1st Active Service Brigade of Ustasha Army (original) (raw)
Black Legion / Crna Legija
History
Formed from 'Black Legion' after Operation TRIO. Brigade was reorganized seven battalions strong with its operational area corresponding area of 3rd Home Defense Corps.
During July partial battalion (three companies) under command of Major Rafael Boban is placed at disposal of Colonel Franjo Simic in a attempt to stop breakthrough of Proletarian brigades from eastern Bosnia. One company fights in unsuccessful defense of Prozor and other two in successful defense of Bugojno and Donji Vakuf on 16/17 July 1942 where battle joins Brigade's commander Colonel Jure Francetic with group of Ustasha. After defeating new attack on Bugojno on 20/21 July by 4th Montenegrin Proletarian Brigade reinforced with 2nd and 4th Battalion of 2nd Proletarian and 1st and 3rd Battalion of 1st Proletarian Brigade, battalion is part of clearing of Vrbas valley.
With part of the companies Colonel Simic carries out operation towards Livno and during August battalion fights in successful defense of Kupres. At the same time part of the Brigade is fighting around Posusje and Imotski. Colonel Ivo Stipkovic former commander of 1st Mountain Division become brigade's new commander.
At the end of August 1942 several units of Ustasha Army are transferred to area of Kupres an Bugojno and in September Colonel Simic uses them to recapture Suica and Tomislavgrad and secure road to Imotski. With new reinforcements which arrived in Kupres at the end of September and beginning of October now under command of Colonel Francetic carries out operation DINARAto recapture Livno.
Operational area of 1st Brigade, after part of it was used in formation of 5th Active Brigade, remains eastern Bosnia and part of central Bosnia. Brigade has eight battalions and mountain battery which is under operational command of 5th Brigade. Until end of 1942 conducts sweeps of Romania and Podromania and fights in operations JAJCE I and III and TUZLA II.
At the beginning of 1943 part of brigade fights in operation WEISS II, while majority is involved in exhausting daily fights against Chetnik and partisans forces for months keeping lines of communications secure and holding blocking posts on Drina river.
In second part of June it suffers heavy losses from Partisan main operational group which broke into eastern Bosnia after failure of operation SCHWARZ. It lost several strongholds and in the following several months saw bitter fighting with partisan and Chetnik groups.
After death of Colonel Stipkovic during attack on 22nd Active Battalion in August 1943 command is assumed by Major Frane Sudar who manages to reorganize Brigade and turns it into first class unit once again.
During October and November brigade defends the line Sokolac-Mokro-Pale i Praca-Mokro, and until middle of December participates in operation KUGELBLITZ.
At beginning of 1944 brigade is holding positions on Romania, Podromania and in Sokolac, Rogatica and Pale and is in constant combat with partisans. For longer period it guards Sarajevo-Rogatica-Visegrad road and also holds part of central Bosnia and northwest Herzegovina. During July brigade carries out successful combat around Srebrenica, breakthrough to Zvornika and together with Germans sweeps eastern Bosnia.
During August participates in operation RÃœBEZAHL followed by fighting's for Bratunac, Srebrenicu i Bugojno, heavy fighting's continues during September Kresevo, Vitez, Tarcin, Turbe and retreat from Vrbasa valley.
During October it is involved in bitter fighting's on Romania, around Travnik and Rogatica which is held for securing retreat of German forces from Greece. After combat around Kiseljak and Busovaca becomes part of 8th Croatian division.
January 1945 starts with operation VICTORIA followed by fighting's for Travnik. In March bitter struggle is fought for Ivan Sedlo mountain, after which acts as rear guard during retreat from Sarajevo.
From 9th April remains of brigade towards Zagreb and further to the west.
Name From Until Commander Colonel Jure Francetic 19 September 1941 August 1942 Colonel Ivo Stipkovic 1 September 1942 August 1943 Major Milan Šulentić 3 September 1943 Major Frane Sudar September 1943 1st October 1944 Major Frane Sudar January 1945 Battles & Operations
Bibliography and Sources
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