I Ustasha Assault Battalion (I. ustaška jurišna bojna)
by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed at the beginning of February 1944 in Zagreb from 446 high school students fit for military service and organized into 3 rifle companies as the so-called High School Ensign (Cadet) Assault Battalion or Assault Battalion of High School Student Ensign Cadets (Bojna zastavničkog Tečaja srednjoskolaca jurišnika or BZTSJ). The Battalion departed Zagreb for the training center in Stockerau/Austria a few weeks later. On 10 April 1944 its members were administered the Ustasha oath and then returned to Zagreb in September on completion of training. It was disbanded on 25 November and all of its personnel were reassigned to other units, mainly the Obrana Brigade, PTS and various Ustasha brigades. Although it never fought at a unit, by 1963 only 14 of the original 446 were known to still be alive. These youths were the true fanatics of the Ustasha regime. (1)

Footnotes

1. Drina (Madrid), br. 2/1963, pp.33-35.

Reference material on this unit

- None known at this time -