(4. Hrvatska Pješačka Divizija)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Ordered formed on or about 1 December 1944 with Division HQ in Dvor on the Una river near Bos. Novi. There was a small German liaison team (DVK 304) assigned to the Division for coordination purposes. The Division was considered well-equipped and a good combat formation with generally good morale. It maintained an average strength of around 7,000 - 7,500 during its existence. (1)

Operational History

Dec 44 – Apr 45: the Division was responsible for the Bos. Novi – Kostajnica – Petrinja – Sisak area and was tactically under the German LXIX. Armeekorps. It occupied garrisons in the major towns in its territory and defended these against Partisan attack. Offensive operations, according to its monthly combat reports, were generally in the strength of one or two battalions and consisted of one-day sweeps in villages near its main garrisons. The Division’s territory was divided into a North Sector (Petrinja – Sisak) controlled by the XIX Ust. Brig. and the 14th Domobran Brig., and a South Sector (along the Una from Bos. Novi to Kostajnica) controlled by the VIII Ust. Brig. and the 7th Jäger Brig.
Apr 45: the XIX Ustasha Brig. departed the Division at the beginning of April and was reassigned to the new 18th Croatian Assault Division. The Division then shortened its lines by pulling back from Bos. Novi and Dvor.
2 May 45: Division still in its assigned territory with elements engaged in fighting around Kostajnica. After this date it was swallowed up in the general withdrawal toward Zagreb.

Commanders

General Anton Nardeli (c. 1 Dec 1944 - Feb 1945)
Pukovnik Zdenko Begić (Feb 1945 - May 1945?)

Subordination

I Territorial Corps (c. 1 Dec 1944 - c. 15 Mar 1945)
IV Ustasha Corps (c. 15 Mar 1945 - May 1945)

Order of battle (Dec 1944)

Div. HQ in Dvor; VIII Ustasha Brigade (7 battalions)
7th Jäger Brigade (3 battalions)
14th Domobran Brigade (3 battalions)
XII Artillery Gp.
1st and 2d Reconnaissance Companies

On 19 December the XIX Ustasha Brigade (created by taking 3 battalions away from the VIII Ust. Brig.) was added to the Division’s composition. The I Replacement Engineer Bn. was also assigned to it, while the Croatian Naval School at Sisak was attached to it.

Footnotes

1. AVII Beograd, kut. 134a, reg.br. 3/1; [Vojnoistorijski institute]. Zbornik dokumenata I podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, Tom (vol.) IV/31, pp.871-79; IV/33, pp.831-33; V/36, pp.747-57; V/37, pp.753-58 and 763-75; V/38, p.676; NARA WashDC: RG 226 (OSS intelligence documents Nos. 109636, 110433 and 126034); RG 242 (T-311 roll 196/468).

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -