XI Ustasha Brigade (XI. Stajači Djelatni Sdrug)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed July - August 1944 with HQ in Sarajevo by renaming the II Traffic Control Brigade of the Ustasha Militia (II. Prometna zdrug ustaška vojnica). (1)

Operational History

1944

Aug 44: Brigade continued the duties of II Traffic Control Brigade, namely providing supervisory control over the railroad system within Bosnia from the Sarajevo area via Zenica to Doboj, Doboj to Banja Luka, and Lašva (just south of Zenica) to Travnik by inspecting passengers and freight and by providing armed guards aboard the trains.
3 Aug 44: took part in an anti-partisan operation staged from Vareš, Kladanj and Olovo that was intended to clear elements of 3d and 12th Assault Corps NOVJ out of eastern Bosnia. It was tactically under German V. SS-Gebirgskorps.
1 Dec 44: Brigade assigned to the new 8th Croatian Infantry Division (Div. HQ in Sarajevo). Brigade morale was considered good and it was adequately armed.

1945

(see 8th and 17th Croatian Infantry Divisions for additional information).
16-19 Feb 45: together with a German regimental group, defended Travnik for 4 days against a relentless assault by elements of 4th, 10th and 39th Divisions NOVJ, but the town finally fell with heavy losses to the defenders.
1 Mar 45: HQ now in Zenica - Brigade reassigned from 8th Croatian Infantry Division to the newly formed 17th Croatian Infantry Division (HQ Zenica).
Apr 45: withdrew along the valley of the Bosna toward Slovonski Brod with the rest of the 17th Croatian Infantry Division.

Commanders

Ust. Dopukovnik Krešimir Kuraja? (Aug 1944 - ?)

Subordination

III Territorial Corps (Aug 1944 - 30 Nov 1944)

Order of battle (1 Sep 1944)

Brigade HQ and headquarters elements and HQ Co. in Sarajevo
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Stambulčić/SE of Sarajevo
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Doboj
III Bn. (9th – 13th Co.) in Banja Luka
IV Bn. (14th – 17th Co.) in Zenica
Total Brigade strength: 3,220.

Order of battle (1 Dec 1944)

Unchanged from 1 Sep 44, except that I Bn. now in Visoko, a few kilometers NW of Sarajevo.

Footnotes

1. Arhiv VII Beograd, kut. 134a, reg.br. 4/1; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata I podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda. Tom IV/29, p.676; IV/30, p.103; IV/31, p.453; IV/34, p.333; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, pp.843 and 1069; NARA WashDC: RG 226 (OSS intelligence report No. 110433); RG 242 (T-311 roll 184/1141.

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -