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31st Serbian brigade
(Trideset prva srpska brigada - niÅ¡ko-timoÄka)
History
Decision to form the Thirty-first Serbian brigade was reached on 28 September 1944 at the meeting held in Ljig, central Serbia. Original plan was to use existing battalions of the 2nd Shumadia and Kosmaj brigades to form 31st brigade as part of new Shumadia division but this division was soon disbanded. Brigade was officially created on 3 October from 2 battalions of each brigades with around 200 fighters in each battalion and together with staff and support units brigade totaled around 850 armed fighters.
Brigade and battalion staff officers and almost half of company commanders come from the ranks of the 1st and 6th Proletarian divisions while officers from original units were used to fill individual companies headquarters. Armament was made of mostly mixture of Yugoslav, German, British and Italian rifles and light machine-guns with one Italian Breada medium machine-gun and 3 anti-tank rifles. Brigade had no mortars, artillery or communications equipment.
On 6 October, Shumadia division was disbanded and next day 31st Serbian brigade become part of the 36th Vojvodina division. Same day brigade was sent to Valjevo to act as a town garrison, most marched by road Ljug - Mionica - Divci - Valjevo while part was transferred by train. In Valjevo brigade arrived on the night of 6/7 October with battalions taking defensive positions at Degurić, Strmna Gora and Donja Vukovina. One battalion and brigade staff stayed in Valjevo itself where brigade continued with training, recruitment and formations of support units including medical detachment.
Already on 9 October brigade was ordered to take part in 12th Corps attack on Obrenovac being replaced in Valjevo by 5th Vojvodina Brigade. Obrenovac become part of German outer defenses of Belgrade during Belgrade operation with its 800 soldiers strong garrison guarding bridgehead over Sava and ammo depots at Barić. It had already come under failed night attack by 11th Krajina and 16th Vojvodina divisions On 10 October. With 11th and 16th divisions bypassing Obrenovac and continuing their advance towards Belgrade leaving only single brigade each to block it, task of capturing it was given to 36th division.
During night attack on 11 October only 2nd Battalion managed to reach inner defenses but failed to breach it suffering 15 wounded, two badly and retreating to starting positions in the morning. Following days were spent in holding Belgrade - Obrenovac road blocked with 32nd Serbian brigade taking over parts of 31st positions with task of linking up with Symria and receive volunteers. New assault on Obrenovac was launched on night 13/14 October forcing Germans to blow up ammo depots and begun withdrawing. Fighting continuing until afternoon on 14 October when last German rear guard retreated across Sava river. Brigade suffered 10 killed and 17 wounded with 36th division reporting 23 killed, around 30 wounded 21 captured Germans, one tank destroyed, 52 rifles and one MG-34 captured. For many of the brigades new fighters this was their first combat and for many also first against Germans what caused many casualties due to lack of experience besides little or none prior military training.
With Obrenovac secured most of the 12th Corps was now committed to main attack on Belgrade itself with 31st brigade left to guard Obrenovac, clear remaining enemy soldiers and conduct reconnaissance towards Šabac and Syrmia. During next two days brigade recived around 220 new fighters from surrounding villages Barić, Mislođin, Jasenak, Sekla, Veliko Polje and other. In early morning of 16 October brigade was ordered back to Valjevo to relive 5th Vojvodina brigade which in turn was to take her positions in Obrenovac. Brigade also left 36th Vojvodina division.
On 18 October, in Valjevo brigade received 300 new fighters from Vladimirci municipality, 192 of them from village Provo and begun training them. Following liberation of Belgrade on 20 October, group of some 2500 German soldiers, remains of 1st Mountain and 117th Jaeger divisions, attempted breakout from Belgrade towards Å abac by direction Avala - village Junkovci - Sava river. Brigade staff on its own initiative sent 2nd and 4th Battalion accompanied by brigade's political commissar and deputy commander by train from Valjevo to Lazarevac to link up with one battalion of the 1st Engineer Brigade, take control of Junkovci are and block their path. In the afternoon after reciving news that German relief column was sent from Å abac, brigade staff, again on its own initiative sent its 3rd Battalion to block them.
On 21 October German breakthrough attempt was redirected to Vreoci - Ub - Koceljevo and was pursued to Kolubara river by 2nd and 4th Battalion of the 31st and battalion of 1st Engineer brigade as well as many civilians who joined pursuit during which large number of German soldiers were killed and 125 captured (many of which were Austrians). Captured equipment included 70 horse drawn carts filled with ammo and other gear including one radio. 2nd Battalion suffered two killed and one wounded. Austrians were separated from Germans and offered option to join Yugoslav Partisans referring to Moscow declaration of independent post-war Austria but non did. During night of 21/22 October both battalions returned to Valjevo by train together with prisoners and captured equipment.
Receiving on 24 October at 8 a.m. informations that Germans have withdrawn from Å abac and blown up bridge across Sava river, 3rd Battalion marched into Å abac taking control of the town and disarming group of soldiers belonging to Serbian State Guard and Serbian Volunteer Corps. Battalion remained in Å abac until 26 October when 28th Division arrived and returned to Valjevo during night on 27 October. Next day entire brigade was ordered to Å abac where it arrived around noon on 29 October with 2nd Battalion taking positions across Sava river. By 3 November brigade strength reached 1750 fighters and begun its transfer to Syrmian front to join 21st Serbian division.
Syrmian front
31st brigade first task on Syrmian front was attack on 10 November at 8 p.m. from direction of Laćarak near Sremska Mitrovica on fortified village of Martinci supported by Red Army 117th Artillery Regiment and Katyusha battalion while 2nd Proletarian brigade attacked Kuzmin and 4th Serbian brigade attacked Martinci railway station. Night attack failed to achieve any results with German firepower keeping Partisans pined down and even launching flanking counterattack with tanks which arrived to support German garrison but was turned back. Renewed night attack on 11 November, icy rain mixed with snow further hampered attacker, Partisan order also mentions that "soldiers which are barefoot shouldn't be taken into combat". Attack was again halted by German fire with cold and snow forcing battalions to retreat once again to their trenches. Partisans reported 10 enemy soldiers killed, 6 wounded, 3 badly.
On 12 November, Germans continued to fortify Martinci while one company of the 4th Battalion was pulled back to Laraćak to give poorly clothed fighters chance to rest and warm up. Land mines and artillery fire inflicted 6 severely wounded on 4th Battalion. Next day German attack was repulsed at the cost of 2 killed while reporting enemy causalities at 7 killed and 10 wounded.
Noticing fires in Martinovci and expecting Germans retreat, attack was planned for 15 November at 2:00 but after two and half hour of battle, brigade had to retreat to their trenches again.
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On 21 November brigade strength was reported at 1774 out of which 1571 present, further brigade suffered 14 killed, 33 wounded and 10 missing.
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During night of 3/4 December, 1st Proletarian and Red Army 68th Rifle Corps finally broke trough defense of German Red line at Ilok forcing Germans to fall back next defensive line and allow brigade to advance into Bosut region which was largely heavily forested and swampy terrain.
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Final battle of the brigade took place on 19 May 1945 against Ustasha near Celje in Slovenia.
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Staff
- Brigade Commander
- 1st Lieutenant Miodrag Nešić - Keša
- Political Commissar
- Major MomÄilo VuÄeković - Moma
- Deputy Commander
- Captain Stevan Adamović - from forming to 18 November 1944
- Deputy Political Commissar
- Captain Vladimir Dujić - Vlada
- Chief of Staff
- Mile Marković
- Intelligence officer
- Stojan Belanović - Stole
- Operational officer
- Youth officer
- 1st Lieutenant Mika Haravan
- Mortar Company
- Commander
- Political Commissar
- 1st Battalion
- Commander
- 1st Lieutenant Lazar Popivoda
- Political Commissar
- Captain Stevo Uzelac
- Deputy Commander
- Momir Mijailović Selja
- Deputy Political Commissar
- 1st Lieutenant Milan ÄorÄ‘ević - Janaćko
- 2nd Battalion
- 3rd Battalion
- 4th Battalion
Battles & Campaigns
References
- Isidor Äukovic: Trideset prva srpska NOU brigada
