(3. pješačka pukovnija)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed 29 June 1941 with Rgt. HQ in Karlovac. The Regiment was reorganized in 1943 (see below) and then re-designated 2d Garrison Brigade in early April 1944. (1)

Operational History

1941

Jul 41: The I and II Bn. began deploying to East Bosnia and by the end of the year the entire Regiment had relocated to the Zvornik area along the Drina River to the east of Tuzla.
10 Sep 41: a platoon from II Bn. engaged Partisans in the Brčko area.
30 Nov 41: 25th Co. and Assault Co./3d Inf. Rgt. operating in Slunj/c. 90 km S of Karlovac.
15-23 Dec 41: elements of III Bn. surrounded by Partisans in Vojnić in the Kordun SSE of Karlovac where they were finally relieved by a column of Italian troops from Karlovac.

1942

Jan 42: III Bn. transferred to East Bosnia to join the rest of the Regiment.
15-23 Jan 42: II Bn. and IV Bn. participated in Operation “Süd-Kroatien” in East Bosnia.
16-17 Jan 42: 24th Co./III Bn. was overrun in the vollage of Petrovići in the Vlasenica area of East Bosnia by the Partisan Birčanski Detachment, losing 2 x 81 mm mortars, 15 heavy and light machine guns and 120 rifles.
31 Jan 42: IV Bn. attacked Partisans in Vlasenica.
4-5 Feb 42: 1st Co./I Bn. was routed and destroyed by the Ozren NOP Detachment near the village of Katanići in the Tuzla area, losing 110 killed and 58 taken prisoner according to the Partisan account.
9 May 42: 27th and 28th Co./3d Inf. Rgt. garrisoned in Ogulin.
30 Jun 42: I Bn. in Bos. Petrovo Selo/East Bosnia between Doboj and Tuzla.
3 Jul 42: following a 2-hour fight, elements of the 1st Krajina NOU Brigade and the 2d Krajina NOP Detachment took the village of Dobrljin near Bos. Kostajnica and captured 305 men from the Regiment’s III Bn., which had been tasked with its defense during Operation “West-Bosnien.”
24-28 Aug 42: I Bn. took part in Operation “S” to the northwest of Vlasenica.
26 Oct 42: III Bn., evidently rebuilt in Karlovac, now guarded the railway line between Ozalj and Karlovac.
15 Dec 42: I, II, III, IV and V Bn. all participated in Operation “Tuzla II” in the Majevica Mountains southeast of Tuzla.
29/30 Dec 42: 25th Co. in Delnice, guarding military assets there and at Skrad, was attacked by Partisans during the night and a 21-man guard contingent captured.

1943

5 Jan 43: I Bn. in Bijeljina carried out a sweep of the nearby Suho Polje area without results.
16-17 Jan 43: V Bn. and local Chetniks successfully defended Capardi near Zvornik against a large Partisan force that included the 6th East Bosnian NOU Brigade. After 4 hours of heavy fighting, both sides broke off the engagement with around 50 dead, wounded and missing each.
25 Jan 43: V Bn. fought a repeat of its action of 16-17 January with the same foe and the same results.
27 Jan 43: 13th, 14th and 15th Co. took part in an uneventful sweep through villages to the south of Bijeljina.
4-22 Feb 43: 9th and 10th Co./III Bn. pursued Partisans who had carried out a number of attacks on isolated garrisons east and south of Karlovac, but they failed to bring the enemy to battle.
10 Feb 43: Regiment ordered to assemble in Brčko to begin reorganization followed by intense training. V Bn. was disbanded and the III and IV Bn. were incorporated into the new 3d Mountain Regiment and the remaining battalions remained unchanged.
Mar 43: a new III Bn. established in Brčko.
28 Mar 43: I Bn. engaged a force of Partisans from the Syrmian NOP Detachment in the vicinity of Čelić near Brčko claiming 15 killed for a loss of 3 KIA, 3 WIA and 23 captured when a truck they were riding in was ambushed along the road and seized. After being disarmed, 19 or the 23 were released in a few days.
14 Apr 43: I Bn. and II Bn. now in Brčko, III Bn. in Modrica/30 km W of Brčko.
11 (13?) Jun 43: two of the Regiment’s battalions (III Bn. and ? Bn.) were captured by elements of the Majevica NOP Detachment and the 2d Vojvodina NOU Brigade at Dragaljevac/12 km NW of Bijeljina which for all purposes ended the Regiment’s operations in East Bosnia. The Partisans claimed 1,256 were taken prisoner, which more or less correlates with the German account.
7/8 Sep 43: II Bn. was overrun in Modriča/SE of Slavonski Brod by elements of the 17th Assault Div. NOVJ and 205 men were taken prisoner along with their weapons.
Sep 43: in Karlovac being rebuilt as a garrison formation using its Replacement Bn. and rear-echelon components as cadre.

1944

Apr 44: along with other units, re-designated 2d Garrison Brigade.

Commanders

Pukovnik Liberai Defar (? - ?) Oct 1941, Jan 1942

Subordination

Savska Division (Jun 1941 - Aug 1941)
2d Infantry Division (Aug 1941 - Jul 1943)
I Territorial Corps (direct) (Aug 1943 - Apr 1944)

Order of battle (31 Dec 1941)

Rgt. HQ
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Lončić
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Zvornik
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in Slunj
IV Bn. (17th – 20th Co.) in Zvornik
V Bn. (21st – 24th Co.) Zvornik
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.
Total strength: 3,676

Order of battle (Jan 1943)

Rgt. HQ
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Bijeljina
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in ?
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) Karlovac
IV Bn. (17th – 20th Co.) in Prijedor?
V Bn. (21st – 24th Co.) in Capardi near Zvornik
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.
Replacement Bn. (1st Garrison Co., 1st Auxiliary Co. and 9th Co.)/3d Infantry Rgt. in Karlovac
25th Co. (Delnice garrison)
26th Co.
27th Co.
28th Co. (Ogulin garrison)

Order of battle (31 Mar 1944)

Rgt. HQ
I Bn. (1st – 3d Co.)
II Bn. (1st – 3d Co.)

Footnotes

1. Arhiv VII, kut. 134a; Colić, Mladen - Takozvana Nezavisna Država Hrvatska 1941; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, pp.99, 193, 209, 299, 406, 408, 491, 544; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, Tom IV/9, pp.485 and 488; IV/11, p.724; V/2, p.354 and 419; V/5, p.536; V/8, p.506; V/12, p.414; V/13, pp.459-64; V/32.

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -