31st Slovenian Division

31st Slovenian Division

(Tridesetprva slovenska divizija)

History

Thirty-first Slovenian Division of Yugoslav partisans was formed on 6 October 1943 as Triglav Division. On 17 October 1943 the division was renamed as 26th Division NOVJ, keeping this name until 22 December 1943, when it was renamed 31st Slovenian Division NOVJ. Division was formed from following brigades:

7th Slovenian Brigade 'France Preseren'

16th Slovenian Brigade 'Janko Premrl Vojko'

Tolmin Brigade

At the end of October 1943 Goriska Brigade and 3rd Slovenian Brigade 'Ivan Gradnik' joined the division and in early November Goriska and Tolmin brigades were disbanded with their personal joining 7th and 3rd brigade. Division strength was around 3300 soldiers.

Division was part of 9th Slovenian Corps NOVJ from 22 December 1943 until end of the war.

During October 1943, division managed to destroy several smaller German posts in the Poljane and Selska Valleys but this was followed by large German November offensive in which 30th division managed to retreat almost without suffering casualties to the Cerkna region. During the winter 1943/1944 it suffered several very painful defeats caused by sudden German attacks made by specially trained troops. At Pokljuka plateau on 16 December 1943 entire 3rd Battalion from 7th Brigade was destoryed and in Cerkno on 27 January 1944 where battalion from 3rd Brigade and Party School suffered heavy losses.

In the spring of 1944 the 31st Division managed to mobilize 1500 new soldiers and conducted several successful diversions including on the Idrija mercury mine, on the German gasoline depot in Postojna Cave, on the railway track Postojna-Trieste and attacks on German institutions in Trieste and Opicine. It survived several German offensives in the Summer and Autumn of 1944. During 1944-1945 it was also engaged in many diversionary actions on railway and road communication lines in Gorenjska and Primorska region (central and Eastern Slovenia). During the last German offensive (19 March - 3 April 1945) which was targeting liberated area in Trnovski Gozd area, the 31st Division managed to break the German encirclement with very large casualties, over 600 killed, wounded and missing. It also played a decisive role in the final operations of the war, in the battles for the liberation of Soca Valley, Gorizia (Gorica) and Trzic (today Monfalcone in Italy) before Western allies.

References

Vojni leksikon

Vojna enciklopedija

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