CAVALRY

The Yugoslavian Army still placed a great reliance upon cavalry formations, believing that the rough terrain of the country would preclude any massive mechanized operations. There existed three peacetime cavalry divisions, containing a total of eight cavalry regiments (1st through 8th), and seven independent cavalry regiments (51st, 56th, 61st, 66th, 71st, 76th, and 81st). The independent regiments were attached to the seven field armies. The "Guard" division contained a detachable cavalry brigade of two additional cavalry regiments. The cavalry depot commands consisted of seven cavalry battalions, attached to the field armies. As supplemental forces, one motorized infantry, two bicycle, and two motorcycle battalions were organized and attached to the cavalry divisions.

ARTILLERY

The military doctrine and planning of the Yugoslav Army was based upon the experiences of its immediate predecessor, the Serbian Army, during World War I. In line with its doctrine of defensive warfare, significant expenditures were made during the interwar period to provide massive artillery support for the field forces. The bulk of the armaments was purchased from France and Czechoslovakia, with a minor amount produced internally. The total number of artillery pieces in the Army's inventory, as of the spring of 1941, amounted to 2,725 guns.

Two-thirds of this artillery (some 1,720 guns) were organic elements of the Yugoslav field commands. Each of the 28 infantry divisions included an artillery regiment consisting of a I battalion of 12 (65 or 75mm) mountain guns, a 11 and III battalion of 12 (75or 80mm) field guns each, a IV battalion of 12 (100mm) field or mountain howitzers, and a mixed depot battery of 1 (65mm) mountain gun, 2 (80mm) field guns, and 1 (100mm) mountain howitzer. In addition to this regiment, each division contained in its depot regiment a mixed depot battery identical in composition to the one in the artillery regiment.

The "Guards" Division, because of its unique character of combining both infantry and cavalry units, had a special artillery force. It had an artillery regiment of one battalion of 12 (75mm) mountain guns, two battalions of 12 (80mm) field guns each, and one battalion of 12 (100mm) howitzers. This division, however, drew its personnel from experienced units and thus had no depot formations; it did contain an additional cavalry artillery battalion of 12 (80mm) field guns. Whenever the division's cavalry brigade operated as an independent command, this battalion accompanied it.

The three cavalry divisions each had a cavalry artillery battalion of 12 (80mm) field guns. The seven cavalry depot battalions each contained a battery of 4 (80mm) field guns. The two alpine odreds each had a battalion of 12 (75mm) mountain guns, while the alpine depot battalion (of the High Command Reserves) included a battery of 4 (75mm) mountain guns.

In addition to the artillery organic to the field units, there were numerous independent units. Each of the seven field armies had an attached army artillery regiment containing a I and 11 battalion of 12 (105mm) howitzers each, a III and IV battalion of 12 (150mm) howitzers each, and a depot battery of 2 (105mm) and 2 (150mm) howitzers. The Border Defense Command included fifteen independent artillery battalions, each equipped with 12 (100mm) mountain howitzers, most of which were emplaced in fixed positions.

The Yugoslav High Command also maintained a substantial artillery reserve consisting of two medium artillery regiments, two heavy artillery regiments, fifteen independent artillery battalions, and two heavy artillery battalions. The 111th and 112th Medium Motorized Artillery Regiments contained a I and II battalion of 12 (120mm) guns each, a III and IV battalion of 12 (150mm) howitzers each, and a depot battery of 2 (120mm) guns and 2 (150mm) howitzers. The 113th Heavy Motorized Artillery Regiment contained three battalions, each having 6 (150mm) longbarrelled guns and 2 (220mm) siege mortars, and a depot battery of 2 (150mm) long-barrelled guns. The 114th Heavy Motorized Artillery Regiment contained one battalion of 12 (105mm) long-barrelled guns, one battalion of 4 (220mm) siege mortars, one battalion of 4 (305mm) siege mortars, and a depot battery of 4 (105mm) longbarrelled guns. The 101st and 102nd Heavy Motorized Artillery Battalions each had 4 (105mm) long-barrelled guns and 4 (305mm) siege mortars. The fifteen independent artillery battalions were each equippped with 12 howitzers (eight battalions had 100mm howitzers and the other seven had 105mm howitzers).

The Yugoslav Coastal Defense Command directed a number of artillery units containing an unknown number of modern 180mm guns and 210mm howitzers, as well as some pre- 1900 90 and 120mm guns and 120mm howitzers.

More Yugoslav Army of WWII

Introduction
Infantry and Border Units
Cavalry and Artillery
Mechanized Units and AA
Navy
Air Force (with OOB)
Army OOB
Yugoslavia Map (slow: 75K)