Serbia River Flotilla

River Forces of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes and the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Historically, Serbia did not have regular river forces on the Danube and tributaries until 1919. However, there are references to the participation of the courts of the southern Slavs in the fight against the Ottoman Empire . The Austrian border troops , manned by Serbs, on the Danube used small warships , designed to patrol and support the actions of the ground forces . Serbia officially received its first warship on August 6, 1915. It was the Yadar patrol boat built in Chukaritsa , adapted for laying mines and serving on the Sava River.

After the collapse (collapse) of the Austro-Hungarian Empire in 1918, it was announced the creation of a new state of the southern Slavs - the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (KSHS). The new state began to create its own armed forces, including the navy . In April 1919, the armed forces of the Kingdom were led by the Minister of the Army and Navy, to whom the Naval Department was subordinate. In the structure of the Maritime Department, along with the KSXS Warships, the Danube Flotilla was formed with headquarters in Novi Sad . KSHS hoped to receive a significant part of the former naval composition of the Austro-Hungarian fleet and the Danube flotilla ; at this time the ships were under the control of the allies. In April 1919, the KSKhS requested, in addition to sea vessels, 6 monitors , one gunboat (patrol boat) and a floating workshop , but in general, the issue of ship ownership was decided without the participation of representatives of the new state. In 1919, several ships were temporarily under the control of the KSKhS, but only in April 1920 did the final transfer of four monitors (the former Austro-Hungarian Körös, Bodrog , Enns and Temesh), one armored boat (type “d ») And three tugboats under the control of the Yugoslavs .

In September 1923, the first law on the army and navy was adopted, according to which the naval forces of the Kingdom were to include the navy, river flotilla, and naval aviation. At that time, the Danube flotilla consisted of four monitors: Vardar (formerly Bosna, originally Temesh), Drava (formerly Enns), Sava (formerly Bodrog) , and Morava (b. "Körösch"), two patrol boats V.1 and V.2 and three tugboats converted into mine loaders . In the 1920s. technical re-equipment of the shipyards of the fleet was carried out. The needs of the flotilla were provided by the new shipyard in Novi Sad, as well as the shipyard in Smederevo , on which monitors were modernized. The naval composition of the Danube flotilla before the start of World War II increased slightly. In 1936, it included the same four monitors, the royal yacht “Dragor”, two patrol boats “Granichar” and “Strazhar” built in 1929, and three mine tugboats, former tugboats (“Tser”, “Triglav” and “Avala”). In 1940, the Headquarters of the Danube River Flotilla was subordinate to the Headquarters of the Navy, which, in turn, was subordinate to the Main Naval Command. The flotilla consisted of the following units: a division of monitors, auxiliary vessels, a naval base , a detachment of ships of Lake Ohrid . A wartime organization plan and a mobilization plan were developed, according to which 25 civilian vessels were requisitioned for the flotilla.

River Forces of Yugoslavia in World War II

On April 6, 1941, Yugoslavia was attacked by the forces of the Axis countries and on April 18 signed the act of surrender. The ships of the Danube Flotilla, which did not manage to take a proper part in the hostilities, were partly destroyed by the Yugoslavs themselves, partly as a result of the actions of German troops. Subsequently, part of the ships were included in the Danube flotilla of the Independent State of Croatia, the satellite of the Third Reich . However, the Yugoslav partisans, thanks to a stubborn struggle, not only managed to recapture part of the territory, but even formed their own fleet . The beginning of the river forces of the Yugoslav partisans was laid on September 15, 1944 when the first river detachment was formed in Fruska Gora . On October 12, 1944, the Command of the River Military Flotilla was created, to which three detachments were subordinate. The commander of the forces was Kara Dimitrievich, his deputy - the former commander of the Croatian auxiliary minesweeper Dragutin Iskra, Svetozar Milovanovic was appointed political commissioner. In October-November, three river military bases were opened in Kladovo , Novi Sad and Shabat (since January they have been called "naval bases of the Command of the River Military Flotilla"). <

On March 20, 1945, the forces were divided into the Danube Flotilla, the Sava Flotilla, and the Mine Detachment. The base of the Sava flotilla was Šabac, by the end of the war there were 15 different boats. The base of the Danube flotilla became Novi Sad, by the end of the war it also included 15 boats. In the composition of the mine detachment by the end of the war there were three boats. In total, by May 1945, the River Flotilla consisted of 33 boats (10 patrol boats, 15 motor boats, 5 assault boats and 3 boats used as barriers and minesweepers) and 1000 people. The boats of the River Flotilla took an active part in the battles, were engaged in military transportation, and also solved the problem of river sweeping.

Danube Flotilla of the SFRY

Since 1944, river forces have been part of the Yugoslav fleet . In 1960, the flotilla was subordinate to the command of the 1st Army, but soon, as a result of another reorganization, it again became part of the Navy. In 1965, the rearmament of the flotilla forces began; during this period, the minesweepers of projects 101 and 301, as well as the landing ships of project 401, were the basis of the ship’s composition; new minesweepers of project 331 “Nestin” began to operate.

River Flotilla in the Yugoslav Wars

In the early 1990s the process of the collapse of the union state began . In 1992, the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia ceased to exist. The ships of the River Flotilla took part in wars between the states of the former SFRY; most of the river ships remained under the control of Serbian forces, part was used by the Croats.

During the war in Croatia, on November 8, 1991, one of the minesweepers (308) was sent to intercept the Czechoslovak ship Sharash, which, according to available information, was transporting weapons to Croats. The minesweeper was attacked by the forces of the Croats; several missiles hit the ship, several people were killed, and commander Zoran Markovich was wounded. The ships provided substantial support to ground units with the fire of their guns and machine guns. The Serbs also used river forces to land and land sabotage groups and reconnaissance of enemy positions.

During the NATO operation against Yugoslavia , flotilla ships provided air defense for bridges and hydraulic structures. The inhabitants of Belgrade called them “floating islands” - during the day they disguised themselves using the nets ashore, and at night went on combat duty. Centralized ship control was organized to concentrate maximum forces on threatened areas.

Our days

Currently, the flotilla is subordinate to ground forces and includes two detachments of ships and two pontoon battalions from the 1st Infantry Brigade, but subordinate to the River Flotilla. The basis of the ship's composition are minesweepers of the Nestin type. The tasks that the ships solve include: military transportation, participation in anti-terrorist operations, the protection and provision of shipping, international missions.

• River Flotilla Command
• 1st river unit
• 2nd river unit
• 1st Pontoon Battalion
• 2nd Pontoon Battalion
• Management Squad
• Logistics Squad

The fleet bases are located in Novi Sad (main), Belgrade and Šabac.

• Brzi diverzantski čamac - high-speed diversion boats
• Čamac motorni patrolni - ČMP - patrol motor boat, patrol boat
• Desantno-Jurišni Čamac - DJČ - landing assault ship
• Rečni remorker - RRM - tugboat
• Rečni minolovac - RML - river minesweeper
• Rečni pomoćni brod - RPB - floating base, headquarters ship
• Rečni desantni splav - RDS - river landing craft
• Rečni oklopni čamac - ROC - river armored boat
• Rečni tenkonosac - RTK - river tank landing ship
• Vedeta - V - patrol boat, armored boat

The list of ships and vessels contains inaccuracies and needs to be supplemented. This is especially true for boats and auxiliary vessels during the Second World War and the post-war period. All sources are contradictory and do not provide reliable information about the ships and the details of their service.

Composition of the Danube Flotilla of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

In 1919, before the signing of peace treaties and decisions on ships, the structure of the KSXS river forces included former ships of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla: monitors Drina (former Temes, transferred to Romania on April 15, 1920), Soca (former Sava, transferred to Romania on April 15, 1920), gunboats Neretva (according to various sources, former Wels or Barsch, transferred to Hungary in 1920), Bregalnica (according to some sources, former Wels, transferred to Hungary in 1920)

Monitors

• Morava , 1892, 448 t., 54х9х1.2 m. 2 PM = 1200 hp = 10 knots. Reservation: board 50, deck 19, wheelhouse 75, towers 19 mm. Armament: 2 120 mm, 1 66 mm guns, 1 15 mm and 4 machine guns. The crew of 84 people.

Former SMS Körös of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla. In 1919 it became part of the flotilla, but officially handed over to the KAHS on April 15, 1920. Flooded on the night of April 12, 1941 on the Sava River. Raised and joined the river forces of the Independent State of Croatia under the name Bosna. He died in a mine in June 1944 on the Una River.

• Sava , 1904, 470 t, 57.7 × 9.5 × 1.2 m. 2 PM = 1400 hp = 13 knots. Reservation: side 40, deck 25, wheelhouse 50 mm. Armament: 2 120 mm guns, 1 120 mm howitzer, 1 66 mm gun, 1 66 mm howitzer, 5 machine guns (after the modernization of 1952: 2 105 mm, 3 40 mm, 6 20 mm guns ) The crew of 86 people. Former SMS Bodrog of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla. In 1919 it became part of the flotilla, but officially handed over to KSKhS on April 15, 1920. Flooded on April 12, 1941 in Belgrade. Raised and joined the river forces of the Independent State of Croatia under the same name. Sunk on September 9, 1944 by Yugoslav artillery on the Sava River. Once again raised and restored, served until the early 1960s.
• Drava , 1914, 540 t, 57.9 x 10.3 x 1.3 m. 2 PM = 1,500 hp = 13 knots. Reservation: board 40, deck 25, wheelhouse 50, towers 25 mm. Armament: 2 120 mm guns, 3 120 mm howitzers, 2 66 mm guns, 7 machine guns. The crew of 95 people.

Former SMS Enns of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla. In January 1919, it received a new name and became part of the flotilla, but was officially transferred to KSKhS on April 15, 1920. It was sunk on April 12, 1941 by German aviation.

• Vardar , 1915, 580 t, 62 × 10.3 × 1.3 m. 2 PM = 1750 hp = 13.5 knots. Reservation: board 40, deck 25, wheelhouse 50, towers 25 mm. Armament: 2 120 mm guns, 2 120 mm howitzers, 3 66 mm, 2 47 mm guns, 8 machine guns. The crew of 91 people.

Former SMS Bosna of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla. In January 1919, it received a new name and became part of the flotilla, but was officially transferred to the KAHS on April 15, 1920. It exploded on the night of April 12, 1941 in Belgrade.

Mine Loaders

• Avala , 1914, Caesar Wollheim, Breslau. 90 t, 31.01 x 7.01 x 1.4 m. 360 hp = 8 knots Armament: 2 machine guns, 30 min. Former German tugboat Joachim. In 1921, it was handed over to the KSXC for reparations, converted into a mine layer. In 1936 it was renamed Šabak. In April 1941, it was captured by German troops and entered into service of the German Danube flotilla under the name Alzey. Scrapped in 1945
• Triglav , 1908, Oderverke, Stettin. 90 tons, 35.97x5.94x1.8 m. 2 PM = 350 hp = 11 knots Armament: 2 machine guns, 30 min. Former German tugboat Venator. In 1921, it was handed over to the KSKhS for reparations, converted into a mine layer. In 1936 it was renamed Sisak. In April 1941, it was captured by German troops and entered into service of the German Danube flotilla under the name Tronje. He died on August 28, 1944.
• Cer , 1909, 256 vol. 8 knots. Former auxiliary minesweeper (originally German SDDG civilian tugboat) Helene of the Austro-Hungarian Danube Flotilla. In 1919 it became part of the flotilla. Flooded in April 1941 on the Sava River. Raised and joined the river forces of the Independent State of Croatia under the name Vrbas. In 1945, it entered the Navy of Yugoslavia. He served until the 1950s. as the headquarters ship named Srem.

Patrol boats

• V.1 . 1917, ELCO, USA. 40 t, 24x3.8 x1.05 m. 2 benz. engine = approx. 450 hp = 31 km / h. Armament: 1 65 mm gun, 2 machine guns. Former French submarine hunter V 5. Expelled July 13, 1929
• V.2 . According to one version, a former reconnaissance boat (armored boat) built by K.O. Ravensky’s factory (17.9 tons, 15.24 × 3.05 × 0.69 m, 2 gasoline engines = 110 hp Armament: 2 machine guns. Crew 7 man), built in 1916. Captured by Austria-Hungary in Kherson (according to other sources, in Odessa) in 1918. Since 1919, as part of the river forces of the KSHS. Expelled July 13, 1929
• Type "Graničar" , 1930, shipyard in Regensburg. 36 t, 18.2х3х1 m. 120 hp = 10.7 knots Armament: 2 machine guns. In 1941, captured by German troops on Lake Ohrid and transferred to the Italians. Again captured in September 1943 and in the spring of 1944 transferred to the Bulgarians. They were abandoned in September 1944. After the war, they were used in the civil service. Graničar, Stražar.

Other vessels

• River tugboat Velebit , 1914 85 t, 7.5 knots Armament: 2 machine guns. Since 1919, as part of the river forces KSHS. The fate is unknown.
• Hospital ship Bosna , 1884. The former Austro-Hungarian ship Traisen. Since 1919, as part of the river forces KSHS. Scrapped in Belgrade in 1960
• Steamboat Slovenač . Former Austro-Hungarian armed steamboat Vag. Since 1919, as part of the river forces KSHS. In April 1941, it was captured by German troops and became part of the German Danube flotilla. Blown up by the Germans in Belgrade in 1944
• Yacht Dragor , 1928, Regensburg. Used as a royal yacht, served on the Danube. It was captured in 1941, until 1943 it was used by the Bulgarians, then by the Germans. In 1946, returned to Yugoslavia, renamed Krajina. It burned down in 2007 during the filming of the movie.

There is evidence that in 1941, by mobilization, the fleet included 8 tugboats, as well as various boats.

River Forces of Yugoslav Partisans

• On Sava operated: patrol boats P.3 Pobednik, P.4 Osvetnik, P.6 Partizan , motor boats M.5 Uskok, M.6 Sturm , assault boats J.1 - J.4 .
• On the Danube operated: patrol boats P.1 Pionir, P.2 Proleter, P.5 Udarnik, P.8 , motor boat M. 2.
• As part of the mine defense detachment operated: boats Pakra, Sava, Vihor .

Composition of the flotilla since 1945

Monitor

Sava See. Composition of the Danube Flotilla in 1919-1941.

Armored Boats

The USSR transferred to Yugoslavia two (according to other sources, four projects 1124 and 1125) armored boats of project 1124, which served under the designations 201 and 202.

Patrol boats

• RPČ 200 2 units 30 t. 15 knots 2 76 mm guns. Built for the German Danube Flotilla (?), Launched in 1945, completed for Yugoslavia. Excluded in the late 1970s.
• 6 boats of type "KM" , transferred from the USSR until 1948
• Type 11 , 25 t, 24x3.8 x 0.9 m. Armament: 2 20-mm guns.
• Type 15 . 19.5 t (st.), 16.9х3.9х0.7 m. 2 diesel engines = 330 hp = 16 knots Armament: 1 20-mm gun, 2 machine guns. The crew of 6 people. 12 units: PČ 15-1 - PČ 15-12. Built in the late 1980s. 4 units 1 unit delivered to Sudan in 1989 expelled in 1993
• Type ČMP 21 , 2.64 t, 8x2.95x1.5 m. 2 diz. = 57 km / h. Armament: 1 machine gun. Crew 4 people. 4 units: ČMP 21, ČMP 22, ČMP 23, ČMP 24.
  
• Type ČMP 25 , 3.9 t. 2 diesel Armament: 1 machine gun. 4 units: ČMP 25, ČMP 26, ČMP 27, ČMP 28.
• Type "RPČ 111" , 1970, Tivat. 24.07 tons, 17.04х3.6х1.6 m. 2 diz. = 28 km / h. Armament: 1 20 mm gun. The crew is 7 people (according to other sources: the Tito shipyard, Belgrade. 29 t, 24.1 x 4.13 x 1.78 m to 33 km / h. Armament: 2 20 mm guns). 5 units (including RPČ 111).
• Type "PČ 211" (Type 20). 55 t (st.), 21.27x5.3x1.2 m. 2 diz. = 1600 hp = 16 knots Armament: 2 20-mm guns, mines. The crew of 10 people. 6 units: PČ 211 - PČ 216. Constructed since 1984.
• Type "PČ 301" (Type 16 "Botica"). 23 t (st.), 17х3.6х0.8 m. 2 diesel engines = 460 hp = 15 knots Armament: 1 20-mm gun, 7 machine guns. The crew of 7 people. 6 units: PČ 301 - PČ 306. Built in the 1980s. PČ 305 excluded by 1990 1 unit. delivered to Tanzania.

River Minesweeps

• Type "RML 101" , built in 1950-56, 30 tons, 25x5.9x1.9 m. Armament: 1 40 mm, 1 20 mm guns. RML 101 - RML 116, RML 120, RML 140 (excluded in 1966-76)
• Type "RML 301" , built at four Yugoslav shipyards in 1951-53. 47.9 tons, 19.55x4.4x1.12 m. 13 knots Armament: 2 20 mm guns. RML 301 - RML 306, RML 308 - RML 310 (excluded in 1986-1989), RML 307 (became Croatian Slavonac, later PB-91 Šokadija), RML 311 - RML 313 (excluded in 1980), M 314 , M 317 (excluded in 1989), RML 318 (excluded in 1990), RML 319 - RML 323, RML 324 (excluded in 1989).
• Type “Neštin” , Brodotehnika, Belgrade, 1975-80 6 units built for Hungary, 3 units for Iraq. 79.6 tons, 26.94x6.5x2.7 m. 2 diesel. = 520 hp. = 18 knots. Armament: 3 20-mm guns (initially on the first ship), can carry up to 24 minutes. The crew of 17 people. Neštin (RML 331, 12/20/1975), Motajica (RML 332, 12/18/1976), Belegiš (RML 333, 1976, sold for civilian use), Bocut (RML 334, 1976, broken), Vučedol (RML 335, 1979) , Djerdap (RML 336, 1980), Panonsko More (RML 337, 1980).
• Type “Novi Sad” (improved type “Neštin”), Brodotehnika, Belgrade. Novi Sad (RML 341, launched on June 6, 1996), the hull and RML 342 engines were transferred to the fleet base in Novi Sad due to the bankruptcy of the plant, not completed.

Landing craft

• Type "RTK 401" . 5 units: RTK 401 (excluded in 2003), RTK 402 (excluded), RTK 403 (excluded), RTK 404 (excluded in 2003), RTK 405 (excluded in 1998).
• Type "DJČ 601" . Up to 20 knots Able to carry up to 60 people with personal weapons. 12 units: DJČ 601 - DJČ 612. Served in the navy and river flotilla.
• Type "DJČ 613" . Up to 20 knots Able to carry up to 60 people with personal weapons. 6 units: DJČ 613 - DJČ 618. Served in the navy and river flotilla.
• Type "DJČ 621" . Built in 1986-87. 48 t, 22.3x4.8x1.6 m.Diz. = 1280 hp = 32 knots Able to carry up to 80 people with personal weapons. 12 units: DJČ 621 - DJČ 632. Served in the navy and river flotilla. DJČ 623, DJČ 624 (converted into a rescue vessel in the Croatian fleet) and 1 more in the Croatian fleet under the new numbers, respectively, DJČ 106, DJČ 105, DJČ 107. 2 units. repaired and rejoined the flotilla under the new designations DJČ-411 and DJČ-412.
• RDS 501 (?)
• DČ 101 , 5 t (st.), 12 × 3 m. (?)

Other vessels

• Tugs RRM 11, RRM 12, RRM 13 .
• Diversion boat BDČ 91 , 7 t, width 3 m. (?)
• The head ship Kozara (RPB 30), 1939, Regensburg. 601 t, 67x9.5x2.7 m. 2 diz. = 21 km / h. Armament: 3 20 mm guns. The crew of 47 people. Former floating base of the German Danube Flotilla Kriemhild, purchased in 1960
• Šabac demagnetization vessel (RSRB 36)

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  The first warship of the river forces of Serbia "Yadar"

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  RPCH 214 patrol boat and the Motayitsa minesweeper

• Navy SFRY

• Serbia River Flotilla
• Milan Vego. Yugoslav Navy 1918-1941. Warship International, No. 4, 1982, translation by N.I. Pechukonis (unavailable link)
• Cyril of the East. The advantages of the river fleet. Independent Military Review, June 16, 2000
• '' Patyanin S.V., Barabanov M.S. Ships of the Second World War: Navy of the Balkan states and countries of the Eastern Mediterranean. Maritime Campaign from Balakin and Dashyan, No. 3, 2007 ''
• "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1947-1995. Naval Institute Press, 1996. ISBN 1557501327
• "Weyers Flottentaschenbuch. 65. Jahrgang 2002-2004. Bernard & Graefe Verlag, Bonn. ISBN 3-7637-4516-5
• Topic on the Navy of Yugoslavia at the naval forum