by agents
2 September 1944
Four German motor torpedo boats, including S-155 claimed the sinking of one motorboat and one schooner (two according an Italian source). There is no data of Partisan losses: could be civilian fishing boat or simply an over-claim on unidentified targets. Similarly, S-154 claimed another sinking two days later, without confirmation by partisan documents.
5 September 1944
Patrol boat PC-53 Zora reported to have fought a gunfire battle against an enemy unit. PC-53 just disembarked a party of three men on the shore, including an American, and they helped during the fight with their own weapons firing to the enemy. Interestingly, on the night between 4/5 September, British gunboat MGB-637, MGB-634 and MGB-674 claim destruction of a small convoy of German PiLB crafts (four targets claimed sunk, none confirmed by German data). The location of the episodes match (between Sumartin and Makarsca) and possibly they engaged the same crafts.
11 September 1944
During the successful landing operations in Pag Island, Partisan patrol boat PC-21 Miran briefly strafed by a British aircraft in a friendly-fire incident, taking no damage but 1 crewmember WIA.
Disembarked troops killed 1 officer and 9 Ustasha soldiers, taking other 15 as POWs, that surrendered and suffering no casualties in return (the wounded sailor on PC-21 was the only casualty).
A single motorboat of 6 meters was captured, PC-2 Macola, PC-6 Sumar and PC-21 Miran were the first boats to enter Novalja where the motorboat was found (PC-24 remained on patrol). She was not recorded by Yugoslavian sources as a victory, likely because the boats entered the harbor after the partisans took the village, so the actual credit went to the ground forces.
12 September 1944
Partisan patrol boat PC-75 (ex-German KJ-10) suffered a friendly-fire attack by six Hurricane planes and sunk. The boat quickly docked to evacuate and avoid human losses: all 6 crewmembers and 8 passengers survived even if three suffered light wounds. The boat sunk after a direct bomb hit and was lost alongside its light weapons, ammunition and some clothing.
To compensate the loss, Partisan turned the motorboat “Annie” into a new PC-75, this change cause some confusion even among Yugoslavian sources, but the first boat (ex-KJ-10) later named “PC-75-I” was never assigned the name “Annie”, contrary to the subsequent PC-75-II Annie
14 - 15 September 1944.
During the night, the German motor torpedo boats S-152, S-154 and S-158 captured the small patrol boat PC- 73 Pionir, that was later sunk. 2 crewmembers and 8 passengers were captured, but one crewmember escaped by jumping into the sea and was rescued later, providing details of the attack.
20 September 1944
Two separate incidents resulted first in the capture of a sailing boat from Partisan troops on the shore (3 Germans and 1 Ustasha POWs, a number of civilians liberated). On the same day, patrol boats PC-23 Sloga and PC-24 Marjan went on a mission to land a party of 12 partisans on Zmajan Island with the mission to capture a squad of German soldiers that landed there: they killed 1 enemy and captured the other 11. During the mission, the partisans also captured the motorboat used by the Germans but its capture not assigned as a success of the patrol boats.
22 September 1944
Patrol boats PC-2 Macola and PC-6 Sumar attacked the German hospital ship Bonn, without causing damage.
27 September 1944
Three German assault crafts captured the small patrol boat PC-62 Ivo that grounded. Partisans record the loss as occurred during the night between 27 and 28 September. One crewmember died during the clash, but other 3 saved themselves and avoided capture, before NB-12 rescued them.
9 October 1944
Gunboat NB-13 Partizan and patrol boat PC-2 Macola sunk with gunfire the German auxiliary armed boat Angelina. During the fight, Partisans suffered 2 wounded by enemy fire on the Partizan (including the commander), but the ship suffered no actual damage. The enemy suffered 3 KIA (2 Germans and 1 Italian sailor) and 9 POWs (4 Germans including a colonel and 5 Italian sailors).
Partisans also managed to unload five boxes of ammunition from the burning boat before her sinking. Cargo of food and animal fodder lost during the sinking.
Later the two partisan units attacked and captured another transport boat, the Adriana (90tons)(Cargo: cement), without resistance. 6 Germans POWs.
According the German evaluation, not less than "seven" gunboats attacked the targets. Interestingly, it appears it was the most significant action when Germans returned fire and partisans actively engaged and sunk an enemy target rather than performing the classing “boarding&seizure” attack. Adriana become “Jadranka” in Partisan service.
11 October 1944
German forces made a series of attacks against partisan shore installations at Molat and Zapuntel but despite claims, they caused no human losses or significant damage. Interestingly German motor torpedo boats launched torpedoes and one of them inflicted damage to Molat’s pier (claim of destruction of two boats denied by Partisans), while another was recovered unexploded. Partisan batteries opened fire and while not claiming damage, Germans actually suffered 40mm hits on S-628 that was towed by other units.
16 October 1944
Partisan patrol boat PC-21 Miran captured the stranded tugboat Lisca Blanca and dragged it away in Pasman channel before enemy could recover it. Partisans did not gave victory to “Miran” but to coastal artillery that opened fire on the small convoy and forced the boat to run aground.
21 October 1944
Gunboat NB-13 Partizan accidentally sunk by Allied British friendly-fire air raid. The gunboat moored at Olib Island at the time of the attack: two crewmember wounded. She had cargo (20tons of military clothing) that was lost. Most of sources wrongly indicate 20 November.
23 October 1944
Battle of Maun Island
The biggest naval engagement of the War and only meeting between partisan units with enemy major warships.
The gunboat NB-14 Pionir and the patrol boats PC-2 Macola, PC-4 Junak and PC-24 Marjan fought a short battle against the German antisubmarine ships UJ-202 and UJ-208, (both were ex-Italian corvettes).
All the Partisan units suffered light damages but there were only 4 wounded on Pionir. Partisan crewmembers praised for the correct battle behavior, but there were multiple failures on different guns.
PC-4 Junak launched two smoke bombs to make a screen allowing the group to retreat against the superior enemy.
Later, during the day, the two German units briefly engaged against British motor torpedo boats and suffered few human losses (3 killed, 11 wounded) and shelled a German small convoy of MFP armed barges exchanging them for other enemies, sinking the F-433 in a friendly-fire attack and damaging others.
Both the German ships would be later sunk during another battle against Allied warships.
14-15 December 1944
During the night, the small Ustasha patrol boat “Küsten-Schnellboote” KS-5, with Croat crew, defected and joined the Partisans. Other boats attempted to defect and join the partisans but they were prevented by Germans. On KS-5 there was also the flotilla commander.
17 December 1944
Partisan transport boat Lahor met a German assault explosive craft (of Linse-type) and captured her. A German sailor shot, there are poor details but it appears that he was shot by partisans because attempting to detonate the craft or was shot by a German because refused to follow orders. There are no clear Partisan documents regarding this incident, neither detailed German reports (but this is common for all the “Linse” special crafts operations).
28 December 1944
Patrol boat PC-24 Marjan sunk into the Sv.Petar harbor a German motorboat. According own German forces, they were going to withdraw their forces and reported direct Partisan naval 20mm and 40mm gunfire with one own German boat “exploded” and a second motorboat suffering heavy damages. 2 German soldiers seriously wounded. There are no detailed Partisan documents on the action (as happens for other December 1944/1945 actions).
12 February 1945
Four German explosive crafts of “Linse” type attempted to attack Split harbor. British boats supported by Partisan coastal defensive fire destroyed three crafts before they could reach targets. There is no reported defensive fire from Partisan boats, but local shipping was the likely intended target of the “Linse”. Three days later, other three crafts observed sailing away from the area, likely after the failure of the first assault.
15 February 1945.
According some sources, the small patrol boat PC-55 Partizan-II reportedly sunk by accidental explosion of ammunition, but she probably just damaged. Partisan documents indicate no loss or damage.
24 February 1945.
According some sources, the small patrol boat PC-27-II Andjeljko reportedly sunk by accidental explosion of ammunition with 1 killed, but it's unconfirmed by other sources. Partisan documents indicate no loss or damage, still its’ possible that some kind of explosion (related to the casualty) occurred in or close the boat.
1 March 1945
The Navy of the People’s Liberation Army of the Yugoslavia officially renamed as the Yugoslavian Navy. Six days later, the exiled Yugoslavian King dissolved his government and officially disbanded his armed forces (including the Navy): it begins an operation to separate strict loyal royalists from personal willing to join the new armed forces.
1 April 1945
Gunboat NB-11 Crvena zvijezda sunk by mine. 17 died and 11 wounded of 29 crewmembers according official Yugoslavian documents (other source raise the death toll to 22 sailors killed).
She was the largest and most armed NB gunboat of the Partisan fleet. Former anti-partisan ship “Anton” and one of the biggest prizes captured by partisans: she turned the largest and most armed ship in the flotilla (including 88mm gun), but while good for propaganda purposes, her size was not likely a good factor compared to the faster and smaller boats. NB-11 Crvena zvijedza was the only partisan warship lost due mine, likely because of her larger hull.
5 April 1945
Yugoslavian hospital boat BB-4 Topcider and patrol boat PC-24 Marjan reportedly clashed with a German “motor torpedo boat” leaving Pag Island. Yugoslavians suffered 1 sailor killed and claimed to have inflicted 11 casualties to the enemy. Germans indicate presence of Sturmboot-42 type, in particular KJ-5 remained close the Island until no more evacuation was possible.
10 April 1945
The ex-Royalist corvette Nada reached Komiza (Vis Island) from Italy and on the same night departed to escort eight LCT to Sibenik. The ship wasn’t formerly part of the exiled Navy (King disbanded it), but neither integrated in the new Yugoslavian Fleet even if it appear she was de-facto under the new government control and committed to this single escorting mission without encountering the enemy.
The corvette was the largest royalist warship, ex-HMS Mallow. She made only escort duties in Mediterranean without contact with enemy. While she's commonly described as joining the new Yugoslavian Navy in August, partisan documents clearly describe a single mission supporting the Adriatic liberation in April.
17/18 April 1945
The only effective naval clash involving ex-Royalist units. British motor torpedo boat MTB-409 attacked a convoy of 3 German MFP landing crafts and 5 barges off Umago claiming one MFP by torpedo (unconfirmed). A second round of clash on the same convoy involved the “Higgins-type” Yugoslavian motor gunboats PT-207 and PT-217 (sometimes named after the British Hull-number but also known by the American hull-numbers). PT-217 suffered damage with 1 KIA and no confirmed effect on the enemy. While de-facto under control of nominally Royalists, the Exiled Royalist Navy was disbanded at the time off the clash, and this single action was the most significant attempt to contribute to the final Liberation.
According one source, auxiliary ship Beli Orao stationed with four of the eight “Higgins” type boats in Ancona already in March with the order to collaborate and strictly royalist crewmembers already left the ships. The other four “Higgins” reportedly joined the group in April to collaborate in the liberation of Rab and Krk Islands.
28 April 1945
There is a brief Yugoslavian report about hostile enemy naval gunfire against a convoy sailing on Jablanac – Mosceniga route. Its unclear composition of convoy, but no damage suffered.
1 May 1945
While this text doesn’t include victories scored by Yugoslavian with ground artillery against naval target, this is reported because its importance against military targets.
Mortar fire sunk in Trieste harbor the German motor torpedo boat S-157 and landing craft MFP F-971: effectively the most important properly-rated German warships lost by Yugoslavian ground artillery action.
On that day, German forces scuttled a number of warships in Trieste to prevent capture.
Two German MFP landing crafts seized in Trieste by Yugoslavian ground forces: F-1168, F-1169 and two Italian MZ-713, MZ-717 (identical to MFP). All four vessels, plus a fifth one delivered as war repairs by Italy, become the core of Yugoslavian post-war amphibious force and the basis for the Yugoslavian designed and built DTM class (active until the downfall of Yugoslavian socialist republic!).
3 May 1945
During the liberation of Pula, Yugoslavian forces captured the Italian fascist (RSI) midget-submarine CB-20.
The small vessel was immediately renamed P-901 Malisan, however there was little to no time to actually prepare the small vessel for combat, she eventually joined the post-war Yugoslavian Navy in 1948 after overhaul.
On the same day, the Yugoslavian Navy suffered one last sad loss with the death of gunboat NB-14’s commander: he died alongside two other sailors inspecting naval mines off Krnica on a small boat.
5 May 1945
Yugoslavian gunboats NB-3 Jadran, NB-14 Pionir, and patrol boat PC-4 Junak shelled trapped enemy forces at Cape Muzil near Pola. Hours later, gunboat NB-14 Pionir engaged an unidentified enemy boat that was attempting to embark enemy forces on the shore and chased it toward the Brijuni islands. Details of the identity of targets are missing because of the end of the war, as well as possible damage or casualties inflicted.
On the same day, patrol boat PC-8 Udarnik was the first unit to enter into the Trieste's harbor.
6 May 1945
One day after the official ending of naval hostilities in Adriatic, the Yugoslavian patrol boat PC-1 Jadran seized on sea the motor boat Remo (cargo: flour and other material) that was attempting to flee to the British. Possibly Italian fascists or collaborationists operated her. Most of sources doesn’t indicate this victory, but this was an effective seizure of an hostile escaping vessel: ship and cargo was indeed considered as prize and seized.
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YUGOSLAVIAN PARTISAN RIVER ACTIONS
NOTE: there is much less information over river actions even among Yugoslavian sources, compared to Adriatic.
8 September 1944
Mutiny onboard the German auxiliary riverine minesweeper Zagreb with Croat crewmembers onboard. The mutineers led by Dragutin Iskra grounded the ship and took all the weapons. They would become the first volunteer of the riverine Partisan forces. Details of the action are scarce: a German report stated the ship found “plundered” (likely in a wrecked state because she was not recovered), with German radio and sailing personal missing and assumed captured.
9 September 1944
Crew of the Ustasha riverine monitor Sava scuttled the ship and defected to partisan. Sailors accomplished the feat while fascist officers slept in the nearby Slavonski Brod city. Often wrongly reported as lost due partisan ground artillery, the monitor was still effectively the largest enemy warship lost due partisan action (due joining of the sailors to the partisans). The Ustasha operated also a second large riverine monitor (Bosna), lost on British air-dropped mine on June 1944.
11 September 1944
Official formation of the “Naval Company” part of the 11th Vojvodvina NOV Brigade. The first volunteers were all ex-crewmembers of ship Zagreb.
20 November 1944
The “Naval Company” based in Novi Sad. In the two following months the company engaged in man transport and supply operations alongside the Danube but also reportedly engaged enemy crafts, claiming five vessels destroyed and other 43 damaged. Currenly there is no clear descriptions of these accidents, but the partisan boats had likely skirmishes with small boats or barges navigating to German areas. It is unknown if the Flotilla seized in action small boats, motorboats or barges.
March 1945
The Naval Company reportedly possessed seven patrol boats, nine motor boats and seven assault boats.
11 – 12 March 1945
Soviet sources indicate that German assault crafts in Danube sunk the Yugoslavian steamer Kastelac and four barges. Currently there is little to no detail about that and other possible operations. The Soviet Danube Fleet would eventually face these assault crafts between 25 and 26 March, repelling an attempt to attack Soviet monitors.
20 March 1945
A separate Sava Flotilla was created in Sremska Mitrovica: it was composed by three patrol boats, five motor boats, four assault boats,2 loggers and 1 pontoon.
1 April 1945
The Sava Flotilla cooperated with the 1st Army, during these operations, one barge sunk by mine.
14 April 1945
The Naval Company was officially reformed as Danube Flotilla (headquartered in Novi Sad), integrating also also the command-ship “Cer” and five other boats. The Flotilla quickly begun to operate between Vukovar- Novi Sad carrying wounded and on other traits of the Danube carrying food, troops and supplies.
20 April 1945
One of the heaviest blow suffered by the partisans on sea or rivers: the transport ship Kasja Miletic (former passenger-ship Jolanda) was sailing alongside the barge Ana Divarica (cargo of timber) from Brcko to Mitrovica when both stuck mines and sunk. The transport ship was carrying wounded, 203 died during the sinking and only 17 rescued.
26 April 1945
Another loss occurred for the Sava Flotilla: steamer Slovenac sunk by magnetic mine between Mitrovica and Sabac, but only 4 killed.
(From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
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lupodimare89
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(From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
Last edited by lupodimare89 on 07 Jan 2023, 03:28, edited 2 times in total.
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lupodimare89
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Re: (From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
GREEK PARTISAN FLEET OPERATIONS
NOTE: Information of Greek Partisan naval warfare is rare and fragmented. The communist group ELAS employed its own navy (ELAN) but most of original documents likely got lost with the end of the war and subsequent Greek Civil War.
The page is almost identical to the original Soviet-Empire thread except for an additional info for operations in 1943 in Pagasetic Gulf.
Sabotage actions by British agents in cooperation with monarchist partisans are not included in this work.
Actions are split by each different Flotilla/operative zone.
As for the Yugoslavian theatre, destruction of civilian fishing boats/motorboats in villages blamed to support partisans are not included.
Sources are mostly Greek and Russian wikipedia pages and related Greek articles as original sources.
An additional German source is from site historisches-marinearchiv.de database (actions of German aux. armed boats)
IONIAN SEA
The ELAN Second Squadron officially covered the Ionian Islands area, few interesting operations known from Greek sources.
There is no specific German mention source about the area (considering also the loss of documents and the retreat), but all the incidents appears real due full seizures of targets and partisan admitted losses.
7 July 1944
Partisan armed schooner Agios Dimitrios was the most significant active unit into Ionian Sea.
She was manned by 14 sailors (Commander Símo Loukéri̱) weighted 8 tons and carried light weapons and one Breda heavy machine gun. On that day, Agios Dimitrios attacked a German supply schooner, but she was repelled by anti-aircraft fire from the target. The arrival of 3 German fast assault boats forced Agios Dimitrios to hide close the outlet of Aspropotamos river, from that new position she spotted the German schooner Lesina (unclear if she was the first target) sailing toward Makropopulos island. A team of 3 partisans opened fire from ground while Agios Dimitrios approached the schooner and boarder her. German sailors were shot.
The seized schooner was brought to the partisan-controlled village of Rodia. The seized cargo of 80tons of explosive material included anti-tank and anti-personal mines.
It is interesting that British officers were far from happy to see the cargo in the hands of the ELAS and offered (unsuccessfully) to buy it.
Later partisans scuttled the schooner (the anchor has been preserved and kept in museum).
19 July 1944
Partisan armed schooner Agios Dimitrios embarked several important officers of the ELAS (who were attempting to leave Kefalonia Island, due heavy German offensive). While reaching the mainland’s shore, German troops ambushed and sunk her. According different sources, between 21 and 26 sailors and ELAS officers killed. It is interesting that despite being part of the communist ELAN naval forces, the schooner carried a religious name. She appears to be the most significant ELAN unit active in Ionian Sea.
13 September 1944
In Ithaca Island, partisans attacked the harbor and seized the tug Maria Antonietta (mixed German-Italian crew) after the action of the partisan boat Demokratia. German units (possibly assault boats) counter-attacked and sunk both the tug and the Demokratia. Human losses included 2 partisans and 17 Italian sailors (who defected to partisans, according Greek sources).
CORINTO GULF
NOTE: Partisan naval in the Corinto Gulf is extremely unknown. In official Greek database, there is no mention about a specific section of ELAN located in the Gulf. However, it is possible some boats were dispatched from the nearby second Squadron (Ionian Islands) or first Squadron (Peoloponnese) they were had-hoc small boats by ELAS ground forces. All the activity reported on this front came from German sources (quite interestingly, because German sources lack details of the other areas!)
19 March 1944
Motor-schooner Eleni (52 GRT) sunk by partisans off Antikyra, in the Bay of Corinth, while sailing to the Zante Island for the German Army (cargo unclear).
Later raised and repaired by the Greek owner. It is unclear if the attack occurred from ground or with motorboats.
19 May 1944
German sources report that schooner Aghia Paraskevi (24 GRT) sunk by partisans in Strava harbor. However, this is disputed and the vessels is also reported as sunk by Allied aircraft on 9 May or lost on sea for unclear reason off Itea on 20 May. Even if confirmed a partisan involvement, it was a ground action and not a naval attack.
27 May 1944
German auxiliary patrol boat Argo suffered 1 WIA after fire from moored partisan motorboats
1 July 1944
Close Nafpaktos, the German landing craft SF-266 attacked by ground partisan forces with light fire, minor damages and 2 WIA.
30 July 1944
German auxiliary patrol boat Argo received fire (without result) from partisan boats.
ARGOLIC GULF
Partisan naval activity begun in October 1943, in 8 months Partisans claimed to have seized multiple enemy boats but it is unclear how many were captured due raids in harbors and how many due boarding on sea. Partisan sailors were actively engaged in ground combat (suffering heavy losses), Germans re-seized many boats or scuttled them in harbors (total number of vessels seized and re-captured is up to hundreds!). Coastal villages saw also heavy deportation of civilians committed by German troops.
Interestingly, ELAN never instituted a proper numbered Squadron in the Area but rather defined it as Independent Squadron (likely due the temporary nature).
SARONIC GULF
The ELAN 3rd Squadron (Euboic, Malian and Saronic Gulfs) covered the operations in the Gulf. There is almost no information about the Squadron actions in Greek sources.
Between 12 and 28 April 1943
Italian small minesweepers RD-17, RD-26 and German auxiliary armed boats GA-54 involved in anti-partisan operations.
EUBOIC GULF
The ELAN 3rd Squadron (Euboic, Malian and Saronic Gulfs) covered the operations in the Gulf. There is almost no information about the Squadron actions in Greek sources, but a single incident reported by the German sources.
14 April 1943
Action of Gardikios Bay
German auxiliary armed boats GA-02, GA-26 and GA-60 clashed with a group of ELAN forces, capturing three armed boats.
On the first two auxiliary armed boats, Germans suffered 5 KIA, 4 WIA.
Between 1 and 11 May 1943
German auxiliary armed boat GA-59 involved in anti-partisan operations in Euripus strait.
PAGASETIC GULF
Extremely poor information about this area. Few successes reported by partisan sources.
German documents reports some Partisan naval activity in Trikery Channel during April 1943, with an Italian mail-boat attacked (one Italian officer and a German petty officer captured) and another coastal sailing vessel plundered. There is absolute lack of details of these early local operations. Axis forces went on a coastal offensive against local villages to suppress this activity.
The Fourth Squadron covered the area of Pagasetic Gulf and Pelion. Interestingly, one of the three Partisan claims is confirmed also by German sources.
On May 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized a German supply motorboat (cargo of ammunition)
On June 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized the schooner Skiathos (integrated in the flotilla).
Details unclear: possibly, all Greek boats hired by Germans.
On August 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized a German “tug”. This third claim actually match with a direct German loss:
On 6 August 1944, the German schooner Agios Andreas (28 GRT)(German sources approximated at 30GRT) was seized by partisans while sailing from Skiatos Island to Volos. Remained as partisan prize until the end of the war. Apparently the schooner was carrying a cargo, it is unclear if supplies or weapons/ammunition. NOTE: it is a rare partisan success with a full German confirmation! This likely because vessel integrated in a German transport company, even if retaining a Greek name.
5 October 1944
German submarine chaser UJ-2110 (ex-Greek auxiliary minelayer Korgialenios) sunk with gunfire a schooner north of Skiathos Island.
Unclear details, possibly it was a partisan supply boat heading for Pagasetic Gulf.
AEGEAN SEA
ELAN Sixth Squadron operating in northern Aegean Sea Chalkidiki peninsula formed the strongest, most armed and most organized sub-unit of the ELAN (and the most effective).
There is less information about the smaller Fifth Squadron (Eastern Macedonia) and had-hoc units in Chios and Lesbos Islands.
August 1943
ELAS ground forces seized the boat (cargo of building materials) that would be later kept hidden until entering service in ELAN as Chalkidiki, a prominent vessel of the partisan fleet (see subsequent actions starting from May 1944). In a similar incident, the boat Agios Athanasios seized, but later returned to the original Greek owner.
Unclear day of fall 1943
ELAN begun employing a fast speedboat named Xelogiástra to carry load of supplies along the coast.
On her last mission, she stopped due engine problems and a German plane strafed her. Crew left the boat and successfully escaped, while a group of Greek collaborationists seized the boat.
December 1943
When ELAS partisans liberated Dafni, they seize the vessel Agios Dimitrios in harbor (cargo: 20 tons of wheat), two German soldiers POW on it.
Apparently, she was the same vessel converted as hospital-ship in July 1944.
(NOTE: Agios Dimitrios was a common name for small ships)
25 March 1944
German auxiliary submarine chaser UJ-2141 (sailing ship) engaged partisans at Damouchari beach (Mount Pelio). Possible it was action against ground forces.
Interestingly, the vessel sunk by British air raid the following month Kythera Island (south of Peloponnese) and local ELAS forces recovered weapons from the wreck sunk in low waters.
12 May 1944
Partisan armed boats Chalkidiki, Thasos and Ammouliani begun the first naval campaign: they boarded and seized the boat Agios Nikolaos.
Cargo included weapons: 1 tons of explosive (later used to create grenades), one 105mm gun, 3 rifles, 4 pistols.
The ship was sailing to Lemnos Island’s garrison (according a different source this seizure occurred much later, on 15 August 1944!).
Details unclear: possibly, it was a Greek’s owned ship hired by German.
In the last days of May, the same group of units boarded and seized the armed tug Zefyros outside Stratoni.
Shortly later they seized the German tug Adolfos (renamed by partisans Cholomontas) (possibly original name was Adolf) at Porto Koufo. Shortly later Partisans claimed to have seized other 4 vessels (not confirmed).
Another vessel seized was sailing ship Agios Georgios (cargo: 200tons of wheat)
Details unclear: possibly, all Greek boats hired by Germans.
By July Partisans re-organized a second separate flotilla in the area, including even an hospital ship: Agios Dimitrios (homonym of the Ionian Sea vessel).
According Greek sources, by this month, 15 targets has been seized on sea (not confirmed).
30 July 1944
ELAN ships in coordination with ELAS ground forces attacked a German lighter ferry close Sarti.
The lighter managed to escape, but Germans suffered 2 KIA and 9 POW (apparently left on the beach) including the captain.
It is unclear identity of the lighter.
18 August 1944.
Unidentified partisan boats boarded and seized the supply boat Panagia (full of cargo).
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target likely owned by Greeks and hired by Germans.
20 August 1944.
Unidentified partisan boats boarded and seized the supply boat Agios Konstantinos (cargo of oil).
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target likely owned by Greeks and hired by Germans.
22 August 1944.
The flotilla made a landing operation using the motor ship Volga near Mount Athos, coordinating with the ground ELAS forces.
29 August 1944
15 miles east of the Great Lavra Monastry, boats of the flotilla seized an “enemy tanker”, carrying 150 tons of fuel in addition and 10tons of lubricating oil. There is lack of details for ship’s identity, but it is likely she was not properly a tanker, rather a Greek small ship used by Germans Army for that purpose. This seizing was a key success, because ELAN supplied the fuel to the the 11° ELAS Division, significantly helping for the final offensive in Makedonia. Apparently, the vessel was unmanned (likely anchored) when it was seized, like the following incident, it is likely the vessel was rated as a simple transport carrying the load of fuel.
14 September 1944
Unidentified partisan boats seized five Bulgarian “small tankers” (each reported to be close 600tons) attempting to flee to Turkey.
The seizure appears a confirmed event: all the five vessels (described as tankers, but likely small transports) built locally in Thasos by the local Bulgarian administration, and brought by partisans to Ierissos ELAN’s headquarters).
On the same day an unidentified partisan boat seized two German small boats (both carrying a gun of 75mm).
Probably, partisans seized two boats, likely Greek-owned, used by the German Army to transport the guns.
On the same day, a German “armed boat” (probably auxiliary) chased by unidentified partisan boat, hit and surrendered. Attack coordinated with ELAS ground forces.
Germans suffered 12 prisoners including a lieutenant according Partisan sources.
There was no Kriegsmarine known loss (even if data are incomplete), and it is possible the target was an Army’s manned local boat.
Battle of Eleftheridon
On 25 September 1944 occurred the largest naval clash involving the Partisan Greek flotilla, northeast of Stratoni.
ELAN dispatched the following armed boats: Thasos, n°5, Chalkidiki, Laokratia, Cholomontas and tug Zefyros kept as reserve, to intercept enemy ships sailing away from Lemnos to Stavros.
According Greek sources, partisans encountered two armed enemy ships (described sometimes even as submarine chasers), and engaged them in battle, reportedly inflicting high casualties (20-25 estimated killed).
On their sides, partisans suffered hit on Cholomontas (1 KIA, 3 WIA).
German sources give a different but interesting account: partisans attacked the armed transport boat GN-106 (previously VB-6, of the Lemnos flotilla), that was trying to sail to Stavros.
According German sources, reporting old Greek ones, the boat captured by partisans (1 KIA, others POW) and brought to Mytilini. While the seizure is not confirmed by modern Greek account, it is possible the vessel was indeed sunk after battle damage (or truly seized, but due lack of partisan documents this will likely remain unclear). Nevertheless, the battle resulted in ELAN success achieving a full victory over an armed Kriegsmarine unit.
6 October 1944.
Unidentified partisan boat seized a German “small tanker” close Athos.
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target was likely a Greek schooner or boat, carrying fuel.
8 October 1944.
Three unidentified partisan boats fought a skirmish with four German armed boats, claiming up 10 Germans killed (unconfirmed and probably exaggerated).
16 October 1944
German landing craft MFP F-898 reported a skirmish against partisans while evacuating troops from Lemnos Island. While details are unclear, it is possible she engaged partisans boats (see battle claim on following day). German sources confirm F-898 intentionally shelled and sunk the tank lighter Ertha, likely to prevent enemy seizure.
17 October 1944.
Four unidentified partisan boats fought a skirmish with four German armed boats, claiming up 20 Germans killed (unconfirmed and probably exaggerated).
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NOTE: The follow section was not present in the latest updated-thread on Soviet-Empire forum
ALBANIAN PARTISANS
Despite sharing border with Yugoslavia and Greece and having an history of navigation, the Albanian Partisan movement didn't create an own flotilla. However there are some scarce reports of minor naval operation.
Source it's entirely from the Alabian book: DETARIA SHQIPTARE NË RRJEDHËN E KOHËS, by Seit Jonuzaj and Neki Lameborshi, 2018
1 June 1942
A single sabotage attack reported by Partisan sources it’s the blowing-up of a small Italian “tanker” (possibly a loaded riverine barge) with fuel while standing anchored off Uji i Ftohtë, a water tributary of Vjosa river.
On unclear day of 1942, a partisan commander from Vuno reached by boat the Greek Othonoi Island, to detain a collaborationist who took refuge there.
After 8 September 1943
An unidentified number of local Albanian boats with direct or loose connection to the Partisan movement, took part in the repatriation of Italian soldiers. One motorboat, the “Iliria” (ext 200 tons) was also attacked by German airplane and the captain wounded but the ship reached Bari successfully.
19 October 1944
A landing team of Partisans reached Sazan Island where they disarmed a group of ethnic-Armenian recruited soldiers of the Wehrmacht stationed there, without resistance. Three days later an entire partisan company landed by boat on the Island and raised the national flag.
28 November 1944
During the final operations to liberate northern Albania, close Scutari city a group of collaborationist militia tried to fled through Bunë river on a boat but they were captured. It is unclear the exact identity of the militia (described in partisan sources with the old term “Bashi-Bazouk”), but likely they were Balli Kombëtar fighters.
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DANISH PARTISANS
Note: The three incidents on 14, 15 and 18/19 April not originally included in Soviet-Empire forum thread.
One Danish resistance group during WW2 directed and related to the Danish Communist Party: the BOPA.
The BOPA carried multiple acts of sabotages. The most notable remain the two attempts against the German light cruiser Nurnberg.
15 February 1945
The first attack was the less refined but carried the most success: explosive placed in an underground tunnel aimed to make fall nearby loading cranes and crush them on the ship. The cranes did not fall on the light cruiser Nurnberg as projected: however, she suffered minor damages. While damage was minor, it was a unique case of German WW2 modern cruiser damaged by a communist group (excluding Soviet Union, that lightly damaged a number of modern cruisers in 1945 with air attacks).
14 April 1945
German patrol boat VS-1017 stopped and seized the Danish cutter KR-164 at Kolby-Kaas with sabotage materials onboard, arresting 6 Danes. Unclear the group’s allegiance of the captured partisans.
15 April 1945
German reports indicate an unidentified patrol vessel “damaged by sabotage” at Frederikshavn, while the (collaborationist) Danish merchant Kobenhavn (1667 GRT) beached after sabotage in Copenhagen. Exact partisan group responsible for these actions is unclear.
18-19 April 1945
During the night, German motorboat Anni (120tons) sunk by sabotage in Aarhus. Exact partisan group responsible for this actions is unclear.
24 - 25 April 1945
The second attack against light cruiser Nurnberg was possible after recruiting a young student of a diving school, who was secretly part of another resistance group related to the Danish Navy. To carry on the operation, a sympathetic lighthouse officer “borrowed” the small research boat Biologen. Five men composed the team, they even met sailors of the Nurnberg cruiser (without raising suspects) and the explosive device was prepared onboard the icebreaker Vaeddaren. The frogman successfully placed the explosive device, but it failed to detonate.
A second attempt was to be organized and a new bomb was prepared, but there was no time to start the second operation before the end of the conflict.
Interestingly, the same Danish diver (accompanied by a German diver, on insistence of Nurnberg’s captain) removed the unexploded device shortly after the end of the war. The cruiser Nurnberg survived the war and assigned as war reparation to the Soviet Union (renamed Admiral Makarov)
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(the following section it's identical to the latest-uploaded page on Soviet-Empire forum)
NORWEGIAN PARTISAN SABOTAGES
Among the Partisans that contributed mostly to the naval warfare it was the Norwegian resistance. While the activity of pro-western UK-trained groups was strong, this page include only the leftist-oriented political ones that during WW2 included two different groups. At first operated the Osvald-Group, connected to the Norwegian Communist Party and to the Soviet NKVD and operated until 1944 until disbandment after Moscow’s orders. The last (and smaller) organization was the Pelle-Group: unaffiliated to NKVD but still related with the Norwegian Communist Party, operating only from late 1944. Both groups’ members suffered persecution by the Norwegian authorities post-war for their communist or pro-communist stances. Monuments for Pelle-Group and Osvald-Group placed only in 2013 and 2015. Other Axis ships were attacked, damaged and sunk by sabotage action from pro-western partisan group: they are not included in this page for lack of the author’s interest in these operations.
Interestingly, The Osvald-Group was born out of the survived Norwegian branch of the pre-war international Wollweber -Group: saboteurs affiliated with the Komintern targeting fascist countries’ ships (German, Japan, Italy) at the time of Spanish Civil War and the Soviet-Japanese border conflict.
19 March 1942
Osvald-Group carried a sabotage in Oslo harbor, claiming destruction of two German patrol boats. The claim indeed match a report in German sources: the loss of two motorboats (likely local boats used for police service) destroyed by explosion at Palace Bridge in Oslo with four men killed.
13 November 1944
Norwegian merchant ship Neptun (1574 GRT) sunk in Bergen harbor, after sabotage committed by a single crewmember who planted explosive on the side of the ship. The sailor was arrested by Gestapo but survived execution due the end of the war. It is unclear which resistance group provided explosive and the sailor appear to have multiple connections. There is no direct political claim.
23 November 1944
Oslo Shipyards Raids
A large sabotage occurred, coordinated in two different shipyards of Oslo city: Nylands Verksted and Akers Mekaniske Verksted.
The operation was the largest feat achieved by Pelle Group, which managed to carry explosive with the support of Norwegian workers of the shipyards.
At Akers Mek. Verksted shipyard the following ships sunk: Norwegian merchant Troma (5029 GRT), Norwegian merchant Taiwan (5502 GRT), German tanker Euroland (809 GRT) while the German tanker Schleswing (10243 GRT) suffered heavy damages (did not sunk, but not repaired during war, returned to Norway after the conflict as “Austanger”).
At Nylands Verksted shipyard the following ships were sunk: Norwegian tanker Kaprino (3249 GRT) and merchant Arna (4325 GRT). Two Norwegian sailors died on Arna.
As aftermath of the successful raid carried by the Pelle Group, Gestapo investigations brought to the arrest 11 fighters and the execution of 7 of them. Despite these losses (Pelle Group was constituted only by one hundred fighters!), the attack was successful also in contributing to slowing down the German retreat operation and the most successful sabotage in harbors committed by a communist or socialist-oriented group by sheer number of targets sunk/disabled and tonnage (close 29000 GRT!) with a single strike.
Interestingly the responsibility for the attack officially recognized in Norway to the Pelle Group only in 2013 because for years was wrongly attributed to pro-British agents due the anti-communist policies of the Norwegian government during Cold War. The merchant ship Troma, raised after the war, changed name as “Max Manus” honoring the pro-British saboteur who unfairly claimed the honor of the success from the Pelle Group and was not actually involved in the attack.
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The following operations were never uploaded before on the Soviet-empire forum thread
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NETHERLANDS:
Details of Dutch partisan naval actions are extremely scarce. The first groups operating in the country were of communist orientation but suffered heavy losses.
Only a couple of very late incidents are known and it’s not clear the exact group behind these attacks:
14 April 1945
Ship Zeelandia with ammunition onboard exploded in harbor, reportedly by sabotage. Crew saved.
17 April 1945
Ships Alkmaar sunk and Zar Peter damaged by time-bombs, in Amsterdam.
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POLAND:
Despite the presence of a strong partisan movement, control of the Baltic shore was entirely German and I’ve found no evidence of Partisan actions.
There is still the possibility of sabotage attacks carried in shipyards, but considering that most of current literature involve the anti-communist Partisan resistance, I’ve not researched it.
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ITALY
Despite its long naval tradition, the anti-fascist partisan movement in Italy spread after 1943 was almost entirely focused inland.
The main exception was one urban guerrilla group mostly related to the libertarian-socialist “Partito d’Azione” (Action’s Party) “S.A.P. Giustizia e Libertà” (by coincidence, the larger military branch of the Party was also named “Giustizia e Libertà”). They operated only in the Liguria region.
20 November 1944
A bomb placed inside the tug Liguria caused heavy damages making the ship irreparable.
January 1945
The tug Jupiter sunk with after sabotage. The ship received previously some damages by an earlier sabotage.
8 February 1945
The water tankers Sprugola (318tons) and Tevere sunk off San Bartolomea after bombs. The Germans however recovered the ships.
10 February 1945
An attack with bombs placed on the tugs Costanza, Generale Pollio, Giulia and Fedeltà, failed because of malfunction of the explosive.
23 April1945
During the final days of the Liberation, groups of the SAP captured Italian fascists that attempted to leave Porto Venere by sea. It’s unclear exactly what happened in details, if the partisans made use of some local boats or they stopped the fascists into the harbor.
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FRANCE
In France (like in Italy after 1943) there was presence of socialist and communist partisans among the resistance, officially named “Francs-Tireurs et Partisans” (FTP), with activity in the southern France and presence of Spanish republicans exiled within their ranks. There are scarce information of naval sabotage organized by a communist partisan cell in La Ciotat, striking the local shipyard.
NOTE: Information of Greek Partisan naval warfare is rare and fragmented. The communist group ELAS employed its own navy (ELAN) but most of original documents likely got lost with the end of the war and subsequent Greek Civil War.
The page is almost identical to the original Soviet-Empire thread except for an additional info for operations in 1943 in Pagasetic Gulf.
Sabotage actions by British agents in cooperation with monarchist partisans are not included in this work.
Actions are split by each different Flotilla/operative zone.
As for the Yugoslavian theatre, destruction of civilian fishing boats/motorboats in villages blamed to support partisans are not included.
Sources are mostly Greek and Russian wikipedia pages and related Greek articles as original sources.
An additional German source is from site historisches-marinearchiv.de database (actions of German aux. armed boats)
IONIAN SEA
The ELAN Second Squadron officially covered the Ionian Islands area, few interesting operations known from Greek sources.
There is no specific German mention source about the area (considering also the loss of documents and the retreat), but all the incidents appears real due full seizures of targets and partisan admitted losses.
7 July 1944
Partisan armed schooner Agios Dimitrios was the most significant active unit into Ionian Sea.
She was manned by 14 sailors (Commander Símo Loukéri̱) weighted 8 tons and carried light weapons and one Breda heavy machine gun. On that day, Agios Dimitrios attacked a German supply schooner, but she was repelled by anti-aircraft fire from the target. The arrival of 3 German fast assault boats forced Agios Dimitrios to hide close the outlet of Aspropotamos river, from that new position she spotted the German schooner Lesina (unclear if she was the first target) sailing toward Makropopulos island. A team of 3 partisans opened fire from ground while Agios Dimitrios approached the schooner and boarder her. German sailors were shot.
The seized schooner was brought to the partisan-controlled village of Rodia. The seized cargo of 80tons of explosive material included anti-tank and anti-personal mines.
It is interesting that British officers were far from happy to see the cargo in the hands of the ELAS and offered (unsuccessfully) to buy it.
Later partisans scuttled the schooner (the anchor has been preserved and kept in museum).
19 July 1944
Partisan armed schooner Agios Dimitrios embarked several important officers of the ELAS (who were attempting to leave Kefalonia Island, due heavy German offensive). While reaching the mainland’s shore, German troops ambushed and sunk her. According different sources, between 21 and 26 sailors and ELAS officers killed. It is interesting that despite being part of the communist ELAN naval forces, the schooner carried a religious name. She appears to be the most significant ELAN unit active in Ionian Sea.
13 September 1944
In Ithaca Island, partisans attacked the harbor and seized the tug Maria Antonietta (mixed German-Italian crew) after the action of the partisan boat Demokratia. German units (possibly assault boats) counter-attacked and sunk both the tug and the Demokratia. Human losses included 2 partisans and 17 Italian sailors (who defected to partisans, according Greek sources).
CORINTO GULF
NOTE: Partisan naval in the Corinto Gulf is extremely unknown. In official Greek database, there is no mention about a specific section of ELAN located in the Gulf. However, it is possible some boats were dispatched from the nearby second Squadron (Ionian Islands) or first Squadron (Peoloponnese) they were had-hoc small boats by ELAS ground forces. All the activity reported on this front came from German sources (quite interestingly, because German sources lack details of the other areas!)
19 March 1944
Motor-schooner Eleni (52 GRT) sunk by partisans off Antikyra, in the Bay of Corinth, while sailing to the Zante Island for the German Army (cargo unclear).
Later raised and repaired by the Greek owner. It is unclear if the attack occurred from ground or with motorboats.
19 May 1944
German sources report that schooner Aghia Paraskevi (24 GRT) sunk by partisans in Strava harbor. However, this is disputed and the vessels is also reported as sunk by Allied aircraft on 9 May or lost on sea for unclear reason off Itea on 20 May. Even if confirmed a partisan involvement, it was a ground action and not a naval attack.
27 May 1944
German auxiliary patrol boat Argo suffered 1 WIA after fire from moored partisan motorboats
1 July 1944
Close Nafpaktos, the German landing craft SF-266 attacked by ground partisan forces with light fire, minor damages and 2 WIA.
30 July 1944
German auxiliary patrol boat Argo received fire (without result) from partisan boats.
ARGOLIC GULF
Partisan naval activity begun in October 1943, in 8 months Partisans claimed to have seized multiple enemy boats but it is unclear how many were captured due raids in harbors and how many due boarding on sea. Partisan sailors were actively engaged in ground combat (suffering heavy losses), Germans re-seized many boats or scuttled them in harbors (total number of vessels seized and re-captured is up to hundreds!). Coastal villages saw also heavy deportation of civilians committed by German troops.
Interestingly, ELAN never instituted a proper numbered Squadron in the Area but rather defined it as Independent Squadron (likely due the temporary nature).
SARONIC GULF
The ELAN 3rd Squadron (Euboic, Malian and Saronic Gulfs) covered the operations in the Gulf. There is almost no information about the Squadron actions in Greek sources.
Between 12 and 28 April 1943
Italian small minesweepers RD-17, RD-26 and German auxiliary armed boats GA-54 involved in anti-partisan operations.
EUBOIC GULF
The ELAN 3rd Squadron (Euboic, Malian and Saronic Gulfs) covered the operations in the Gulf. There is almost no information about the Squadron actions in Greek sources, but a single incident reported by the German sources.
14 April 1943
Action of Gardikios Bay
German auxiliary armed boats GA-02, GA-26 and GA-60 clashed with a group of ELAN forces, capturing three armed boats.
On the first two auxiliary armed boats, Germans suffered 5 KIA, 4 WIA.
Between 1 and 11 May 1943
German auxiliary armed boat GA-59 involved in anti-partisan operations in Euripus strait.
PAGASETIC GULF
Extremely poor information about this area. Few successes reported by partisan sources.
German documents reports some Partisan naval activity in Trikery Channel during April 1943, with an Italian mail-boat attacked (one Italian officer and a German petty officer captured) and another coastal sailing vessel plundered. There is absolute lack of details of these early local operations. Axis forces went on a coastal offensive against local villages to suppress this activity.
The Fourth Squadron covered the area of Pagasetic Gulf and Pelion. Interestingly, one of the three Partisan claims is confirmed also by German sources.
On May 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized a German supply motorboat (cargo of ammunition)
On June 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized the schooner Skiathos (integrated in the flotilla).
Details unclear: possibly, all Greek boats hired by Germans.
On August 1944 unidentified partisan boat boarded and seized a German “tug”. This third claim actually match with a direct German loss:
On 6 August 1944, the German schooner Agios Andreas (28 GRT)(German sources approximated at 30GRT) was seized by partisans while sailing from Skiatos Island to Volos. Remained as partisan prize until the end of the war. Apparently the schooner was carrying a cargo, it is unclear if supplies or weapons/ammunition. NOTE: it is a rare partisan success with a full German confirmation! This likely because vessel integrated in a German transport company, even if retaining a Greek name.
5 October 1944
German submarine chaser UJ-2110 (ex-Greek auxiliary minelayer Korgialenios) sunk with gunfire a schooner north of Skiathos Island.
Unclear details, possibly it was a partisan supply boat heading for Pagasetic Gulf.
AEGEAN SEA
ELAN Sixth Squadron operating in northern Aegean Sea Chalkidiki peninsula formed the strongest, most armed and most organized sub-unit of the ELAN (and the most effective).
There is less information about the smaller Fifth Squadron (Eastern Macedonia) and had-hoc units in Chios and Lesbos Islands.
August 1943
ELAS ground forces seized the boat (cargo of building materials) that would be later kept hidden until entering service in ELAN as Chalkidiki, a prominent vessel of the partisan fleet (see subsequent actions starting from May 1944). In a similar incident, the boat Agios Athanasios seized, but later returned to the original Greek owner.
Unclear day of fall 1943
ELAN begun employing a fast speedboat named Xelogiástra to carry load of supplies along the coast.
On her last mission, she stopped due engine problems and a German plane strafed her. Crew left the boat and successfully escaped, while a group of Greek collaborationists seized the boat.
December 1943
When ELAS partisans liberated Dafni, they seize the vessel Agios Dimitrios in harbor (cargo: 20 tons of wheat), two German soldiers POW on it.
Apparently, she was the same vessel converted as hospital-ship in July 1944.
(NOTE: Agios Dimitrios was a common name for small ships)
25 March 1944
German auxiliary submarine chaser UJ-2141 (sailing ship) engaged partisans at Damouchari beach (Mount Pelio). Possible it was action against ground forces.
Interestingly, the vessel sunk by British air raid the following month Kythera Island (south of Peloponnese) and local ELAS forces recovered weapons from the wreck sunk in low waters.
12 May 1944
Partisan armed boats Chalkidiki, Thasos and Ammouliani begun the first naval campaign: they boarded and seized the boat Agios Nikolaos.
Cargo included weapons: 1 tons of explosive (later used to create grenades), one 105mm gun, 3 rifles, 4 pistols.
The ship was sailing to Lemnos Island’s garrison (according a different source this seizure occurred much later, on 15 August 1944!).
Details unclear: possibly, it was a Greek’s owned ship hired by German.
In the last days of May, the same group of units boarded and seized the armed tug Zefyros outside Stratoni.
Shortly later they seized the German tug Adolfos (renamed by partisans Cholomontas) (possibly original name was Adolf) at Porto Koufo. Shortly later Partisans claimed to have seized other 4 vessels (not confirmed).
Another vessel seized was sailing ship Agios Georgios (cargo: 200tons of wheat)
Details unclear: possibly, all Greek boats hired by Germans.
By July Partisans re-organized a second separate flotilla in the area, including even an hospital ship: Agios Dimitrios (homonym of the Ionian Sea vessel).
According Greek sources, by this month, 15 targets has been seized on sea (not confirmed).
30 July 1944
ELAN ships in coordination with ELAS ground forces attacked a German lighter ferry close Sarti.
The lighter managed to escape, but Germans suffered 2 KIA and 9 POW (apparently left on the beach) including the captain.
It is unclear identity of the lighter.
18 August 1944.
Unidentified partisan boats boarded and seized the supply boat Panagia (full of cargo).
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target likely owned by Greeks and hired by Germans.
20 August 1944.
Unidentified partisan boats boarded and seized the supply boat Agios Konstantinos (cargo of oil).
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target likely owned by Greeks and hired by Germans.
22 August 1944.
The flotilla made a landing operation using the motor ship Volga near Mount Athos, coordinating with the ground ELAS forces.
29 August 1944
15 miles east of the Great Lavra Monastry, boats of the flotilla seized an “enemy tanker”, carrying 150 tons of fuel in addition and 10tons of lubricating oil. There is lack of details for ship’s identity, but it is likely she was not properly a tanker, rather a Greek small ship used by Germans Army for that purpose. This seizing was a key success, because ELAN supplied the fuel to the the 11° ELAS Division, significantly helping for the final offensive in Makedonia. Apparently, the vessel was unmanned (likely anchored) when it was seized, like the following incident, it is likely the vessel was rated as a simple transport carrying the load of fuel.
14 September 1944
Unidentified partisan boats seized five Bulgarian “small tankers” (each reported to be close 600tons) attempting to flee to Turkey.
The seizure appears a confirmed event: all the five vessels (described as tankers, but likely small transports) built locally in Thasos by the local Bulgarian administration, and brought by partisans to Ierissos ELAN’s headquarters).
On the same day an unidentified partisan boat seized two German small boats (both carrying a gun of 75mm).
Probably, partisans seized two boats, likely Greek-owned, used by the German Army to transport the guns.
On the same day, a German “armed boat” (probably auxiliary) chased by unidentified partisan boat, hit and surrendered. Attack coordinated with ELAS ground forces.
Germans suffered 12 prisoners including a lieutenant according Partisan sources.
There was no Kriegsmarine known loss (even if data are incomplete), and it is possible the target was an Army’s manned local boat.
Battle of Eleftheridon
On 25 September 1944 occurred the largest naval clash involving the Partisan Greek flotilla, northeast of Stratoni.
ELAN dispatched the following armed boats: Thasos, n°5, Chalkidiki, Laokratia, Cholomontas and tug Zefyros kept as reserve, to intercept enemy ships sailing away from Lemnos to Stavros.
According Greek sources, partisans encountered two armed enemy ships (described sometimes even as submarine chasers), and engaged them in battle, reportedly inflicting high casualties (20-25 estimated killed).
On their sides, partisans suffered hit on Cholomontas (1 KIA, 3 WIA).
German sources give a different but interesting account: partisans attacked the armed transport boat GN-106 (previously VB-6, of the Lemnos flotilla), that was trying to sail to Stavros.
According German sources, reporting old Greek ones, the boat captured by partisans (1 KIA, others POW) and brought to Mytilini. While the seizure is not confirmed by modern Greek account, it is possible the vessel was indeed sunk after battle damage (or truly seized, but due lack of partisan documents this will likely remain unclear). Nevertheless, the battle resulted in ELAN success achieving a full victory over an armed Kriegsmarine unit.
6 October 1944.
Unidentified partisan boat seized a German “small tanker” close Athos.
While unconfirmed, the very same seizure of the boat support the partisan claim: however, the target was likely a Greek schooner or boat, carrying fuel.
8 October 1944.
Three unidentified partisan boats fought a skirmish with four German armed boats, claiming up 10 Germans killed (unconfirmed and probably exaggerated).
16 October 1944
German landing craft MFP F-898 reported a skirmish against partisans while evacuating troops from Lemnos Island. While details are unclear, it is possible she engaged partisans boats (see battle claim on following day). German sources confirm F-898 intentionally shelled and sunk the tank lighter Ertha, likely to prevent enemy seizure.
17 October 1944.
Four unidentified partisan boats fought a skirmish with four German armed boats, claiming up 20 Germans killed (unconfirmed and probably exaggerated).
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NOTE: The follow section was not present in the latest updated-thread on Soviet-Empire forum
ALBANIAN PARTISANS
Despite sharing border with Yugoslavia and Greece and having an history of navigation, the Albanian Partisan movement didn't create an own flotilla. However there are some scarce reports of minor naval operation.
Source it's entirely from the Alabian book: DETARIA SHQIPTARE NË RRJEDHËN E KOHËS, by Seit Jonuzaj and Neki Lameborshi, 2018
1 June 1942
A single sabotage attack reported by Partisan sources it’s the blowing-up of a small Italian “tanker” (possibly a loaded riverine barge) with fuel while standing anchored off Uji i Ftohtë, a water tributary of Vjosa river.
On unclear day of 1942, a partisan commander from Vuno reached by boat the Greek Othonoi Island, to detain a collaborationist who took refuge there.
After 8 September 1943
An unidentified number of local Albanian boats with direct or loose connection to the Partisan movement, took part in the repatriation of Italian soldiers. One motorboat, the “Iliria” (ext 200 tons) was also attacked by German airplane and the captain wounded but the ship reached Bari successfully.
19 October 1944
A landing team of Partisans reached Sazan Island where they disarmed a group of ethnic-Armenian recruited soldiers of the Wehrmacht stationed there, without resistance. Three days later an entire partisan company landed by boat on the Island and raised the national flag.
28 November 1944
During the final operations to liberate northern Albania, close Scutari city a group of collaborationist militia tried to fled through Bunë river on a boat but they were captured. It is unclear the exact identity of the militia (described in partisan sources with the old term “Bashi-Bazouk”), but likely they were Balli Kombëtar fighters.
---------------------------------------------------------------
DANISH PARTISANS
Note: The three incidents on 14, 15 and 18/19 April not originally included in Soviet-Empire forum thread.
One Danish resistance group during WW2 directed and related to the Danish Communist Party: the BOPA.
The BOPA carried multiple acts of sabotages. The most notable remain the two attempts against the German light cruiser Nurnberg.
15 February 1945
The first attack was the less refined but carried the most success: explosive placed in an underground tunnel aimed to make fall nearby loading cranes and crush them on the ship. The cranes did not fall on the light cruiser Nurnberg as projected: however, she suffered minor damages. While damage was minor, it was a unique case of German WW2 modern cruiser damaged by a communist group (excluding Soviet Union, that lightly damaged a number of modern cruisers in 1945 with air attacks).
14 April 1945
German patrol boat VS-1017 stopped and seized the Danish cutter KR-164 at Kolby-Kaas with sabotage materials onboard, arresting 6 Danes. Unclear the group’s allegiance of the captured partisans.
15 April 1945
German reports indicate an unidentified patrol vessel “damaged by sabotage” at Frederikshavn, while the (collaborationist) Danish merchant Kobenhavn (1667 GRT) beached after sabotage in Copenhagen. Exact partisan group responsible for these actions is unclear.
18-19 April 1945
During the night, German motorboat Anni (120tons) sunk by sabotage in Aarhus. Exact partisan group responsible for this actions is unclear.
24 - 25 April 1945
The second attack against light cruiser Nurnberg was possible after recruiting a young student of a diving school, who was secretly part of another resistance group related to the Danish Navy. To carry on the operation, a sympathetic lighthouse officer “borrowed” the small research boat Biologen. Five men composed the team, they even met sailors of the Nurnberg cruiser (without raising suspects) and the explosive device was prepared onboard the icebreaker Vaeddaren. The frogman successfully placed the explosive device, but it failed to detonate.
A second attempt was to be organized and a new bomb was prepared, but there was no time to start the second operation before the end of the conflict.
Interestingly, the same Danish diver (accompanied by a German diver, on insistence of Nurnberg’s captain) removed the unexploded device shortly after the end of the war. The cruiser Nurnberg survived the war and assigned as war reparation to the Soviet Union (renamed Admiral Makarov)
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(the following section it's identical to the latest-uploaded page on Soviet-Empire forum)
NORWEGIAN PARTISAN SABOTAGES
Among the Partisans that contributed mostly to the naval warfare it was the Norwegian resistance. While the activity of pro-western UK-trained groups was strong, this page include only the leftist-oriented political ones that during WW2 included two different groups. At first operated the Osvald-Group, connected to the Norwegian Communist Party and to the Soviet NKVD and operated until 1944 until disbandment after Moscow’s orders. The last (and smaller) organization was the Pelle-Group: unaffiliated to NKVD but still related with the Norwegian Communist Party, operating only from late 1944. Both groups’ members suffered persecution by the Norwegian authorities post-war for their communist or pro-communist stances. Monuments for Pelle-Group and Osvald-Group placed only in 2013 and 2015. Other Axis ships were attacked, damaged and sunk by sabotage action from pro-western partisan group: they are not included in this page for lack of the author’s interest in these operations.
Interestingly, The Osvald-Group was born out of the survived Norwegian branch of the pre-war international Wollweber -Group: saboteurs affiliated with the Komintern targeting fascist countries’ ships (German, Japan, Italy) at the time of Spanish Civil War and the Soviet-Japanese border conflict.
19 March 1942
Osvald-Group carried a sabotage in Oslo harbor, claiming destruction of two German patrol boats. The claim indeed match a report in German sources: the loss of two motorboats (likely local boats used for police service) destroyed by explosion at Palace Bridge in Oslo with four men killed.
13 November 1944
Norwegian merchant ship Neptun (1574 GRT) sunk in Bergen harbor, after sabotage committed by a single crewmember who planted explosive on the side of the ship. The sailor was arrested by Gestapo but survived execution due the end of the war. It is unclear which resistance group provided explosive and the sailor appear to have multiple connections. There is no direct political claim.
23 November 1944
Oslo Shipyards Raids
A large sabotage occurred, coordinated in two different shipyards of Oslo city: Nylands Verksted and Akers Mekaniske Verksted.
The operation was the largest feat achieved by Pelle Group, which managed to carry explosive with the support of Norwegian workers of the shipyards.
At Akers Mek. Verksted shipyard the following ships sunk: Norwegian merchant Troma (5029 GRT), Norwegian merchant Taiwan (5502 GRT), German tanker Euroland (809 GRT) while the German tanker Schleswing (10243 GRT) suffered heavy damages (did not sunk, but not repaired during war, returned to Norway after the conflict as “Austanger”).
At Nylands Verksted shipyard the following ships were sunk: Norwegian tanker Kaprino (3249 GRT) and merchant Arna (4325 GRT). Two Norwegian sailors died on Arna.
As aftermath of the successful raid carried by the Pelle Group, Gestapo investigations brought to the arrest 11 fighters and the execution of 7 of them. Despite these losses (Pelle Group was constituted only by one hundred fighters!), the attack was successful also in contributing to slowing down the German retreat operation and the most successful sabotage in harbors committed by a communist or socialist-oriented group by sheer number of targets sunk/disabled and tonnage (close 29000 GRT!) with a single strike.
Interestingly the responsibility for the attack officially recognized in Norway to the Pelle Group only in 2013 because for years was wrongly attributed to pro-British agents due the anti-communist policies of the Norwegian government during Cold War. The merchant ship Troma, raised after the war, changed name as “Max Manus” honoring the pro-British saboteur who unfairly claimed the honor of the success from the Pelle Group and was not actually involved in the attack.
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The following operations were never uploaded before on the Soviet-empire forum thread
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NETHERLANDS:
Details of Dutch partisan naval actions are extremely scarce. The first groups operating in the country were of communist orientation but suffered heavy losses.
Only a couple of very late incidents are known and it’s not clear the exact group behind these attacks:
14 April 1945
Ship Zeelandia with ammunition onboard exploded in harbor, reportedly by sabotage. Crew saved.
17 April 1945
Ships Alkmaar sunk and Zar Peter damaged by time-bombs, in Amsterdam.
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POLAND:
Despite the presence of a strong partisan movement, control of the Baltic shore was entirely German and I’ve found no evidence of Partisan actions.
There is still the possibility of sabotage attacks carried in shipyards, but considering that most of current literature involve the anti-communist Partisan resistance, I’ve not researched it.
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ITALY
Despite its long naval tradition, the anti-fascist partisan movement in Italy spread after 1943 was almost entirely focused inland.
The main exception was one urban guerrilla group mostly related to the libertarian-socialist “Partito d’Azione” (Action’s Party) “S.A.P. Giustizia e Libertà” (by coincidence, the larger military branch of the Party was also named “Giustizia e Libertà”). They operated only in the Liguria region.
20 November 1944
A bomb placed inside the tug Liguria caused heavy damages making the ship irreparable.
January 1945
The tug Jupiter sunk with after sabotage. The ship received previously some damages by an earlier sabotage.
8 February 1945
The water tankers Sprugola (318tons) and Tevere sunk off San Bartolomea after bombs. The Germans however recovered the ships.
10 February 1945
An attack with bombs placed on the tugs Costanza, Generale Pollio, Giulia and Fedeltà, failed because of malfunction of the explosive.
23 April1945
During the final days of the Liberation, groups of the SAP captured Italian fascists that attempted to leave Porto Venere by sea. It’s unclear exactly what happened in details, if the partisans made use of some local boats or they stopped the fascists into the harbor.
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FRANCE
In France (like in Italy after 1943) there was presence of socialist and communist partisans among the resistance, officially named “Francs-Tireurs et Partisans” (FTP), with activity in the southern France and presence of Spanish republicans exiled within their ranks. There are scarce information of naval sabotage organized by a communist partisan cell in La Ciotat, striking the local shipyard.
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Dr Eisvogel
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Re: (From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
The channel in question is in fact Krka River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea near the city of Šibenik.lupodimare89 wrote: ↑07 Jan 2023, 02:23
18 July 1942
In Zaton channel, connecting Prokljan Lake to the sea, twenty partisans onboard two rowboats boarded a barge employed as ferry carrying 15 persons.
1 armed Italian soldier who opened fire was killed, alongside 6 other persons (apparently collaborationists) while the others took off from the ferry. Partisans attempted to destroy the barge with explosives but she rather grounded herself. Italians recovered the bodies of the fallen plus three wounded that apparently went hiding.
If the barge was used as a ferry to cross the Krka River, then it probably used the pier at Martinska on the right bank of the Krka River.
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lupodimare89
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Re: (From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
Thanks, and yes no doubt over location. I simply quoted what i found: possibly it was used Zaton as name because the episode occurred nor far from it, I don't recall the info i found gave a more accurate point but could re-check it. Italian sources portray it as the first significant incident and definitely a bloody affair.Dr Eisvogel wrote: ↑28 Feb 2023, 12:21The channel in question is in fact Krka River, which flows into the Adriatic Sea near the city of Šibenik.
If the barge was used as a ferry to cross the Krka River, then it probably used the pier at Martinska on the right bank of the Krka River.
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James A Pratt III
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- Location: Texas
Re: (From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
In a post I made on 12oclockhigh.net about this post I recieved the following replies
13 Nov 43 air attacks were most likely made by 2/Bordfr Gr 196 flying AR-196s
27 Dec 44 PB PC67 sunk off Hvar by Luftwaffe aircraft
13 Nov 43 air attacks were most likely made by 2/Bordfr Gr 196 flying AR-196s
27 Dec 44 PB PC67 sunk off Hvar by Luftwaffe aircraft
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lupodimare89
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Re: (From Soviet-empire): Chronology of Yugoslavian, Greek partisan naval actions (+sabotages of other partisan groups)
Greetings again and thanks for the extra info of the Ar-196!James A Pratt III wrote: ↑17 Mar 2023, 17:22In a post I made on 12oclockhigh.net about this post I recieved the following replies
13 Nov 43 air attacks were most likely made by 2/Bordfr Gr 196 flying AR-196s
27 Dec 44 PB PC67 sunk off Hvar by Luftwaffe aircraft
Concerning PC67, i am fairly certain that 1944 is mistake possibly generated by typo in Yugo sources .
The big air attack in Hvar occurred on 27 December 1943 (with two other ships sunk, including larger NB5) when the Germans made a big offensive in the islands, taking all of them except Vis that remained a partisan stronghold.
At the end of 1944 (Belgrade already liberated) the situation was the opposite: most of the dalmatian coast was firmly in partisan hands and German activites limited to the north of Adriatic.
This is a screenshot from Volume VIII of the Yugo partisan naval war chronicles.
https://i.imgur.com/qh8djRk.jpg
Btw, i should have edited that the actual naval researcher for the main sources (“ZBORNIK DOKUMENATA I PODATAKA O NARODNOOSLOBODILAČKOM RATU JUGOSLOVENSKIH NARODA (Volume VIII)”) are Fabljan Trgo/Jovan Vasiljevlć/Nevenka Mano. Published in 1959