(33. pripremna ustaška bojna “Prigorje”)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Forming in Karlovac in February 1942 with 500 men. Operating from Karlovac, the Battalion participated in an Italian anti-Partisan operation in the Žumberak region near Sošice. On 1 Dec 42 it or elements were still in and around Sošice acting under the orders of the Croatian Military Liaison Commissioner to Supersloda and were in frequent action against the 13th NOU Brigade “Josip Kraš”, while its 2d Co. was in Karlovac assigned to Operations Zone Karlovac/Croatian I Corps. The Battalion moved to Krašić on 26 December. Just six days later, on 1 Jan 43, the majority of the Battalion was destroyed in intense fighting while defending Krašić, which was stormed by the 8th Division NOVJ. The remnants of the Battalion were assembled in Karlovac in January, renamed II Half-Battalion/33d Ustasha Preparatory Battalion (II. Polubojne/33. Pripremne ustaške bojne), and then sent to Perušić in Lika at the end of the month. It was last identified in Gospić on 8 May 1943. No further information has been found, but it was probably disbanded later in 1943 and its personnel used to replenish other Ustasha units, mainly those under the IV Ustasha Brigade. (1)

Footnotes

1. [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda. Tom V/8, pp.487 and 506; V/10, pp.378 and 492; V/11, p.339; V/15, p.372; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, p.410; [ - ] - Druga godina narodnooslobodilačkog rata na području Karlovaca, Korduna, Gline, Like, Gorskog kotara, Pokuplja i Žumberka (Karlovac, 1973), p.56; Bulat, Rade - Žumberak I Pokuplje u narodnooslobodilačkoj borbi (Zagreb: Kultura, 1951); NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-821 roll 448/627.

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -