ÄŒazma operation

ÄŒazma operation

(ÄŒazmanska operacija)

Introduction

ÄŒazma operation is classic example of guerrilla attack on enemy stronghold, similar attacks with more or less success would occur throughout Yugoslavia during World War 2. Main characteristic was that for successful attack much more powerful blocking force guarding from outside reinforcements then attacking force is needed because usually defending garrison represented much smaller threat then relief columns which could catch attack in crossfire with disasters consequences. To avoid this attack need to end quickly before relief force becomes to powerful to be stopped.

History

Location of ÄŒazma in Moslavina region nearby Yugoslav Partisan stronghold of MoslavaÄka Gora mountain made it a significant threat to Partisan held area. First successful attack was carried out on 14 October 1942 when Moslavina partisans detachment in short battle without suffering any losses killed two and wounded one enemy soldier and managed to capture 18 Gendarmes and 50 Ustasha from Preparatory Battalion, all of which were released in order to spread propaganda and demoralize other units. Town was abandoned on the following day and Moslavina detachment retreated with captured war material to safety of mountains.

Second attack come on 2/3 September 1943 again by Moslavina partisan detachment when ÄŒazma become much better fortified and garrisoned town. Attack had limited objective of blocking the German part of the garrison until demoralized members of Croatian Home Defense are captured and disarmed. This time Partisans had 1 killed and 7 wounded while only 2 Home Defense soldiers were wounded while 6 officers, 4 NCO and 150 soldiers were taken prisoners with entire armament. About a dozen soldiers joined Partisans while rest were released.

This attack resulted in further strengthening of defenses including barbed wire and land mines by commander of 1st Mountain Brigade, colonel PeriÄiÄ‡ as well as plan for quick deployment of reinforcements from Bjelovar and even Zagreb in case of another attack.

In November 1943, Partisans created large liberated area in Moslavina, Kalnik and Bilo-gora mountains with ÄŒazma controlling communications Zagreb - IvaniÄ‡ Grad - Bjelovar preventing joining of these areas. Arrival of 28th Slavonian assault division which was returning to Slavonia from operations in north-western Croatia give Staff of 2nd Operational Zone sufficient forces it need to capture ÄŒazma.

Operation

Attack begun on 28 November at 3:00, there was little surprise from defenders which expected to be attacked any day now and were prepared to hold out until relived. Surprise come when Partisan attack continued during day time despite air attacks on Partisan positions with battalion of Moslavia detachment managing to split defenders and isolating Germans and NDH forces into separate pockets. Battle continued for entire day and night and by the morning of 29 November resistance of 1st Battalion of 5th Mountain Regiment was finally broken leaving only Germans fortified in municipal building.

At 10:30 German commander decided to attempt a breakthrough, pursued by the Partisans, retreating towards ÄŒesma river in which many drowned during attempt to swim across it. Around 11:00 after 31 hours of combat battle for ÄŒazma was over.

Relief attempt by 5th Mountain Regiment was ambushed by 17th Slavonian brigade on the first day, followed by German formations and parts of Poglavnik Bodyguard Brigade. On 29 November attempt was made by 1st Mountain brigade to advance KriÅ¾ - Dabci - ÄŒazma and after that failed attempt was made Ludina - Kompator - Mustafina Klada supported by artillery, tanks and 6 aircraft. Flanking counterattack by 17th Brigade finally broken relife column forcing it to retreat, also two supporting Henschel Hs 126 reconnaissance aircraft were shot down.

On 30 November, some 500-600 strong German column attempted to break through lines of 17th Brigade and reach ÄŒazma but once again it was flanked and forced to retreat.

21st Slavonian brigade realizing that in front of it is strong garrison in Bjelovar decided to send its 1st Battalion with mortar section to make fake attack on village of Narta once enemy column had passed it, 2nd and 4th battalions took ambush positions while 3rd remained in reserve. By the evening 7 Home Defense soldiers were killed and 16 wounded while Germans suffered heavier losses, Partisans losses included 1st Battalion commander Jakov BosioÄiÄ‡ Veseli.

On 29 November regrouped NDH and German troops divided into three columns attempted to outflank 21st Brigade positions forcing brigade staff to commit two companies from reserve to reinforce defense. Once night fell Partisan counterattack forced relief columns to fall back to Narta. Fog caused even more confusion since many Partisans wore German uniforms recently captured in Koprivnica making difficult to distinguish between friend and foe with lost German soldiers even joining Partisan columns.

New attack was organized for 30 November from Narta by hill 140, 168, 137 and village Laminac attacking Partisan flank and rear managed to capture parts of brigade supply column and archive of 4th Battalion until Partisan counterattack recovered them. In order to exploit this success German and NDH troops begun new attack pushing back Partisan 2nd and 4th Battalion and capturing Å tefanje village where they settled for the night.

During night patrol from 1st Battalion was ambushed by Germans and wiped out. 21st Brigade planed to attack Å tefanje village on 1 December at dusk 17:15 but Germans decided to call off operation towards ÄŒazma and begun pulling back at 15:00.

Order of battle

Axis

ÄŒazma garrision

around 500 soldiers of 1st Battalion of the 5th Mountain Regiment from 1st Mountain Brigade

220 German Field Police from 187th Division

60-70 Gendarmes

20 Ustasha and 30-40 others

Relief columns

5th Mountain Regiment, LtColonel BrkiÄ‡ - from IvaniÄ‡ Grad

Yugoslav Partisans

1st Moslavina Brigade, Nikola KliÄkoviÄ‡ - attacking ÄŒazma

Moslavina partisan detachment, Stevo ÄŒuÄkoviÄ‡ - one battalion supporting attack on ÄŒazma, others guarding direction PopovaÄa - Ludina - ÄŒazma

28th Slavonian division - guarding from relief attempts

17th Slavonian Brigade, Nikola Demonja - in area Graberja and PalaÄana, guarding direction Zagreb - IvaniÄ‡ Grad - ÄŒazma

21st Slavonian Brigade - in area of Å tefanje, guarding direction Bjelovar - ÄŒazma

Zagreb partisan detachment - guarding direction Vrbovec - Dubrava - ÄŒazma

Casualties

In battle for ÄŒazma town Partisans list their casualties at 63 out of which 15 killed and 48 wounded while claiming enemy losses of:

270 killed

80 wounded

240 captured

150 missing mostly drowned

and capturing:

2 37mm anti-tank guns

2 81mm mortars

9 60mm mortars

6 machine-guns

24 light machine-guns

30 submachine-guns

500 rifles

1 staff car

60 horses

another 50 rifles, 6 light machine-guns, 2 machine-guns, several submachine-guns, pistols were recovered 10 days later from ÄŒesma river when water level fell.

17th Brigade claimed enemy losses at 300 killed and 40 captured soldiers while destroying 17 trucks and 2 Henschel Hs 126 and capturing numerous weapons:

2 75mm mountain guns with 150 shells

2 37mm anti-tank guns with 170 shells

2 light mortars

7 heavy machine-guns

7 light machine-guns

6 submachine-guns

100 rifles

8 carriages for artillery ammunition

200 hand grandees

80 shells for heavy mortar

NDH forces reported capturing Partisan HQ in Laminac while suffering 8 killed, 18 wounded and 7 missing and German losses of 4 killed (one Chetnik), 20 wounded and 3 missing, Partisans lost equipment some of which they recovered in counterattack:

radio station

20 rifles

6 horses

medical

20 kg of explosive

1000 rounds of ammo

German report for Bjelovar sector lists 12 killed and 37 wounded Germans, 9 killed, 13 wounded and 10 missing Home Defense soldiers while claiming Partisans casualties at 75 (which is amazingly lower then Partisan reported losses below).

21st Brigade reported suffering 22 killed and 64 wounded (out of which 5 died later) claiming 80 enemy soldiers killed or wounded (which is also remarkably accurate) and capturing:

1 light mortars

2 staff cars

3 light machine-guns

15 hand grandees

2 submachine-guns

2 pistols

26 rifles

In total Partisans claim around 600 killed or wounded for entire operation while capturing 300 soldiers including 11 officers of which 110 joined Partisans.

Aftermath

ÄŒazma remained in Partisan hands until March 1945 when it was lost for few days.

Reference

MoslavaÄki partizanski odred