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

Formed 29 June 1941 with Rgt. HQ in Sisak. Initially with just two battalions, it was expanded to three battalions plus 13th, 14th and 15th support companies during the fall of 1941 and later to five battalions, although IV and V Bn. only existed for a few months in 1942. The Regiment was renamed 11th Mountain Regiment (3d Mountain Brigade) on 1 August 1943. (1)

Operational History

1941

After the Regiment was formed, it was generally deployed in the Sana and Una Valleys in West Bosnia until Apr 1943, when it moved west into the Kordun region to garrison key towns there, subsequently taking a severe mauling in heavy fighting during June.
2 Aug 41: 1st Co. in Bos. Petrovac and II Bn. in Bihać, both operating under the Sanski Brigade.
22 Sep 41: 100 men belonging to the Regiment allegedly took part in the massacre of 460 Serbs near Cazin/25 km N of Bihać, although the majority of those involved in this incident were from Ustasha units.
3 Oct 41: the Partisan Assault Detachment “Čapajev” ambushed a column from the Regiment near Kulen-Vakuf killing the regiment commander and four other officers.
25 Nov 41: Rgt. participated in a major search and destroy operation to clear the Kozara region of Partisans, during which a number of civilians were shot in acts of reprisal.
5 Dec 41: II Bn. (500 men) was destroyed and 190 prisoners taken in an intense 3-hour battle with the Partisan 2d Krajina Detachment in Mrakovica in the Kozara Mountains.

1942

2 Feb 42: 10th Co., which served as garrison for the railway station at Svodna, halfway between Prijedor and Bos. Novi, defected to the Partisan 1st Bn./2d Krajina NOP Detachment by prior arrangement, but according to a Croatian armed forces account, the Co. was captured.
3 Mar 42: I and II Bn. still in Prijedor.
16 May 42: Regiment suffered heavy losses when a numerically superior Partisan force captured Prijedor.
Jun 42: IV Bn. in Kostajnica - Bos.Novi area attached to the Croatian 1st Mountain Div., and V Bn. in Petrinja - Sisak area attached to the Petrinja Brigade for Operation “West-Bosnien” in the Kozara Mountains that continued to the end of July.
25 Sep 42: I Bn. reorganized and relocated this date - Bn. HQ moved to Murati/14 km SW of Bos. Dubica, 1st Co. to Murati, 2d Co.(ex-19th Co./11th Inf. Rgt.) to Brezicani/5 km NW Prijedor, 3d Co.
to Murati, 4th Co.(ex-6th Co./11th Inf.Rgt.) probably to Prijedor; the Bn. was assigned to guarding railway and roads. On same date, II Bn. was located in Pucari near Bos. Dubica.
1-9 Oct 42: 12th and 29th Co., attached to the Petrinja Brigade, participated in a large clearing operation around Kadina Voda/25 km SW Banja Luka, which claimed 130 Partisan dead.
2-7 Nov 42: Rgt. elements took part in Operation “Lug” against Partisan concentrations west of Sanski Most.
Nov 42: Rgt. reduced from four to three battalions following heavy losses.
19 Dec 42: 23d Co. captured by Partisans between Tuzla and Zvornik during Operation “Tuzla II”, which was carried out to destroy Partisans in the Majevica Mountains in East Bosnia.
19 Dec 42: 11th and 12th Co. (III Bn.) were guarding the railway station in Volinja near Kostajnica.

1943

Feb 43: in mid-February the Regiment was ordered to reorganize and begin intensive training.
15 Mar 43: II Bn. transferred from Glina to Velika Kladuša, I Bn. to Cetingrad and III Bn. to Vrnograč.
12 May 43: Partisan 4th Banija Brigade attacked the Regiment’s III Bn. in Staro Selo/6 km SSW of Topusko, killing 14 and capturing 112 men.
17-18 May 43: two battalions from the Rgt. held Velika K1aduša in the Kordun against a powerful attack by numerically superior Partisan forces until a German column was able to smash its way through from Bihać and lift the siege.
3-5 Jun 43: Slunj in the Kordun was taken by the Partisan 4th Banija Brigade and 8th Krajina Brigade, but units of the 11th Inf. Rgt. counterattacked on 5 June and reoccupied the town.
17 Jun 43: Partisan 2d Assault Brig./8th Division captured Cetingrad/9 km SW of Velika Kladuša, destroying two companies belonging to the Regiment’s III Bn. and taking 160 prisoners.
19 Jun 43: Slunj again taken by units of Partisan 8th Division, with the Regiment losing 3 officers and 45 men taken prisoner.
20 Jun 43: 1st March Co./11th Inf. Rgt. located in the Croatian I Corps area as a replacement unit.
20-21 Jun 43: elements of Partisan 8th Division attacked Velika Kladuša and in a 20-hour fight smashed the Regiment’s II Bn. and the Regiment’s support companies (40 killed, 100 wounded and 185 captured), but failed to take the town due to the intervention of strong reinforcements from the German 114. Jäger Div. and the Croatian 2d Mountain Brigade.
24 Jun 43: surviving remnants of the Rgt. withdrawn to the Topusko area to rebuild.
1 Aug 43: renamed 11th Mountain Regiment (3d Mountain Brigade).

Commanders

Pukovnik Ivan Matagić (29 Jun 1941 - 3 Oct 1941) KIA
Pukovnik Mario Zlobec (c. 4 Oct 1941 - 16 May 1942) KIA
Pukovnik Anton Nardeli (May 1942 - c. 31 Jul 1943)

Subordination

Vrbaska Division (June 1941 - Aug 1941)
1st Infantry Division (Aug 1941 - Jul 1943?)

Order of battle (31 Dec 1941)

Rgt. HQ in Sisak
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Prijedor
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Prijedor
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in Sisak
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.

Order of battle (23 Feb 1943)

Rgt. HQ in Sisak
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Omarska between Prijedor and Banja Luka
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Glina
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in Kostajnica
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.

Order of battle (19 June 1943)

Rgt. HQ in Velika Kladuša
I Bn. (1st – 4th Co.) in Slunj
II Bn. (5th – 8th Co.) in Velika Kladuša
III Bn. (9th – 12th Co.) in ? – previously in Cetingrad
13th Co.
14th Co.
15th Co.

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.101, 123, 150, 209, 263, 387, 477, 471, 493, 496, 498; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Oslobodilački rat naroda Juooslavije 1941-1945, v.1, pp.143; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, Tom IV/7, p.136; V/10, p.460; V/13, p.514; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-314 roll 1295/025); (T-315 roll 1294/167, 178, 708 and 816; roll 2258/966; roll 2268/355).

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -