Does anybody remember the name of the operation to kill Josip Broz Tito ?
I dont remember if was attacked by Luftwaffe paratropper of SS ones.
Operation Rösselsprung airdrop
Tito’s Cave
http://www.showcaves.com/english/misc/showcaves/Tito.html
Drvar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drvar
On May 25, 1944, Nazi German invaders made an attempt on the life of Tito, who was the main partisan commander, in a daring airdrop on Drvar, Operation Rösselsprung.
Raid on Drvar
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Drvar
German SS and SS paratroopers fought their way to Tito’s cave and exchanged heavy gunfire resulting in numerous casualties on both sides.
Axis Order of Battle:
SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500
Kampfgruppe from Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Platoon Kampfgruppe from Brandenburg Division
Sonderkommando Zawadil
Regimental Kampfgruppe from 373.(Kroatische) Infanterie-Division
Grenadier-Regiment 92 (mot)
Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 54
2.Sturmpanzer-Abteilung
Regimental Kampfgruppe from 7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 Artur Phleps (from Prinz Eugen)
SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung (mot) 7 (from Prinz Eugen)
SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 105
Brandenburger-Regiment 1 (From Division Brandenburg)
Reinforced 369.Aufklärungs-Abteilung (From 373.(Kroatische) Infanterie-Division)
Bosnian Krajiski Chetnik Corps
1st Bosnian Corps Gavrilo Princip
501st Dinarski Chetnik Corps
502nd Dinarski Chetnik Corps
1st Domobran Regiment (from 2nd Jäger Brigade)
Partisan forces:
Third brigade from Lika (lička)
Beautiful…Thanks George, If I would remeber the name of the operation it would be very easy.
SS-Fallschirmjäger-Bataillon 500
Kampfgruppe from Fallschirmjäger-Regiment 1
Platoon Kampfgruppe from Brandenburg Division
Sonderkommando Zawadil
Regimental Kampfgruppe from 373.(Kroatische) Infanterie-Division
Grenadier-Regiment 92 (mot)
Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 54
2.Sturmpanzer-Abteilung
Regimental Kampfgruppe from 7.SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division Prinz Eugen
SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgsjäger-Regiment 13 Artur Phleps (from Prinz Eugen)
SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Aufklärungs-Abteilung (mot) 7 (from Prinz Eugen)
SS-Aufklärungs-Abteilung 105
Brandenburger-Regiment 1 (From Division Brandenburg)
Reinforced 369.Aufklärungs-Abteilung (From 373.(Kroatische) Infanterie-Division)
Bosnian Krajiski Chetnik Corps
1st Bosnian Corps Gavrilo Princip
501st Dinarski Chetnik Corps
502nd Dinarski Chetnik Corps
1st Domobran Regiment (from 2nd Jäger Brigade
I am looking in the links provided by you, seems that the 500th SS parachute took heavy casualties. :!:
I am looking in the links provided by you, seems that the 500th SS parachute took heavy casualties. :!:[/QUOTE]
You’re welcome Panzerknacker,
It looks like they took very heavy casualties. It must have been quite a battle.
Raid on Drvar - Operation Rösselsprung
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raid_on_Drvar
Also, it is certain that German losses were higher than the reported 213 since out of more than 800 Waffen SS paratroopers only a dozen survived, hiding in the Drvar cemetery. In fact, it has later been acsertained that the 500th SS Parachute Battalion was practically annihilated during this operation…
…In addition to their own intricate network, the partisans were provided with intelligence by the British, and they knew that the Axis will launch an offensive operation around Tito’s birthday. However, they did not know that it was going to be an air raid. Regardless of that, the orders that partisan units got 48 hours before the actual air raid started, were to block all roads leading from towns Bosanski Petrovac, Ključ to Drvar and to stall and slow down any Axis movement coming from those areas. Also some strong partisan formations were positioned southeast of Drvar. Whole partisan brigades and divisions were repositioned from areas of North Western Krajina and moved to Ključ and Bosanski Petrovac. On the other hand only one company of partisans from Tito’s Escort battalion were defending the Cave and in and around town were less then 100 partisans when the operation started. The underarmed students (partisans) of the Partisan Officer’s School, around 60 of them, put up a good fight, arming themselves from the fallen German troops, they prevented a flanking attempt by the German paratroopers, this proved to be crucial for saving the foreign guests (it gave them more time for escape) that were hosted by Tito. When the 3. Lika Partisan brigade arrived to the battlefield, the Air Raid was already a complete disaster and the orders the brigade got were just to wipe out the remaining Axis troops in the area and to evacuate the wounded and civilians since it was already known that the Axis tanks and infantry were approaching Drvar from northwest.
I found some pictures of the 500th parachute.
Also, it is certain that German losses were higher than the reported 213 since out of more than 800 Waffen SS paratroopers only a dozen survived, hiding in the Drvar cemetery. In fact, it has later been acsertained that the 500th SS Parachute Battalion was practically annihilated during this operation…
In other source I read 745 killed and wounded…who knows if actually true.
I have a film of the parachute 500th but fighting in East 1945.
Nice pics Panzerknacker,
This operation to get Tito ended up almost like a German “Blackhawk Down”.
Is your film of the 500th SS Parachute Battalion on DVD?
Nop, is in mpg, Here is the clip:
http://www.stv.ee/~zakalev/German%20Newsreel-%20January1945.mpg
About 50 mb.
Oh thanks George.
It was so good special forces that was wiped out by the Ugoslvian Partisan;)
The good end for the good Nazy troops …
Damn Bosnians and Croatians fought for Nazy agains the Ugoslavians …again;)
Oh thanks George.
It was so good special forces that was wiped out by the Ugoslvian
It seems that some of the men of the 500th abt were coming from the punishing battalion…hmmm, we definately need more info.
But aniway if you fall in a zone were are specting you with machineguns in place and you are slowly gliding down in a parachute or glider there is no much things to do, it happen in Kreta, it happen in Arhem, etc.
I ve found a picture of a wrecked DFS 230 carring the SS paras, note the close range of the DshK 38 emplacement… hunting ducks in a pool would more more hard than this. :roll:
Some also consider the Sturmpioniere to be commandos of that time, yes?
Hmmm, I dont think so, stumpionere were the assault engineers, wich even very good trained didnt qualified as special forces.