Operation VOLLMOND

Operation VOLLMOND

(Fullmoon)

Another operation based on intelligence info received from decrypting partisan radio messages. Ordered by commander of 13th SS Division, GruppenfÃ¼hrer Karl-Gustav Sauberzweig, with goal of preventing partisans forces advancing north towards Majevica, Posavina and Semberija.

Plan was for attack at dawn of 8th June 1944 at 3.45 a.m.

1st and 2nd Battalion from 27. SS Regiment to attack south towards Visoka Glava and Jasenica with support of 2nd Battery located in Donja Trnova

1st Battalion from 28. SS Regiment to hold heights around Priboja covering position of 6th and 7th Battery and after attack starts it will link up with

4th Battalion from 28. SS Regiment which was in Lopare

Plan was expecting partisans to bypass Lopare and Priboj in there advance but instead they launched direct assault knowing that I./28. SS was filled with new recruits forcibly mobilized in Posavina and Majevica with almost zero training. Attack was started by 1st Brigade of 16th Vojvodina Division NOVJ at 6 p.m. on 8th June with its 4th and 5th Battalion attacking I./28. SS. After one hour being late 2nd Brigade of 16th Division joins the assault.

After operation GruppenfÃ¼hrer Sauberzweig claimed 3000 dead partisans, while some German report claimed 1586 dead partisans vs. 205 dead, 528 wounded and 89 missing from 13th SS Division. 16th Division of NOVJ claimed 230 dead and wounded and 30 captured enemy soldiers while its 1st and 2nd Brigade suffered 57 dead, 174 wounded and 26 missing.

Counterattack of II./28. prevented 16th Division to capitalize on its success and it only managed to take 60 rifles, six MG-42 and two Bergmann M-34, 1 mortar, 13 pistols, 20.000 Mauser rounds, 100 pair of shoes, 180 uniforms, 60-70 horses... forcing it to quickly destroy 6 out of 8 captured howitzers, trucks, several cars, two motorcycles also leaving large number of shells intact.

Order of Battle

Axis Order of Battle

Yugoslav partisans (NOVJ)