Serbian State Guard (SDS)

Serbian State Guard (SDS)

Armed formation created on 3 March 1942 by government of Milan Nedich in occupied Serbia, often referred to as 'nedicevci', as addition to the civil police to keep order and lighten the German occupation task. Mostly created by expansion of former Yugoslav Drina and Danube Gendarmes Regiments and police detachments, which were already serving German occupation authorities, with some active officers and NCO's of former Royal Yugoslav Army which either manage to avoid capture or were released from German POW camps.

At forming it had around 17,000 men. For January 1943 information exist of total number of 36,716 men including support services and armed village militia. First commander was Colonel Jovan Trishich replaced by Major General Borivoje Jonich.

Primary task of SDS was combat against NOV i POJ. Often fighting together with occupation forces, also served for carrying out other police duties against People's Liberation Movement (NOP).

SDS Command was part of Ministry of Interior, at presidency of Serbian government, while SDS command of city of Belgrade was under direct command of Belgrade city administrator.

SDS was equipped with light infantry weapons received from German war booty. Recruitment was done by mobilization, also from ranks of Chetniks of Kosta Pecanac and later from Chetniks of Draza Mihailovic which by 1944 completely infiltrated into SDS.

SDS also had, amongst other, intelligence section, and was divide into:

Municipal State Guard (Police) serving in Belgrade and other major cities of Serbia,

Rural State Guard (Gendarmerie) which carried out duties across entire territory with exceptions of cities covered by Municipal State Guard, and

Border State Guard which carried out border duties.

Municipal State Guard (Police) was divided into detachments of Municipal State Guard and they into city districts with necessary number of squad stations.

Rural State Guard (Gendarmerie) was divided into district detachments they into county detachments with necessary number of squad stations. Territorial jurisdiction of district and county detachments matched with territorial jurisdiction of respective districts and counties in district.

Border Guard, 2,500 strong organized in five regions: Belgrade, Kraljevo, Nish, Valjevo and Zajecar. Each region (oblast) had one battalion. Each region was divide into three districts. Each district (okrug) had several companies further divided into county detachments, platoons, squad stations and squads; the primary mission of this force was to control traffic across the Serbian frontier.

On temporary bases, part of SDS become game wardens, road supervisor, municipalities field guards and municipalities guards where they existed. In principle each SDS station was reinforced by some 20 armed village militia.

Because of NOVJ advance into Serbia Milan Nedic and Draza Mihailovic signed agreement joining there forces putting SDS uner command of Supreme Headquarters of JVUO. On 6 October 1944, 5,000 members of SDS, under Lieutenant-General Stefan Radanovic joined command of Draza Mihailovich as 1st Serbian Assault Corps (Prvi Srpski udarni korpus - SUK), with 1st and 2nd Assault division later joined by 3rd Frontier Guard Division which together with German forces fought against units of NOVJ in Serbia at the end of summer and beginning of autumn same year until Corps retreats across Sandzak into Bosnia with German forces.

After Chetnik retreat across Sandzak to Bosnia under pressure by NOVJ and failed Chetnik attack on Tuzla (controlled by 3rd Corps of NOVJ) SSG members abandoned Chetniks and returned to Germans. By 10 January 1945 already around 3000 gathered at Slavonski Brod waiting for transport, the Germans sent them to Austria as Organization Todt workers. The remaining 2,000 joined Chetnik Shumadia Division in Slovenia under Lieutenant-General Miodrag Damjanovic in March 1945 and surrendered to the British in Southern Austria in May.

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