by H.L. deZeng IV

Formed between 21 April and the end of June 1941 as the first deployable combat infantry units of the Croatian armed forces with 24 battalions initially planned using several armed troops already in the Zagreb area plus men with prior military experience. Infantry weapons, radios, motorcycles and other equipment were provided by the Germans from captured material taken from the just-defeated Royal Yugoslav Army. These battalions were incorporated into the numbered infantry regiments on 29 June 1941, although several appear to have retained their separate identity up to around mid-August 1941. (1)

Composition and Strength: each battalion was authorized a Headquarters, 3 rifle companies, machine gun company, and a courier platoon, with a total of 25 officers and 833 men.

1st Expeditionary Regiment (1. pohodni pukovnija)
Formed 20 Apr 1941 in Zagreb as the Bosnia – Hercegovina Detachment to control the movement of military units to Sarajevo for the purpose of establishing Croatian authority in that area. On arrival in Sarajevo on 23 April, it was renamed as above with 1st - 5th Expeditionary Battalions. The regiment was disbanded on 29 May 1941.
Commanders
Pukovnik Matija Čanić (Apr 41 - May 41)

1st Expeditionary Battalion (1. pohodni bojna)
Formed 21 Apr 1941 in Banja Luka as a garrison unit for that city and assigned to the lst Expeditionary Regiment. Reassigned to the Vrbaska Division on 29 May, and then renamed I Bn./l0th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41 with headquarters in Banja Luka.
Commanders
Satnik Milivoj Bralić (Apr 41 - Jun 41)

2d Expeditionary Battalion
Formed 23 Apr 1941 in Sarajevo for the 1st Expeditionary Regiment. Reassigned to the Frontier Guard Brigade on 29 May, and renamed 2d Military Border Battalion in June 1941.

3d Expeditionary Battalion
Formed 24 Apr 1941 in Sarajevo for the. 1st Expeditionary Regiment. Reassigned to the Bosanska Division on 29 May, and then to the Frontier Guard Brigade in early July. Renamed 3d Military Border Battalion in Jul 41.

4th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed 24 Apr 1941 by the Savska Division and transferred to Sarajevo on 25 April for assignment to the lst Expeditionary Regiment. Reassigned to the Bosanska Division on 29 May, and then to the Frontier Guard Brigade in early Jul 1941 and renamed 4th Military Border Battalion.

5th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed 27 Apr 1941 in Tuzla and Bijeljina in East Bosnia and assigned to the 1st Expeditionary Regiment. Reassigned to the Frontier Guard Brigade on 29 May and renamed 5th Military Border Battalion a few weeks later.

6th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed mid-May 1941 in Zagreb and transferred to Mostar in Herzegovina on 20 May for assignment to the Jadranska Division. Renamed I Bn./13th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41 with headquarters in Nevesinje.

7th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed mid-May 1941 in Varaždin and transferred to Trebinje in Herzegovina on 20 May for assignment to the Jadranska Division. Reassigned to the Frontier Guard Brigade in early July and renamed lst Military Border Battalion.

8th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed 10 May 1941 in Karlovac and transferred to Knin on 24 May for assignment to the Jadranska Division. Renamed I Bn./15th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41 with headquarters in Knin.

9th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed mid-May 1941 in Otočac and transferred to Sinj at the end of May for assignment to the Jadranska Division. Renamed II Bn./15th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41 with headquarters in Sinj.

10th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed mid-May 1941 in Slavonska Požega and Vinkovci and transferred to Dubrovnik on 20 May for assignment to the Jadranska Division. Renamed I Bn./14th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41 with headquarters in Dubrovnik.

11th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Nova Gradiška, and then transferred to Sarajevo where it was renamed I Bn./7th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

12th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Sarajevo, but transferred to Bjelovar where it was renamed I Bn./1st Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

13th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Tuzla, but transferred to Osijek where it was renamed I Bn./4th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

14th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed toward the end of May 1941 in Travnik and then transferred to Zagreb on 31 May where it was renamed II Bn./2d Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

15th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed toward the end of May 1941 in Bjelovar, and then transferred to Travnik on 1 June where it was renamed I Bn./9th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

16th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Bjelovar, and then transferred to Tuzla where it was renamed I Bn./8th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

17th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Zagreb, and then transferred to Sarajevo where it was renamed II Bn./7th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

18th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed at the beginning of June 1941 in Varaždin, and then transferred to Mostar on 7 June where it was renamed II Bn./13th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

19th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Banja Luka, and then transferred to Karlovac where it was renamed I Bn./3d Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

20th Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Karlovac, and then transferred to Banja Luka where it was renamed II Bn./10th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

21st Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Slavonski Brod, and then transferred to Bileća in Hercegovina where it was renamed II Bn./14th Infantry Rgt. on 29 Jun 41.

22d Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Gospić and then incorporated into one of the numbered infantry regiments on 29 Jun 41.
28 Jul 41: stationed in Gračac and engaged against the resistance in that area.

23d Expeditionary Battalion
Formed second half of June 1941 in Osijek and then incorporated into one of the numbered infantry regiments on 29 Jun 41.

26th Expeditionary Battalion
19 Aug 41: fought an engagement with Partisans near Ostrovica in the vicinity of Kulen Vakuf, taking at least some casualties. No further information.

27th Expeditionary Battalion
2 Aug 41: Bos.Novi under the Sanski Brigade (states that this is the former II Bn./4th Inf.Rgt.).

28th Expeditionary Battalion
27 Aug 41: reportedly overrun by Partisans while defending the village of Šipovo near Jajce, losing 2 artillery guns, 18 heavy and light machine guns and 250 rifles.

Footnotes

1. Colić, Mladen - Kopnena Vojska Domobranstva Nezavisne Države Hrvatske, in: Vojnoistorijski Glasnik, No.2 (May-Aug 1970), pp. 169-230; NARA WashDC: RG 242 (T-501 roll 264/1229 and roll 267/989).
2. Colić, Mladen - Kopnena Vojska Domobranstva Nezavisne Države Hrvatske, in: Vojnoistorijski Glasnik, No.2 (May-Aug 1970), pp. 169-230; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu jugoslovenskih naroda, TomV/1, p.285; [Vojnoistorijski institute] - Hronologija oslobodilačke borbe naroda jugoslavije 1941-1945, p.76-77.