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Operation EDELWEISS

Unternehmen Edelweiss

Intro

German operation carried out in late November 1944 with goal of reopening road Gračac - Gospić held by Yugoslav Partisan 35th Lika Division.

History

In order to aid Partisan 8th Dalmatian Corps during Knin operation, 11th Lika Corps was ordered to move 13th and 35th Division to southern Lika and block Gračac garrison leaving 264th Division in Knin with only one supply and escape route through Lapac towards Bihać. Partisans also immediately established supply line from Vis island to 11th and 4th Corps by road Obrovac - Lovinac - Udbina - Korenica - Plitvice - Rakovica - Slunj.

35th Division was deployed to block around 1400 soldiers strong Gračac garrison since it lacked strength to attack it directly while 13th Division secured the area of Lovinac, Ričice and Sveti Rok held by 35th Ustasha battlion.

Operation

Attack began on 23 November by advance in the south from Gračac towards Lovinac against 3rd Brigade of 35th Division and towards Bruvno against 2nd Brigade. From Donji Lapac one battalion attempted to advance towards Mazin against 1st Brigade.

In the North from Gospić two Ustasha battalion attempted to advance towards Medak against 2nd and 3rd Brigade of 13th Division.

Only success was made near Bruvno were one battalion supported by one tank platoon managed to secure the area but by 29 November was forced to retreat back to Gračac.

On 30 November from Gacko field to Gospić arrived 1st Battalion/846th Regiment and 3rd Bat/847th Regiment, part of divisional artillery and tank company which with one Ustasha battalion formed battle group for fresh attack towards Gospić on 1 December. This attack ran into 3rd Brigade/13th Division in Medak which after few hours of combat was pushed to Drenovac were attack was finally halted. Partisans regrouped bringing in 3rd brigades of both 13th and 35th divisions and launching counterattack in the evening of 3 December which pushed battle group back to Gospić.

Order of battle

  • Axis

Casualties

.

Aftermath

After successful conclusion of Knin operation, position of garrison in Gračac become desperate and 15th Mountain Corps ordered it to breakthrough on its own resulting in its annihilation with 285 killed, 130 wounded and 787 captured.

Reference

  • Petar Kleut: Jedanaesti korpus NOVJ, pages 326-
  • Franz Schraml: Hrvatsko ratiÅ¡te : njemačko-hrvatske legijske divizije -369., 373., 392. pjeÅ¡. div. (hrv.), page 185