croatian infantry division croatian infantry division german croatian called division german_army world war formed august soldiers german division commanded germans battalion company level nearly cases originally formed intention service eastern division anti partisan operations territory croatia end war commonly known history formation axis invasion soviet_union june leader newly created axis puppet state croatia offered adolf_hitler volunteers serve eastern offer soon resulted formation deployment army air force naval detachments trained equipped germany committed fighting largest element croatian reinforced infantry regiment january croatian forces performed eastern germans continued support development forces aim raising divisions serve lack trained leaders staff divisions raised german commencing august croatian infantry division assembled trained austria croatian division raised service following sister divisions croatian infantry division croatian infantry division infantry regiment divisional artillery regiment formed infantry regiment signals battalion pioneer battalion built german troops soldiers regular army formed command remained commander weeks war austrian served france north_africa awarded knight commanded 11th division eastern received oak leaves division wore uniform coat arms right sleeve originally intended use eastern long formation germans decided division utilised outside division deployed january combat partisans territory puppet state known german croatian anti partisan operations initial deployment task division arrival western secure adriatic coastline croatian including islands kilometres inland critical task german fears anglo american landing adriatic coast operation included securing crucial supply route areas largely dominated partisans italian capitulation autumn particular port division placed command initially headquartered division took responsibility security railway line 1st division engaged partisans night garrison areas division completed initial deployment called relieve garrison involved drive southwest january initially led engagements partisan units croatian soldiers panicked german leaders quickly wounded killed bodies killed recovered found stripped equipment found naked january relieved advance continued south villages area secured operational history followed operation push coast forcing passes mountain range passes metres sea level snow knee thigh deep delayed mines division captured passes minimal casualties followed series engagements road coast close quarter fighting partisan 13th captured destroyed division supply dump northwest secured allocated task securing coastline directed secure divisional main supply route started improved bases road including italian forts established passes spread coastline supported elements divisional artillery pioneers began building fortifications feared allied invasion troops linked responsible coast southeast supply situation quickly difficult partisan route allied bombing coastal shipping harbour late february early march supported battalion advanced south stopped deep snow partisans attacked supply lines killing soldiers bodies dead soldiers looted mutilated captured battalion independently pursued partisans returned looted items march occupied adriatic islands encountering partisan resistance month conducted operation river valley assisted enforcing conscription orders population divisional area spring lightly armed mobile hunter teams company battalion strength conduct follow sightings partisans transport moving travel convoy security division able restore land connection garrison reliant supply sea italian surrender drove partisan battalions outskirts difficulties faced division fighting mountains lack mountain artillery accompany battalions field divisional artillery equipped field range kilometres seriously limited artillery cover provided mobile operations april promoted germans identified partisan 13th valley huge hiding captured italian arms ammunition villages fake graves major concern feared allied landing mid april ordered blow clear area parts supported divisional artillery battalion weeks division pushed 13th north area captured sufficient material equip divisions including tonnes long tons short tons small arms ammunition tonnes long tons short tons artillery ammunition partisan 35th division attacked area captured village partisans road response planned operation morning star clear partisan forces region elements croatian infantry division regiment battalion 1st regiment units involved according german sources resulted significant partisan losses including killed captured capturing weapons ammunition vehicles animals large amounts equipment division received german reinforcements formed field replacement battalion division saw action partisans end war fighting alongside grouping units numbered troops final months months war division engaged defence northern adriatic coast shot head partisans near april died hospital following day task division fight 4th advancing south east support consisting danger near division arrived area mid april april croatian manpower division significantly reduced release time released leaving small number remaining division released apparently succeeded travelling closing days war organised separate unit largely remnant croatia command general formally general unit direct command general later unit retreated british occupied northern italy division including remaining ordered north austria remaining members division killed attempted push formation lacked strength achieve objective result commander chief authorised including surrender partisans accepted german surrender area time remaining italian fascist troops fighting alongside germans corps released days disarmed german troops corps allowed travel germany partisans decided prisoners war order battle division included following principal units iii battalions iii battalions anti tank battalion artillery regiment battalions april announced mass graves containing remains approximately members division discovered near locals indicated partisan 21st responsible massacre
392nd (Croatian) Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)