Operation RAUHNACHT (1944)

Operation RAUHNACHT

Operation Twelfth Night (holiday)

Intro

German operation carried out from 14 December 1944 with goal of capturing Korenica held by Yugoslav Partisan 35th Lika Division in order to link up 373rd Division in BihaÄ‡ and 392nd in Lika region and also cut Partisan supply route to 4th Corps in Kordun and Banija.

History

Knin operation left 15th Mountain Corps in dangerous situation, its forces were slit into two groups, one around 373rd Division in BihaÄ‡, second around 392nd in GospiÄ‡ with Partisans supply line to 4th Corps going between them by road Obrovac - GraÄac - Lovinac - Udbina - Korenica - Plitvice - Rakovica - Slunj. With supplies now arriving by sea directly from Italy Partisans in Lika were no longer limited to air supply or weapons captured from enemy allowing them to engage Axis troops in open battle without worrying of running out of ammo.

In reality only thing that saved 15th Mountain Corps from complete annihilation in December 1944/January 1945 was order from Tito for 9th, 19th and 26th division to be redeployed back from southern Lika to Dalmatia to guard coastline as events in Greece caused panic among ranks of Yugoslav communists of possible British intervention in Yugoslavia also. This left only 20th Dalmatian division to resume attacks against Donji Lapac. Later operation BORA caused further delay with most of Partisan 8th Corps engaged in Mostar operation. With Partisan offensive over 15th Mountain Corps quickly moved hastily assembled units in order to restore at lest some initiative.

Operation

Attack began on 14 December from Babin potok - Homoljac - Korenica and LiÄko Petrovo Selo - Prijeboj - Korenica against 1st Brigade of 13th Division pushing it aside and capturing Korenica by the evening of the same day. Secondary attack advanced from LiÄko Petrovo Selo - Prijeboj - PlitviÄki Ljeskovac and IaÄiÄ‡ - Vaganac - DreÅ¾nik pushing 1st and 3rd Brigade of 8th Kordun Division north. Attempt of 4th Ustasha brigade to advance from Å iroka Kula to Ljubovo was halted by 2nd Brigade of 13th Division.

On 15 December, Partisan 11th Corps transferred entire 35th Division to FrkaÅ¡iÄ‡, Bjelopolje and GrabuÅ¡iÄ‡ for operation to recapture Korenica which began on 17 December ran into German preemptive attack in direction of Bjelopolje. Second attack on Korenica was scheduled for 26 December but Germans who noticed Partisan preparations day before instead of launching another preemptive attack withdrew during the night to Vrelo, Pogledalo and Homoljac without being noticed by Partisans who began their attack in the morning on empty positions before redirecting their attack against new German positions. Pogledalo was taken by Partisans in afternoon while battle for Homoljac lasted entire night before German withdrew to Homoljac pass. At Pogledalo Partisans captured 5 light machine-guns and 45 rifles while suffering 12 killed and 63 wounded.

Order of battle

Axis

W-Group

2nd Battalion 846th Regiment

392nd Reconnaissance Battalion

B Battalion of the 1st Reserve Jager Regiment

O-Group

2nd Battalion 383rd Regiment

373rd anti-tank gun battalion

Casualties

German

5 killed (3 Ustasha)

26 wounded (3 Ustasha)

4 deserters from 373rd Division

6 Legionnaires from GraÄac garrison freed

Yugoslav Partisans

? killed (103 or 107 reported by Germans plus 130 estimated)

10 captured

6 arrested

2 light machine-guns

6 rifles

1 mortar 12cm

9 trucks?

Aftermath

Despite error made by Tito, with several Partisan divisions operating in its rear 15th Mountain Corps simply lacked any reserve to improve its position. Several more attempts to link up and close Partisan supply line followed.

Reference

Petar Kleut: Jedanaesti korpus NOVJ, pages 347-