Newsgroup: it.cultura.storia.militare
Titolo: Legione Croata in WWII

Non riesco a trovare informazioni decenti su questà unità, a parte che era
formata da croati e che combattè in Russia con l'ARMIR.
Era una unità di CCNN ?
Qual'era il suo OOB e TO&E in Russia ?
Grazie!

 ha scritto nel messaggio
news:BaXJa.237632$g92.5...@news2.tin.it...
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[...]
Comando Legione;
Battaglione fucilieri, compagnia mortai da 81, compagnia pezzi at da 47/32.
L'organigramma dell'unità rispecchiava quello delle unità italiane di pari
dimensioni.
L'unità dipendeva direttamente dal Comando 8a Armata
Jaco

Fu distrutta a Stalingrado nel 43 se non erro, quando torno a
casa ci do' un okkiata piu' precisa.
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 ha scritto nel messaggio
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 Era una unità di CCNN ?
No.
La tua domanda nasce dal fatto che combatté sul fronte russo
schierata assieme alla 63a Legione CCNN "Tagliamento".
Dal sito 
http://www.feldgrau.com/croatia.html
 :
The Light Transport Brigade (Italian-Croatian)
In July 1941, Italian General Antonio Oxilio requested an audience
with Croatian Poglavnik Ante Pavelic. During their meeting, General
Oxilio presented Pavelic with a letter from the Italian High Command,
asking that a Legion, even a symbolic one, be formed by Croatia for
service in the Italian Army, on the Eastern Front. The fact was that the
Italians felt hurt. The Croatians were serving with Germany in the So-
viet Union, and yet, no one had advised the Italians of this, let alone a-
sked for their permission. The Croatians, although not pleased with this
request, decided not to insult an ally, even a dubious one. Therefore, on
July 26th 1941, the Croatian Army Command issued the appropriate or-
ders, and the "Light Transport Brigade" (Laki Prijevozni Zdrug) came in-
to being. The majority of the troops for the unit came from a battalion of
volunteers that were intended as reinforcements for the 369th Regiment
in Russia.
The Brigade was formed with 1100 soldiers, 70 NCO's and 45 Officers
(1215 total), divided into 3 Infantry Companies, 1 Machine-Gun Com-
pany, 1 (81mm) Mortar Company and 1 (65mm) Artillery Battery. The
Commanding Officer was Lt.-Colonel Egon Zitnik (a Croat).
The Brigade's first posting was in the city of Varazdin, in Croatia, where
they trained, and awaited the Italians to organize their expeditionary
force.
The wait stretched on, as the Italians had many organizing problems. In
the meantime, the Brigade performed sweeps in the Kordun, Banija and
Bosanska Krajina regions of Croatia, searching for small groups of Yugo-
slav soldiers and bands of outlaws that were hiding in the forests and figh-
ting against the new Croatian state.
On December 17th 1941, the Italians finally ordered the Brigade to travel
to Italy where they received their full complement of weapons and trans-
ports. 3 Months of intense training exercises followed. At the end of the
training schedule, the Legionnaires were visited by General Ugo Cavallero
of the Italian Headquarters Staff, and the Minister of Defense of Croatia,
Slavko Kvaternik. The Brigades battle flag was presented at this ceremony,
and the men took their oath to Italy, Croatia, the Duce, the Italian King,
and the Poglavnik.
The Brigade arrived at the Eastern Front on April 16th 1942, near the
town of Harcjusk. Here they were attached to the Italian 3rd Rapid Divi-
sion "Principe Amadeo Duca D'Aosta", and received the remainder of their
equipment and transports (44 trucks, 3 automobiles and 6 motorcycles). On
the 11th of May, near the town of Pervomajska, the Brigade fought its first
battle, alongside the 63rd Blackshirt "Tagliamento" unit. 5 men were lost in
this minor engagement.
The Brigade, during the next 10 months, fought around the towns of Stokovo,
Greko-Timofejevka, and Veseli-Nikitovo. On July 11th 1942, the Brigade
was transfered to the Italian XXXVth Corps. The very next day, with a
battle-group of Blackshirts, the Brigade fought its way 30km deep into
Soviet lines.
Battles follow around Vladimirovka, Krasna Poljana and Fjodorovka. On
July 28th 1942 the Brigade crossed the Donjec River at Lubanskoje. On August
25th 1942, the Soviets counter-attacked and the Brigade was involved in
heavy fighting. The Croatians managed to hold their lines, inflicting 20
casualties and capturing 101 Russian soldiers. The Croatians lost 8 dead
and 12 wounded.
For this battle, the Brigade was awarded the "Sul Campo" decoration by the
commander of the XXXVth Corps.
On December 19th 1942, the Brigade was holding Hills 210 and 168 near
Hracin. Here they were surrounded by a massive Soviet attack, but continued
fighting till December 21st 1942, when they ran out of ammunition and were
over-run. There were no survivors and the unit was totally destroyed.
The Italian Croatian Legion
After the destruction of the "Light Transport Brigade", the Italians
sponsored the creation of a new "Legion" unit. It came into existan-
ce in May of 1943, only 4 months before the Italian collapse, as a
1,800 man strong Infantry Regiment, reinforced with its own Repla-
cement Battalion and an Artillery Battalion
of 2 Batteries. This "Legion" was sent to northern Italy, to the Lake
Garda area, and then the Italo-Slovene border area. After the Italian
surrender, the men of the Legion were used to reinforce the existing
German-Croatian Divisions, specially the 373rd "Tiger" Division.
Saluti
Mauro Geranzani
--
"Wenn wir auch darüber zugrunde gehe,
schön war's doch" (E. v. Falkenhayn,
4.VIII.1914)