(I. koturaška bojna)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed September 1941 in Koprivnica from men who had served in bicycle infantry battalions of the former Royal Yugoslav Army. By the end of 1941 the Battalion had 1s – 4th Co. and 690 men. (1)

Operational History

27 Nov 41: Koprivnica.
Dec 41: returned to Koprivnica from Slavonska Požega where it had temporarily been on operations.
Apr 42: Koprivnica.
11 Sep 42: 1st Co. was ambushed by the Partisans in the train station at Hercegovac while traveling from Koprivnica. They successfully fought off the Partisans with light losses and prevented a total disaster, as the Partisans were preparing to burn down the station.
5 Oct 42: two companies ordered to move from Koprivnica to Pakrac in Slavonia for operations under the Croatian 1st Mountain Division.
Jan 43: Koprivnica.
27 Feb – 8 Mar 43: took part in Operation “Mirko” in the Kalnik and Bilo gora Mountains.
19-31 Mar 43: temporarily moving from Koprivnica to southeastern Slavonia, the Bn. participated in Operation “Braun” under the tactical command of German 187. Res.Div. against strong Partisan forces concentrated in the Papuk Mountains near Nova Gradiška. The Partisans lost an estimated 1,000 killed and the Germans and Croatians together reported 71 dead.
27 Apr – 2 May 43: participated in an all-Croatian mopping up operation in the Kalnik Mountains near Koprivnica, with most of the activity in the area 9 to 12 kilometers southwest of Ludbreg.
20 Jun 43: Bn. HQ, HQ Platoon and 1st – 4th Co. all in Koprivnica under the tactical command of German 187. Res.Div.
24 Jun 43: Bn. (less 1st and 2d Co.) took part in Operation “Zagorje” in the Kalnik Mountains.
2-3 Jul 43: Battalion took part in Operation “Cyrill” in the Ivanić-Grad area to the east of Zagreb, but there was no contact with the enemy.
27 Aug 43: all or elements of the Battalion operating in the Pitomača area but returned to Koprivnica by 1 September.
20 Nov 43: Koprivnica.
10 Dec 43: Bn. HQ and 1st Co. garrisoning Virovitica and attached to German Res.Gren.Rgt. 462 for operations.
1 Mar 44: Battalion remnants in the strength of one company operating under German 42. Jäger-Div.
1 Apr 44: Battalion’s permanent station still in Koprivnica with a total strength of about 600 men - renamed I Bn./Mobile Brigade (Brzi zdrug) this date and in May the entire Battalion was sent to the Reich (Döllersheim (Stockerau) in Austria) for 4 months of training.

Commanders

Bojnik Zvonimir Kostial-Živanović (Sep 1941 - 10 Apr 1942?)
Bojnik Strelić (? - ?) June 1943
Satnik Binder (? - 31 Mar 1944) Nov 1943

Subordination

I Corps (Nov 1941 - Mar 1944)

Footnotes

1. Arhiv VII, kut. 134a, reg.br. 4/1; Colić, Mladen - Takozvana Nezavisna Država Hrvatska 1941 (Belgrade: Delta-pres, 1973); Colić – 1977; Colić - 1979; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, Tom V/2, p.364; V/7; V/8, p.417; V/14, pp.430-43; V/15, p.339; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-315 roll 1553/800-982, 1087, 1100-50 and 1164-74).

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -