Operation EMIL

Operation EMIL

Unternehmen EMIL

History

Anti-partisan operation of German 1st Mountain Division from 3 to 6 February 1944 in region of Karin, Obrovac, GraÄac, Kistanje and Velebit against Yugoslav partisan 19th Dalmatian Division in order to secure rear of its coastal defense. Previous operation (codename?) from 24 to 27? January pushed 19th Division away from coastline clearing Bukovica region but failed to destroy Partisans who escaped encirclement.

19th Division was in bad shape, low on ammunition with limited number of 81mm mortar mines and barely 5 to 35 rounds per fighter to make situation more problematic, 13th Brigade was fresh and inexperienced recently arriving from Vis island and over a 100 wounded had to be carried over difficult terrain and winter weather limiting further limiting division mobility.

Encirclement of the division begun on 3 February and completed next day by simultaneous advances:

from Kistanje towards BioviÄino Selo

from Benkovac towards BruÅ¡ki village

from Obrovac towards Å½egara village

from GraÄac over VuÄji Vrh towards Turovac

and from OtriÄ‡ and Zrmanja towards villages of RujiÅ¡te and Duboki dol.

To aid breakthrough of 19th Division, 8th Corps sent two brigades of 9th Division to attack 1st Mountain division in region of Bosansko Grahovo.

On 5 February, Axis forces failed to launch coordinated simultaneous attack from all sides what allowed Partisans to hold on and use majority of their forces for breakthrough under cover of the night. Partisan HQ decided that best possible escape route was Javornik - LipaÄ - Malovan village - Glogovo village through German and Chetnik lines with 5th Brigade in the lead, 6th as rear guard and 13th in charge of wounded. Partisans detachment mostly avoided encirclement and were suppose to stay behind to harass the enemy. Breakthrough begun at 18:00 easily smashing German lines allowing division to escape encirclement and after 18 hours forced march, during which few fighter died from cold, reaching safety.

Orders of Battle

Axis ORBAT - around 20000 soldiers (13000 Germans, 3000 NDH troops, 3000 Chetniks, 690 Italians in German service)

1st Mountain Division

98th Regiment - Knin, Kistanje, OtriÄ‡

99th Regiment - Zadar, Benkovac, Obrovac

Parts of 92nd Motorized Regiment

Parts of 264th Infantry Division

additional German units moving from Greece

Chetniks of MomÄilo ÄujiÄ‡

NDH formations

NOVJ ORBAT - around 6000 fighters

19th Dalmatian Division

5th Dalmatian brigade

6th Dalmatian brigade

7th Dalmatian brigade was in Lika, north of GraÄac - GospiÄ‡ road and wasn't caught in the offensive

Group of northern Dalmatian partisan detachments

Knin partisan detachment - two battalions

Northern-Dalmatian partisan detachment - three battalions

Orijen partisan detachment - newly formed, few companies

13th Dalmatian brigade from 26th Division

Casualties

German

9 killed

28 wounded

12 missing

Partisans

23 killed

32 wounded

23 missing (most returned)

24 rifles lost

Aftermath

German primary goal of clearing Dalmatian interior of major Partisans units was achieved but since expected Allied landings never took place (and weren't even planned) made victory pointless. Yugoslav Partisan 8th Corps would remain constant threat to German communications and garrisons constantly infiltrating into Dalmatia until final German retreat.

Reference

Devetnaesta sjevernodalmatinska divizija, Dragutin GrgureviÄ‡, page 104-