(Željeznička bojna)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed between August and October 1941. There is circumstantial evidence that it may have been upgraded to a Regiment in 1943, but it is not known to have had more than 5 companies. (1)

Nov 41: Battalion stationed in Slavonski Brod under II Corps in a strength of 800.
Jun 42: 3d (Technical) Co. in Bos. Novi to support Operation “West-Bosnien.”
16 Dec 42: 1st (Transportation) Co. was working on the railway bridge at Strižnica near Bos. Novi.
Jan 43: the 3d (Technical) Co. was credited with rebuilding the railway bridge 1.5 km west of Jelah on the Doboj – Teslić line after it had been burned down by the Partisans.
25 Jan 43: 1st (Transportation) Co. and 2d (Technical) Co. both in Slavonska Požega this date.
Feb 43: 1st (Transportation) Co. now in Bos. Gradiška and the Battalion’s Labor Co. was in Slavonska Požega.
Jul 43: 230 lightly armed men from the Battalion engaged in construction work along the track section near Bos. Petrovo Selo in the vicinity of Tuzla.
12 Dec 43: according to a German report, one of the 5 Croatian railway engineer construction companies was repairing track damage near Doboj under the authority of German Railway Security Sector D (Eisb.Sicherungsabschnitt D), but Pz.AOK 2 wanted it released and sent to the Sarajevo area for attachment to German Eisb.Pi.Btle.Stab z.b.V. 16 (Railway Engineer Battalion Staff for special employment 16).
1944: no further mention of this battalion has been found. By the end of 1943 the Germans had so completely taken over the railway system in Croatia that the Battalion was probably dissolved and the personnel attached to German railway units that were operating in the country.

Commanders

Pukovnik Petruhar (? - ?) Dec 1942

Footnotes

1. Colić, Mladen - Takozvana Nezavisna Država Hrvatska 1941; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda. Tom IV/15, p.262; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-313 roll 192/2786); (T-314 roll 559/423); (T-315 roll 2271/346); Narodne novine, issues 01.02.43 and 05.03.43.

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -