ЧЕТНИК

If you read carefully trough my post you would realise that I claim that guardsmans badge (cocarde) was probably used by the Chetnik Dukes in the preiod before and during the WWI. I submited photos to prove my claim. At no time did I claim that Kings Guardsmans busby (kalpak) prior to the WWI has anything to do with the chetniks. I posted the photo so that interested people can see how the original cap and the badge looked like together...As far as wearing of busbys by the chetniks, check out the photos of Duke Skopljanac or Skopljance on this topic , post number 28...Chetniks wore busbys in the WWII as well, check the photo below...

This is officers' M1911 busby or "kalpak" for the full dress uniform and has nothing to do with chetniks at all.

And for the closing comment, the badge on the guardsmens hat.Enoy!

And for the closing comment, the badge on the guardsmens hat.Enoy!

Bit more photos of Kings Guardsmen Cocardes from the period.

Back to the issue of the Kings Guardmen Cocarde used by the Chetniks (mostly Dukes) prior to WWI. Attached photo made me make the conclusion that those cocardes where used by the chetniks...The hero on the photo is Kosta Milovanovich-Petcsanacs, a very famous Chetnik Duke from the WWI and WWII.Photo taken in 1917 during the Toplica Uprising in occupied Serbia

Thanks for the link! I've just requested to join that group now.

His full name was Petar Grmusa, changed the spelling to Peter when he came to the UK.

My Grandfather's friend (also a yugoslav) told my Mother that my Grampy had changed his age (to make him older) when he moved to the UK, so he wouldn't have to serve in another war. Did this happen a lot? It makes searching for him more difficult as I'm not sure of the actual year he was born. And he also told us, that everyone in the village he lived in had the same surname.. is this likely? I know this is a bit off topic, but you may have more chance of knowing than I do!

He told his children that the buildings where records (births, marriage etc.) were kept near his village was blown up in the war, I think maybe to deter us from looking into his past. I have contacted the Croatian State Archives, but haven't heard anything back yet, not sure where else I could find any information about him.

Thanks for the information Danilo!

Kayleigh

Your late grandpa, God bless his soul, was most probably from Lika or dalmatia-Serb dominated areas in what is today Croatia.It is less likely that he was from neigbouring counties of Banija or Kordun.Judging by the photos he was a member of Lika Corps od Dinaric Chetnik Division.After the war , he served in the British Army in Italy.Judging by the photos,he was most probbably located in Eboly(Southern Italy) camp where most of the Dinaric Division staff where located from 1946 untill 47.I am not suprised that Croats are not cooperating in your search. Area in which your granfather lived was subjected to vicious genocide (extermination of the Serbs) by the Croatian state in 1941-45 and again in 1991-5.It was and still is official Croatian state policy to erase every trace of Serbian exsistance in those areas, hence burning of the records, destroying of the churchies and council buildings, expelling of the Sebs...Hope this was helpull in your search.

Cheers

This badge, it´s a bit different. Do you know which chetniks it belonged to exactly?

As far as I know, this badge was made after the war in Italy for Chetniks and some Ljotis`s wolonterrs("Dobrovoljci")...

Sold for a "cheap" price- only 90.000 UK. Pounds...

One more photo

Још једна слика...

Sabre wich Knjaz Michael Obrenovic gave as a gift to the Romanan Prince Alexander for his coronation!

САБЉА КОЈУ ЈЕ КЊАЗ МИХАЈЛО ПОКЛОНИО РУМУНСКОМ КНЕЗУ АЛЕКСАНДРУ за његово крунисање!

Sorry for jumping far ahead in history, but I tought you are going to like this.Daggers from the Kingdom of Yugoslavia

Now the period photo...

A BIT MORE OF THE DIPLOMATIC SPADE-SECOND SPECIMEN

LET`S START WITH THE KINGDOM OF SERBIA FIRST.

FIRST SABRE OF THE GUARD SQADRON OF THE KNJAZ MILOS OBRENOVIC

SECOND-DIPLOMATIC SPADE OF THE KINGDOM OF SERBIA

From two books;

Dusan Babac; "Specijalne jedinice Kraljevine Jugoslavije u aprilskom ratu" and exibition cataloguein the Serbian Academy of Science and Arts ;"Sluzbeno odelo u Srbiji u 19 i 20-to veku".

Cetnik, from what book are scans you have posted ?

To clarify the matter even further, and to justify my claim that the photos I posted where of the regular Kingdom of Yugoslavia chetnik officers I submit this scan.

Yes of course you are right. this post have been a little mixed with different periods and different units . We got the regular Kingdom of Yugoslavia units, the "assault battalions" that you mentioned that was called "Jurisne jedinice". Then there were the "Komite units" during WW1 and before. Then the "Chetnik units" that was fighting under WWII. Then you got the "Milan Nedic units" , Nedic was the leader of Serbia at WWII. When Serbia was under ockupation. Then you got the "Ljotic units" that was collaborators with the germans. Some people call all those units "Chetniks", that is not right.

And one and only photo that I could find...This one is from region of Dalmatia as well.As previously stated MVAC in Montenegro-south of Dalmatia should be the same.Some historians claim that Chetniks where MVAC in all of Italian occupying zone. That is a contraversial issue.

In any case, you can find plenty of data on Chetniks on the net.

It is my humble opinion that Kings Guardsmen`s badge from the periof from 1903-1918 was also used by the chetniks (they wher elite volonteer force anyway).Have a look and make your own judgement...

Моје је мишљење да су кокарде краљеве гарде из истог периода 1903-18 коришћене од стране четника, који су ионако били елитне добровољачке трупе. погледајте и прокоментаришите...

Another one from the period prior to or during WWI.Unicate

And some photos of the chetniks wearing simular kokardes.

Још једна из истог периода-пре или у току првог рата,уникат.

И две слике четника са сличним кокардама.

Bit more info...

Још мало информација...

King`s guardsmen from 1934 untill 1941.

Еполете Краљевског гардисте од 34-те до 1941.

This badge can also be Check or Slovakian.

Another Chetnik officer ,this time Major!

Још један Четнички официр, овај пут Мајор.

Some of the info from the regular chetnik batallions officers from the Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia!

Мало информација о регуларним четничким јединицама Војске Краљевине Југославије и њиховим официрским еполетама и ознакама !

And photo of Chetnik Dukes (leadres) from Southern Serbia (todays FRYOM) Jovan Stoiljkovic-Babunski i Gligor Sokolovic whith those badges!

И слике Четничких Војвода Јованa-Бабунског и Глигора Соколовића из Јужне Србије (данас Б.Р.Ј.М.)са овом кокардом.