18th (Croatian) Eastern Bosnian brigade
Operation ZIETHEN
Soviet 236th Rifle Division
Hellgate: London
France Pirc (1899 - 1954)
18th (Croatian) Eastern Bosnian brigade
(Osamnaesta hrvatska istočnobosanska brigada)
History
Brigade was formed in October 1943 in Husino village after capitulation of Italy forced Germans to move large part of their forces to Adriatic coast in order to disarm Italian army before Yugoslav Partisans. This allowed Partisans to liberate lightly guarded city of Tuzla and hold it for 40 days before Germans retook it in operation Ferkel.
Those forty days allowed Partisans to mobilize over 5000 citizens of Tuzla and neighboring villages from which three brigades would be formed and become 27th Division.
First to join Eighteenth brigade were coal miners from Kreka, Bukinja, Moluh, villagers from Spreca valley and Majevica, mostly Croats, further around eightieth former Home Defense officers, NCO's and soldiers and Gendarmes which defected to Partisan side during capture Tuzla joined the brigade, totaling 600 men in three battalions, many unarmed.
Brigade first casualty was non-combat, Stjepan Presecen from 2nd Battalion died from heart attack during march to Bresko. Next few weeks brigade spent training and gathering weapons with occasional skirmish with Chetniks with some twenty men leaving (deserting) brigade during first week of its existence forcing staff to work on discipline and moral.
more coming soon...
Organization
Brigade organization when formed Brigade staff Commander: Franjo Herljević
Deputy commander:
Political Commissar: Mirko Filipović
Slobodan Kezunović
Chief of Staff: e
1st Battalion Commander:
Political Commissar:1st Company Commander:
Political Commissar:2nd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:3rd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:4th Company Commander:
Political Commissar:5th Company Commander:
Political Commissar:2nd Battalion Commander:
Political Commissar: Dinko Konte
1st Company Commander:
Political Commissar:2nd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:3rd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:3rd Battalion Commander: Mijo Kerošević Guja
Political Commissar: Kazimir Franković
1st Company Commander:
Political Commissar:2nd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:3rd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:4th Battalion Commander:
Political Commissar:1st Company Commander:
Political Commissar:2nd Company Commander:
Political Commissar:.
Part of 27th division and later 16th Vojvodina division.
References
- Vojni leksikon
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