German 202nd Tank Battalion (Pz.Abt.202)
German 172nd Anti-Aircraft (Flak) Battalion
German army battalions in Yugoslavia
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1st Tank Brigade
Prva tenkovska brigada
History
The 1st tank battalion was formed at Carovigno (Italy) where future Yugoslav tank crews were transferred and it was designated officially as Motorized Battalion. The Allies required the Yugoslavs to move to Egypt where suitable conditions for their training were. The Yugoslavs really moved to training base of British VII Army in Egypt till the end of March 1944 and started their training that was going on till April 28,1944. The battalion was divided during training to 6 companies, instructors were British officers and interpreters were Canadians of Yugoslav origin. A training of next group of Yugoslav tank crews took place from the end of April till May 17, 1944. The whole battalion appeared at partisan base Gravina di Puglia (Italy) on June 12, 1944. Yet the 3rd group joined two groups trained in Egypt that was necessary to be trained at site in improvised conditions.
The Allies started to supply tanks, armored vehicles, scout vehicles, trucks, ammunition, fuel and equipment based on the agreement with Tito´s HQ in July 1944. It was decided to establish the 1st Tank Brigade in Gravina di Puglia on 16 July, 1944. The brigade had 2003 men (graduates of Tank school and internees, mostly from Croatia and Slovenia liberated from Italian camps by Allied advance in Italy), 56 tanks and 24 armored vehicles in service. The brigade consisted of 3 tank battalions with two tank companies each, each company had three platoons with 3 tanks each, rear company and antiaircraft battery. The battalion of armored vehicles (armored battalion) was also a part of this brigade. Members of brigade that left in training unit finally left the brigade and went to the USSR to be retrained for Soviet military warfare. They were altogether 600 men.
British ships transported the first part of the 1st Tank Brigade on Vis island in the beginning of September 1944 were it was used to secure the island and Tito's HQ against possible invasion. In the beginning of its existence the brigade was under command of Tito´s HQ. Brigade moved to BraÄ island. Later it was divided and its part was subordinated to 26th Attack Division that operated on large Dalmatian coast. This part of brigade was divided to the Northern and Southern Groups.
The Northern Group consisted of the 2nd Tank Battalion, a half of 3rd Tank Battalion and a company of armored vehicles. The Southern Group consisted of the 1st Tank Battalion, a half of 3rd Tank Battalion and a company of armored vehicles. The staff of the Southern Group attached armored vehicles to the individual tank companies during combat missions.
The Northern Group landed on the mainland during night 23/24 November near Omiš and participated in fighting's for Split, Šibenik, Drniš and took part in the large scale battle of Knin in the end November. The enemy concentrated here 12 500 soldiers and also 20 tanks. The Yugoslavs put 25 tanks and 11 armored cars to the battle. A co-operation between tanks and infantry was poor in Knin operation. The tank units lost 4 tanks and 1 armored vehicle here. The Southern Group appeared in Dubrovnik in November 1944 to took part large scale operation of Yugoslav Army against Mostar. A target of this operation was to close roads of retreat from Monte Negro for the enemy. The Tito´s HQ withdrew also the Northern Group of the 1st Tank Brigade to an area of combat to encircle the enemy from The West and North while the Southern Group encircled it from the East. Altogether 60 tanks and 25 armored vehicles took part. Bloody combats launched in surroundings of Mostar in February 1945 (Mostar Operation) that claimed also losses of tank warfare.
The 1st Tank brigade was reorganized after operation of Yugoslav Army against Mostar. The command of brigade wait for a delivery of new tanks and decided to form the independent 4th Tank Battalion from a part of the 3rd Tank Battalion. The battalion of armored cars was not established and armored vehicles were left as an escort of tanks in the individual companies of tank battalions. The 1st Tank Brigade had 1600 men, 75 tanks and 23 armored vehicles in March 1945. Some Stuart tanks was not able for further combat and they were used as towing vehicles or their turrets were removed and anti-tank 75 mm Pak 40 L/48 gun or 20 mm Flakviering 38 quadruple or 82 mm mine-thrower was installed instead of it. Seven vehicles were adapted in such way.
The 1st Tank Brigade became a part of 4th Army of Yugoslav Army and from 20 March 1945 fights in area of Lika. In fighting's near Tounj on 13 April 1945, Germans counterattack with four "panthers" (T-34 in reality), but one AEC, commanded by August Begusha, manages destroy one "panther" by first hitting its barrel and then making two hits on turret - destroyed "panther" was commanded by Captain Albert Pihler.
After combat in Lika makes breakthrough through difficult terrain of Gorski Kotar towards Ilirska Bistrica (Rijeka operation) and on 29 April 1945 advances along direction of Ilirska Bistrica-DivaÄa-Villa Opicina in only 15 hours across 110 km of rough terrain and arrives in Trst (Trieste) suburbs.
The brigade had 93 killed and 195 wounded in combats on Yugoslav territory. It lost 33 tanks and 5 armored vehicles, 31 tanks and 2 armored cars were damaged. The work shop of brigade succeeded to do general overhauls at 43 tanks and 5 armored vehicles.
Organization 16 July, 1944
2003 men, 56 tanks and 24 armored vehicles
1st Tank Battalion 1st Tank Company
1st Tank Platoon 2nd Tank Platoon 3rd Tank Platoon 2nd Tank Company - see above 2nd Tank Battalion - see above 3rd Tank Battalion - see above Armored Car Battalion 1st Armored Car Company 2nd Armored Car Company Engineer Battalion
Organization March 1945
1600 men, 75 tanks and 23 armored vehicles
1st Tank Battalion 1st Tank Company
1st Tank Platoon (3 Stuart tanks) 2nd Tank Platoon (3 Stuart tanks) 3rd Tank Platoon (3 Stuart tanks) 2nd Tank Company - see above Armored Car Company 2nd Tank Battalion - see above 3rd Tank Battalion - see above 4th Tank Battalion - see above Engineer Battalion Anti-Tank Battery
National composition of brigade
Serbs Croats Slovenians Montenegrins Did not declare Italians Jews Czechs Germans Russians Officers 9 25 13 15 1 - 1 - - 1 Soldiers 108 293 265 62 9 11 3 4 12 5
Social composition of brigade
Workers Peasants Intellectuals Small merchants Clerks Military Total Officers 28 13 10 4 3 7 63 Soldiers 365 278 20 61 55 2 772 Battles & Campaigns
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