WesWorld

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Thursday, 24 August 1944

The Defence Ministry has confirmed that in addition to the Zastava Ordnance Works that the Igman Ordnance and Munitions Works has begun tooling for production of the newly-approved M43 Service Rifle. It is hoped that production of the new weapon will commence at both works some time in the final quarter of the year. The Uzice Ordnance and Munitions Works is expected to convert to production of the M43 early next year.

The Ministry of Defence Building, Belgrade, Tuesday, 29 August 1944

Colonel Dragoslav Milosavljevic waited patiently as General Stefanovic, Chief of the Defence Staff, read the paper outlining the proposed distribution of motor vehicle assets accruing to the Royal Yugoslav Army in the coming months.

"I see that you propose that the American trucks be concentrated first in the mountain divisions," Stefanovic noted. "Have you considered the effect on morale if their existing motor vehicles are taken from them?"

"Yes sir," Milosavljevic replied. "If we concentrate the latest of M40 Triglav field cars in the mountain divisions, together with the American trucks, they will each have a full complement of modern motor vehicles of uniform type - a factor that should offset any dissatisfaction with turning in their present motley assemblage."

The general nodded. "Quite so; new equipment and a full complement of it - it would raise them to the highest level of readiness," Stefanovic added with a smile.

Milosavljevic went on. "By concentrating the incoming Chevrolet vehicles in independent antitank and direct support artillery battalions we achieve a similar gain in readiness. By the end of the year we will have received sufficient vehicles from America and France to fully replace their existing equipment."

"The Minister of Defence will be pleased that we are good stewards of his pocketbook," Stefanovic said with a smile. "Have the appropriate orders drawn up for my signature. I want them on my desk by Thursday."

The fourth and last example of Ikarus IK-4 twin-engine transports ordered by the Royal Hellenic Air Force was turned over to the Greek air attache today prior to its delivery flight to Athens.

The convoy of trucks had made its way slowly down the road that lead from the garrison of the Twenty-Second Mountain Division in the hills above Mostar to the railway station; it moved slowly not only due half-light of dawn, but the drivers - mostly from the division's heavy weapons, engineer and medical battalions - were not thrilled with their mission. They had been ordered to turn their meager allotments of motor vehicles over to the quartermaster depot.

Like most drivers, the men of the Twenty-Second took pride in their equipment - albeit a mixture of well-worn if lovingly maintained vehicles from across the world. Ford field cars jockeyed with trucks from Czechoslovakia, Switzerland and America. They drove slowly as if to say good-bye to old friends. At the temporary quartermaster depot each car and truck was logged in and tagged, and the drivers - plus the supernumeries brought along for some unknown reason - boarded a convoy of big Tatras for the expected return to camp.

However, their ride was comparatively brief. When the Tatras stopped, and the passengers disembarked, they were greeted by rows and rows of bright new shiny motor trucks - all the same sort - and then a field of Triglav field cars that seemed to go on forever. Their officers explained that they were drawing new equipment, and began to assigned drivers to vehicles.

There were no long faces among the motor transport drivers of the Twenty-Second Mountain Division. Every driver likes getting a new vehicle.

Novosti News Service, Belgrade, Sunday, 17 September 1944

In a meeting of the board of the National Aviation Fund chairman Velimir Radojkovic reported that the organisation had raised more than six million dinars for the strengthening of the air defence of the nation. He provided a full accounting of the funds expended to date and announced that further fund-raising efforts would follow in the new year.

Novosti News Service, Karlovac, Tuesday, 19 September 1944

The Fourth Striking Group of the Royal Yugoslav Navy - comprising the destroyer leaders Beograd, Zagreb and Sarejevo, with the light destroyers Medjugorje, Mitrovica, Modrica and Mostar, departed the port of Durrës today for extended exercises in the Ionian Sea and western Aegean.