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

Formed 29 June 1941 with Rgt. HQ in Banja Luka. Initially with just two battalions, it was expanded to five battalions during the fall of 1941. The Regiment was re-designated 10th Jäger Regiment (2d Jäger Brigade) in May 1943. (1)

Operational History

1941

Jul 41: after the Regiment was formed, it generally remained in the Banja Luka -Prijedor -Sanski Most area.
28 Jul 41: 3d Co. taken prisoner when the town of Drvar in West Bosnia was captured by Serbian guerillas (i.e., Pravoslavni insurgents).
2 Aug 41: lst Co. in Prijedor and 2d Co. in Kljuc, both attached to the Sanski Brigade.
27 Aug 41: two companies from l0th Inf. Rgt. dispersed with losses in an action with lst Bn. of the Partisan Drvar Brigade along the Bravsko - Bos. Petrovac road.
30 Oct 41: Regiment elements from Banja Luka, together with units from the German 738. Inf. Rgt., carried out a search and destroy sweep along the Vrbanja River, but the Partisans withdrew before a fight developed.
26 Nov 41: 6th Co. in the village of G.Ratkovo/35 km SW Banja Luka suffered losses in an engagement with elements of the 3d Krajina NOP Detachment, which was moving forward for an attack on Ključ/38 km S of Sanski Most.

1942

10 Feb 42: 22d Co. destroyed in heavy fighting with elements of Partisan 3d Krajina NOP Detachment near Rekavice/12 km S of Banja Luka.
22 Feb 42: I Bn. in Bos. Gradiška, II Bn. in Sanski Most, and the rest of the Rgt. in Prijedor and Banja Luka all operating under the Banja Luka Brigade this date.
23 Mar 42: l0th Co. captured in a village near Sanski Most by elements of the lst Krajina NOP Detachment.
16 May 42: Partisan forces captured Prijedor, taking prisoner at least one company belonging to 10th Infantry Rgt.
14 Jun 42: I Bn. in Omarska, along with other Domobran units, attacked the Partisan lst Krajina Brigade north of Bronzani Majdan/28 km W of Banja Luka, forcing it to withdraw west across the Sana River.
20 Jun 42: Rgt. with I -V Battalions under the Banja Luka Brigade for Operation “West-Bosnien”.
28 Jul 42: elements of the Regiment were killed and captured when strong Partisan forces took Ključ this date.
29 Sep 42: II Bn., together with III Bn./German 741. Inf. Rgt. and local Chetniks, retook Ključ.
7 Oct 42: Partisan 1st Proletarian NOU Brigade and elements of 6th Krajina NOP Detachment captured Ključ for the second time, dealing severe losses to II Bn./10th Inf. Rgt.
2-7 Nov 42: Rgt. elements took part in Operation “Lug” against Partisan concentrations west of Sanski Most.
18 Nov 42: three of the Rgt.’s battalions, deployed along the Sana Valley between Prijedor and Sanski Most, engaged the Partisan 4th Krajina Division which made an unsuccessful attempt to capture the mining complex at Ljubija.
11-20 Dec 42: at least two battalions from the Rgt. defended Sanski Most against a determined attack by Partisan 4th and 5th Krajina Divisions, which was broken off after heavy losses on both sides and the arrival of a German-Croatian relief force from Prijedor.

1943

3 Jan 43: with its companies fragmented, under strength, and widely scattered, the Regiment was ordered consolidated and reorganized this date by German 714. Inf. Div.
13-14 Jan 43: 6th Krajina NOU Brigade attacked 12th Co./l0th Inf. Rgt. in some outlying villages near Sanski Most and forced it to pull back into the town.
28 Feb 42: the Regiment’s mission was stated in documents this date as the security of the Sanski Most area under the operational command of the German 714. Inf. Div.
15-17 Mar 43: elements of the Rgt. took part in Operation “Gustav” under 714. Inf. Div., which was aimed at destroying a Partisan concentration of 1,000 - 1,500 men southwest of Bos. Gradiška.
20 Mar 43: IV Bn. was renamed Banja Luka Garrison Battalion with 1st -3d Cos. this date.
9 Apr 43: Regiment units operated together with German 741. Inf. Rgt./114. Jäger Div. to recapture Bos. Petrovac after overcoming strong resistance offered by units of the Partisan 4th Assault Div.
19-21 Apr 43: I and II Bn. took part in Operation “Otto” under German 114. Jäg. Div., which was an unsuccessful attempt to encircle and destroy the Partisan 4th Assault Div. in the mountains between the Una and Sana Rivers.
8-12 May 43: III (VIII Ust.) Bn. participated in Operation “Ulrich” under German 114. Jäg. Div., which was a large-scale effort to surround and destroy two Partisan brigades in the Kozara Mountains to the north of Banja Luka.
May 43: renamed 10th Jäger Regiment (2d Jäger Brigade).

Commanders

Pukovnik Josip Bučar (? - Feb 1943) June 1942
Pukovnik Juraj Čordašić (Mar 1943 - May 1943)

Subordination

Vrbaska Division (June 1941 - Aug 1941)
2d Infantry Division (Aug 1941 - ?)
4th Infantry Division (Dec 1941)

Order of battle (Dec 1941)

Rgt. HQ in Banja Luka
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Bos. Gradiška
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Sanski Most
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in Gornja Sanica
IV Bn. (17th – 20th Co.) in the Banja Luka area
V Bn. (in formation with 24th, 25th, 27th and 29th Co.)
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.
16th Co.

Order of battle (3 Jan 1943)

Rgt. HQ in Banja Luka
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Marjanović-Pobrežje near Sanski Most
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Sanski Most
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in Majdan near Sanski Most
IV Bn. (17th – 19th Co.) in Banja Luka
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.
16th Co.
Total strength: approximately 2,950.

Footnotes

1. Arhiv VII, kut. 134a; Colić, Mladen - Takozvana Nezavisna Država Hrvatska 1941; Colić 1979; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, pp.53, 77, 126, 150, 210, 229, 301, 338, 354, 408, 454; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, v.1, pp.233, 240, 142, 353-54; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-315 roll 1294/069 and 178).

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -