THE YUGOSLAV ARMY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 82, 7 April 1941, Page 8

THE YUGOSLAV ARMY

ABOUT A MILLION

SHORTAGE OF WEAPONS

(British Official Wireless.)

(Received April 7, 11.30 a.m.)

RUGBY, April 6,

The Yugoslav army, when fully mobilised on a war footing, would consist of 30 infantry divisions, one Guards division, and three cavalry or mobile divisions. It might prove at first impossible to equip all these adequately. The Yugoslav army is peculiar in that it contains neither army corps nor brigades. Having regard to the limits set by available equipment, the total strength of the Yugoslav army m war may be put down at about a million. The infantry equipment is good, though there is at present a lack of modern anti-tank and close-support weapons. There is also a certain shortage of modern artillery, since many of the guns and howitzers date from the last war. A good many of the senior officers have been superannuated, and the present tendency is to replace them by younger officers. Young officers have been understudying the others, so that they would be available to supersede their seniors on the outbreak of war. Compulsory service in the Yugoslav army is for a term of two years. Two classes are called up every two years, and it is customary for one to be released from military service during the winter months. The Yugoslav troops are very hardy, and during the last war they won the reputation of being as good infantry as any in Europe. It is expected that this reputation will be maintained. Measures have been taken to deal with the menace of parachutists and air-borne troops. Apart from lack of modern artillery, Yugoslavia's greatest weakness is perhaps lack of armoured fighting vehicles, both tanks and armoured cars. Two of the three cavalry divisions are in process of conversion to mobile (mechanised) divisions, with tanks, but it is uncertain whether these mobile divisions could be fully equipped immediately.