392.Croatian Infantry division (392. (Kroatische) Infanterie-Division) was legionary division that was known by name Blue division( german .Blaue , croat. Plava) ,the name was given to it by its members(possibly as it was near blue sea).
Division was formed on 17.08.1943 in military camp Döllersheim in Austria.
It was the third and the last to be formed of Croatian legionary divisions ( 369id,373id and 392id), since formation of the fourth division was cancelled. Some sources say it had best fighting value among these Croatian divisions. Size of the division was 12.000 men, of them 3500 were Germans and 8500 Croats. CO and NCO were Germans, same as in other legionary divisions.
Divison was made up of 2 infantry regiments 846.rgt and 847 rgt. and one artillery regiment , other smaller units that were part of division had number 392 in their name.
Division returned to Croatia at the start of 1944, its area of operation was in Croatian Littoral , Gorski kotar and Lika ts furthest units were stationed in Knin.
Division was securing coast line from Rijeka (Fiume) to Karlobag and islands in front of the coast, at the same time it was securing lines of communication between coast and hinterland all the way to Karlovac. Anti-partisan operations were continually performed, mountain passes on Kapela and pass of Vratink were specially guarded as they were often targeted by partisan forces .With passing of the war and the fall of Knin and Gračac , dvision is involved in defence of Lika and city of Gospić.
In 03.1945 Yugoslav army started a large offensive on divisions defences and divison is slowly retreating towards Senj. On 09.04.1945 divisions commander since its formation general Johann Mickl was badly wounded in fighting on Vratnik pass, he died the next day in Rijeka .After that division retreats to Rijeka and takes part in defence of an area between Rijeka and Ilirska Bistrica(Slovenia). Division surrendered on 07.05.1945 , before that on 24.04.1945 last Croats were dismissed from division ,around 3000 of them . Part of them made it across Slovene littoral to Italy where they surrendered to Western allies.
Feldpost
Feldpost from division is rare, as it is from other legionary divisions . As division existed for only one and a half year i think that Feldpost is rarer then from other two divisions.
Feldpost can be divided into mail written in Croatian and sent to Croatia which is rarer then mail written in German and sent to Reich. As with feldpost of "Devil" and "Tiger" divisions all Croatian mail is censored while German is not..
I have seen several versions of round Feldpost cancels in multiple colors (black,blue,red, purple)
also i have seen straight marks bearing feldpost numbers.
Divisions Field post is Fp.01615 (24.3.1944-6.11.1944) 27.4.1944 Feldpostamt 392 (kroatisch), which uses Kenn numbet 771 for mailing registered mail , it can be seen in round feldpost cancels and R-stickers. Registered mail is extremely rare.
Div.Stab
01660 (1.8.1943) Kommando 392. Infanterie-Division (kroatisch)
Grenadier-Regiment 846 (kroat.)
02013 ( 1.8.1943 ) Regimentsstab u. Stabskompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroatien)
05504 ( 1.8.1943 ) Stab u. 1.-4. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroat.)
06992 (1.8.1943) Stab II u. 5.-8. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroat.).
04776 (1.8.1943) Stab III u. 9.-12. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroat.).
00271 ( 1.8.1943 ) 13. I.G.-Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroat.).
03269 ( 1.8.1943 ) 14. Panzerjäger-Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 846 (Kroatien)
Grenadier-Regiment 847 (kroat.)
08483 (1.8.1943 ) Regiments- u. Stabskompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroat.).
10404 (1.8.1943 ) Stab I u. 1.-4. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroatien)
07065 (1.8.1943) Stab II u. 5.-8. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroat.)
12192 (1.8.1943) Stab III u. 9.-12. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroat.).
09526 (1.8.1943) 13.I.G. Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroatien)
11773 (1.8.1943) 14. Panzerjäger-Kompanie Grenadier-Regiment 847 (Kroat.).
Artillerie-Regiment 392 (kroat.)
14416 (1.8.1943)Regimentsstab u. Stabsbatterie Artillerie-Regiment 392 (Kroat.).
17051 (1.8.1943) Stab I und Einheit Artillerie-Regiment 392 (Kroat.).
18584 (1.8.1943) 15.9.1943 Stab II und Einheit Artillerie-Regiment 392 (Kroat.)
40250 (25.11.1944-Kriegsende)Stab III, Stabs- u. 7.-9. Batterie Artillerie-Regiment 392 (Kroat.).
Feldersatz-Bataillon 392 (kroat.)
34440 (23.4.1944-24.11.1944) Stab u. 1.-3. Kompanie Feldersatz-Bataillon 392 (Kroat),
Pionier-Bataillon 392 (kroat.)
16296 (1.8.1943) Stab, 1.-3. Kompanie u. Kolonne Pionier-Bataillon 392 (Kroat.).
Panzerjäger-Abteilung 392 (kroat.)
15881 (1.8.1943) Stab u. 1.-2. Kompanie Panzerjäger-Abteilung 392 (Kroat.).
Aufklärungs-Abteilung 392 (kroat.)
13199 (25.1.1943) Stab, schwere u. 1.-2.Radfahr-Schwadron Aufklärungs-Abteilung 392 (Kroat.),
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachrichten-Abteilung 392 (kroat.)
19020 (1.8.1943) Stab, 1.-2.Komp u. Kolonne Infan.-Divi-Nachrichten-Abteilung 392 (Kroat.)
Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschubführer 392 (kroat.)
20507 (24.8.1943)Nachschub-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.).
21138 (24.8.1943) Kommandeur d. Infanterie-Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp 392 (Kroat.).
26074 (24.8.1943) 1. kleine Kraftwagen-Kolonne Infanterie-Div-Kolonne 392 (Kroat.),
23352 (24.8.1943) 2. beh. Fahrkolonne Infan-Div.-Kolonne/Nachschub Trupp 392 (Kroat.),
28663 (15.3.1944) 3.behelfsmäßige Fahrkolonne Infant.Divisions-Nachschub-Trupp 392 (Kroat.
27913 (24.8.1943) 4. große Fahrkolonne Inf.-Divisions-Kolonne 392 (Kroat.)/ Nachschub Trupp
Sanitätsdienste 392 (kroat. )
31185 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 15.9.1943 Sanitäts-Kompanie 392 (Kroatien).
04146 ( 1.8.1943 ) 1. Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug 392 (Kroat.)
06480 (1.8.1943) 2. Kranken-Kraftwagen-Zug 392 (Kroatien)
Veterinärdienste 392 (kroat)
25910 (24.8.1943-5.4.1944) 15.9.1943 Veterinär-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.)
Verwaltungsdienste 392 (kroat.)
11635 (1.8.1943) Feldgendarmerie-Trupp 392 (Kroat.).
22625 (24.8.1943-5.4.1944) 15.9.1943 Schlächterei-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.)
24205 (24.8.1943)Verpflegungsamt 392 (Kroat.) / Verwaltungs-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.)
29561 (24.8.1943-5.4.1944) 15.9.1943 Kraftwagen-Werkstatt-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.).
30232 (8.9.1943-22.4.1944) 15.9.1943 Bäckerei-Kompanie 392 (Kroat.).
Feldpostsamt 392 (kroat)
01615 (24.3.1944-6.11.1944) 27.4.1944 Feldpostamt 392 (kroatisch). Kenn 771
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