Royal Yugoslav Armor units, April 1941

Royal Yugoslav Armor units, April 1941

1. Batalion bornih kola
(1st Armored vehicles battalion)

Formed in 1936, it was under direct command of General Staff and stationed in Belgrade. It was made of three companies each with three platoons with five tanks in each platoon. Each company had one reserve tank making it total off 48 FT-17 and Renault-Kegresse M.28 (Char de Combat Muni du Propulseur Kegresse-Hinstin M.27/28) tanks. Until arrival of Renault R-35 in 1940, battalion has only one full company which was used for training with the rest of the tanks in reserve. After receiving R-35 older tanks where deployed into three independent companies. Also see R-35 in German service.

Independent companies

Three companies equipped with old FT-17 and M.28 each had three platoons with five tanks in platoon.
All M.28 where destroyed in fighting with Germans tanks near Topola inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. Some tanks where destroyed by their crews because of the lack of fuel.
One company equipped with FT-17 was stationed in Macedonia. One of these platoons was heavily engaged in fighting around Stracin in which Germans needed air support to brake resistance. The second platoon was destroyed near Skopje without combat, third probably retreated to Greece. Also see FT-17 in German service.

Eskadron brzih bornih kola
(Fast armored vehicles squadron)

Equipped with T-32 it had four platoons each with 2 tankettes. It was used for strategic and tactical reconnaissance with mechanized or cavalry units. Unit took part in Belgrade demonstrations on March 27, 1941. When war begun on April 6, unit was in Cavalry School in Zemun. Unit was destroyed during the heavy fighting near Ralja. Several tankettes where captured by Germans and received German designation PzKpfW 732 (j) ( j - jugoslawisch).

Tanks used

Royal Yugoslav Army had 56 FT-17 and M.28, out which 8 FT-17 where received from French unit in Bulgaria in 1920, other 48 tanks came in 1930, exact number of FT-17 and M.28 is not known to me. In 1939, 54 R-35 where bought form France which arrived in April 1940. In 1936, 8 Czech T-32 (Skoda-I-d) where ordered and where delivered in 1937. T-32 was delivered to Cavalry School in Zemun and where used for training with new tactics and formations and testing of use of armor with cavalry and infantry.

Never formed

2nd battalion was suppose to be equipped with Polish 7TP (9TP) but war development prevented that. 3rd battalion was suppose to be equipped with Soviet BT-7 but Yugoslavia surrender before the unit could be formed.

Chart. 1.

Unit: Vehicle: Quantity:

1. Batalion bornih kola (armored vehicles battalion) Renault R-35 54

Three Independent companies FT-17 and M.28 56 (38?)

Eskadron brzih bornih kola T-32 (Skoda S-I-d) 8

Researched by Vladimir Trendafilovski and Ivan Bajlo