infantry formation formed german led axis invasion april raised military district large formation entirely reliant animal transport mobility largely manned troops saw germans potential serbian oppression interwar period division lacked modern arms sufficient ammunition preliminary attacks launched germans april spark revolts units division infantry regiments rebelled following day april rebels taken division continued following days face combined arms assault broke april mainly remnants division continued withdraw bosnia week negotiated april surrendered april background formed world war army kingdom country created december defend new kingdom army formed nucleus victorious combined armed formations raised parts austro hungarian empire joined form new state austro hungarian officers soldiers members new army beginning army like aspects public life new kingdom dominated ethnic serbs saw army means secure new state development army hampered poor economy kingdom continued 1920s king alexander changed country time army army budget remained tight tensions rose europe 1930s hard secure weapons munitions countries consequently time world war broke september weaknesses included reliance draught animals transport large size formations example yugoslav infantry divisions twice number men contemporary british infantry divisions characteristics resulted slow formations inadequate supply arms munitions meant large yugoslav formations low firepower older generals better suited trench warfare world war combined army equipped trained resist fast moving combined arms approach germans poland france weaknesses strategy structure equipment mobility supply exacerbated significant degree lack unity yugoslavia resulted decades attendant lack political legitimacy achieved central government attempts address lack unity came late ensure cohesive force fifth column activity concern croatian nationalist ethnic german minorities country structure peacetime organisation according regulations issued raised military district headquartered military district command 4th army district headquartered named region september german invasion poland division underwent trial included large proportion units divisional district included regimental districts 42nd 43rd wartime organisation wartime organisation laid regulations issued strength infantry division men total horses pack draught animals required provide mobility infantry division theoretical wartime organisation fully yugoslav infantry division headquarters divisional infantry headquarters infantry regiments divisional artillery headquarters artillery regiments cavalry battalion squadrons bicycle squadron machine gun platoon pioneer battalion companies anti tank company equipped anti tank guns machine gun company anti aircraft machine gun company signals company logistics units infantry regiment consist infantry battalions machine gun company divisional artillery regiments animal drawn largely equipped world war vintage pieces artillery regiment consisted battalions light mountain guns field guns planned deployment component responsible defence northwestern yugoslavia deploy western sector hungarian border opposite hungarian town main line defence northern slopes mountain range divisional headquarters left flank division 27th infantry division opposite hungarian village right flank 17th infantry division formed boundary running east border guard units division area responsibility consisted 2nd battalion reserve regiment operations axis invasion began partially elements division concentration areas small proportion actually deployed planned positions divisional commander headquarters staff 42nd infantry regiment battalions marching positions near rest regiment lack draught animals percent troops percent animals marching centre reached kilometres northeast infantry regiment marching reached 40th artillery regiment headquarters battalion battalions divisional cavalry battalion machine gun battalion unable deploy lack animals april private cars machine gun battalion ordered concentrate northeast remainder divisional units centres 43rd infantry regiment ordered march east join 17th 2nd infantry regiment originally allocated 17th infantry division ordered march location join replace 43rd infantry regiment divisional cavalry battalion receive sufficient horses deploy foot infantry division artillery support fighting 40th artillery regiment complete april german_army headquarters wanted capture bridges intact april issued orders conduct preliminary operations aimed seizing bridge railway bridge northeast coup main result limited objective attacks launched line despite fact expected launch offensive operations april day bombed yugoslav positions troops march evening clear germans resisting border ordered begin seizing bridges including local attacks sufficient dissent troops refused resist germans considered serbian oppression interwar period continuing concentration hampered escalating fifth column activities propaganda units stopped began returning centres concentration areas yugoslav radio network linking division flanking divisions april radio communications remained poor fighting april april german units regimental strength tanks began cross near divisional sector quickly overcame resistance 2nd battalion reserve regiment influenced propaganda border guards abandoned positions weapons retreated division april marching positions night members regiment revolted arresting officers non commissioned officers soldiers regiment marched joined rebellious units noon april responsible right sector divisional defence meant originally responsible left sector extend entire divisional frontage night commander divisional cavalry battalion sent patrols german local believing germans strength germans subsequently able consolidate overnight april april german continued limited objective attacks expand german regiment broke border troops approached point entire divisional sector defended single unit divisional cavalry battalion transported cars lack horses battalions arrived kilometres southwest noon rebels approaching joined elements units division leader rebels reserve aviator commander aware rebels approach ordered local commander maintain order advised possible local report duty headquarters reported presence rebels headquarters suggesting bomb rebel units 8th bomber regiment warned receive orders use bristol light bombers bomb idea subsequently abandoned instead decided request leader intervene rebels located communist_party croatia sent delegation headquarters urging issue arms workers help defend member went headquarters twice able speak briefly convince day returned briefly joining post yugoslav coup état government agreed send infantry regiment urging obey officers respond appeal later day trucks rebels arrived headquarters intention killing staff headquarters guard force prevented operations staff immediately withdrew rebels issued unanswered rebels attacked assisted fifth city city surrendered yugoslav officers soldiers captured rebels heard fall city called mayor threatened bomb city prisoners immediately released detained officers headquarters sent informed ban croatia revolt powerless influence events proclaimed independent croatian state april morning april german expanded kilometres north following withdrawal divisional cavalry battalion germans seized west cutting main road rebel troops contact divisional line consisted 1st 2nd battalions 42nd infantry regiment company divisional cavalry battalion right 42nd infantry regiment company divisional cavalry battalion left 42nd infantry regiment held depth left flank screened rest divisional cavalry battalion deployed infantry regiment marching concentration area arrived divisional headquarters replace 43rd infantry regiment transferred 17th infantry division reinforcements included elements 4th army anti aircraft units sent divisional artillery regiment completed rebels issued false orders directing fall arrived divisional headquarters shortly ordered launch counterattack german dawn following day visited commander 17th infantry division right flank arrange support division pending attack majority division troops arrive bosnia able advance left flank battalions west spent remainder day preparing counterattack hindered german artillery air attacks indication state division visit line chief staff fired troops elements began withdraw southwards april night april remained units began desert turn commanders 40th infantry division remaining troops serbs increasing momentum revolt commander concluded longer effective formation resist germans issued plea calm rebellion evening april commander ready launch major offensive operations following day plan involved main spearheaded 14th division breaking drive second 8th break turn east rivers attack belgrade april battered german artillery fire night april seriously depleted weakened revolt unable mount ordered counterattack morning april muster men infantry regiment slightly divisional cavalry battalion heavily reduced strength divisional artillery amounted anti aircraft battery border units responsible demolition tasks line south refused follow orders having abandoned counterattack decided establish defensive line hinder german movement east soon dawn main thrust consisting leading 16th crossed anti tank fire destroyed lead tanks germans reinforced vanguard resistance broken noon remaining troops captured fled hills south units infantry regiment providing depth defensive position began retreating south ethnic german troops ran away surrendered hard pressed divisional cavalry battalion began withdraw south attacking troops route fled car fired rebel troops continued southeast rivers meeting resistance reached evening right flank elements penetrated south range reaching evening late day situation increasingly desperate country prime minister yugoslav chief general staff broadcast following message troops engage enemy encountered means disposal don wait direct orders act guided judgement initiative conscience corps encountered little resistance evening april german headquarters directed 8th 16th drive north belgrade link belgrade east midnight headquarters declared yugoslav northern decisively defeated tasked corps engineer units consolidate major rivers main body units moved forward midnight corps commander general der issued orders continue belgrade directed 16th thrust west far turn south drive april april rear area staff headquarters captured soon handed germans captors operations staff escaped way units retreating bosnia including battalions artillery batteries attempted deploy rear area units 17th defensive line called request reinforcements remaining troops attempted establish defensive line mouth efforts significantly hampered propaganda german orders following day pursue remnants bosnia met attacking south east 16th faced resistance drove east belgrade capturing day night april captured secured crossing danube undamaged bridge near fate following day northern column 14th division drove crossed continuing push east elements pushed east establishing fragment numbering troops holding position retreated arrived ordered blocking positions narrow valley road rear area units 17th infantry division ordered block road response request reinforcements sent number units rail included cadet battalion company 27th infantry regiment detached time reinforcements arrived evacuated face german tanks led revolt cadet battalion block road option withdrawing towns taken april pressure 14th division remnants 4th army continued withdraw cadet battalion managed briefly delay german advance overcome tanks air attacks bridge demolished withdrew headquarters remaining units 4th army continued vanguard northern column 14th forward central column reaching early april northern column 14th division closed overcoming resistance town arrived noon received orders agreed troops remain place fire german personnel delay locating appropriate signatories surrender document surrendered belgrade effective april books journals papers websites
40th Infantry Division Slavonska