KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA GENERAL Area. 248,488 sq. km. Population (xii. I928)... I3,290,000 Density per sq. km. 53.5 Length of railway system (xii. 1927). 9,840 km. Army. A. THE SUPREME MILITARY AUTHORITY AND ITS ORGANS. The King is supreme head of all the armed forces In war-time, he may, if he thinks fit, entrust the command of the field troops to a Field-Marshal or a general, who receives the title of Commander of the Field Troops and who is responsible to the Minister of War and Marine. I. MINISTRY OF WAR AND MARINE. The Minister of War and Marine commands both the Army and Navy, in time of peace, in the name of the King, and with the assistance of the General Staff; he is responsible for the preparation of the Army and the Navy for war. The Minister of War organises and administers the Army and Navy, military institutions and everything connected with the armed forces of the country. The Ministry of War consists of the following departments: (i) General Staff Department; (2) Personnel Department; (3) Economic Department; (4) Technical Artillery Department; (5) Technical Engineering Department; (6) Army Medical Department; (7) Military Justice Department; (8) Army Veterinary Department; (9) Audit Department; (io) Department of Marine.
KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA 925 2. GENERAL STAFF. The General Staff is the organ of the Minister of War and Marine. Its duty is to prepare the nation and the armed forces for the defence of the country and of its interests. In peace time the General Staff serves both for the Army and the Navy. At its head is the Chief of the General Staff. He directs the work of the General Staff, is responsible for the recruiting of its personnel and studies measures for increasing the efficiency of the staff. The General Staff comprises three Sections, namely The Operation Section; The Organisation Section; The Administrative Section. 3. INSPECTORATES OF TROOPS. There is an inspectorate attached to each of the principal arms. Inspectorates for any individual services may be created, if necessary. Inspectorates are organs of the Ministry of War and Marine and are under its authority. As regards instruction, they work under the direct orders of the Chief of the General Staff. The following are the Inspectorates at present existing Inspectorate of Infantry; Cavalry; Artillery ; Engineering; Medical Services; Economic Services. The Commander of the Navy is at the same time Inspector of the Navy; similarly, the Commander of the Air Department is the Inspector of the Air Forces. 4. TECHNICAL COMMITTEES. Military Committees are formed to study technical, intendance and medical questions. The technical, intendance and medical committees are organs of the Ministry of War and Marine. B. COMPOSITION OF THE ARMY. The territory of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia is divided into five army areas. Each army area is divided into 3 or 4 divisional areas, making i6 in all. The divisional areas are further subdivided into military districts. Each army area includes iz artillery regiment, consisting of 3 groups Engineer detachment.
926 ' KINGDOM 'OF YUGOSLAVIA The Engineer detachment comprises: i pioneer battalion; i bridging battalion; i telegraph company; i searchlight company; I carrier-pigeon section; A certain number of wireless telegraph stations. Each Divisional Area comprises: i brigade of infantry; i brigade of artillery; i battalion of non-combatants; i medical company; i bakery company; i squadron of train; Hospitals, workshops and depots. The brigades of infantry consist of three or four regiments of two, three or four battalions of four companies each, and one machinegun company per regiment. The brigades of artillery consist of two regiments ; each regiment consists of two or three groups of two or. three batteries'each. One fortress command, that of'boka Kotorska, is attached to the Second Army Area. It consists of: i regiment of infantry; i medical company; i regiment of fortress artillery; I squadron of train; i engineer battalion; i motor section. i company of non-combatants; The following arms and formations do not belong to the army and divisional areas: The Cavalry, which is organised in two independent cavalry divisions. Each division consists of two brigades of cavalry and one group of horse artillery. Each brigade comprises two regiments of cavalry, each regiment consisting of four squadrons and one machine-gun squadron. The Corps of Frontier Troops, which consist of: 12 detachments allotted to subsectors; i instructional company; i section for the training of dogs. The Air Force Command consists of: 6 air regiments; i directorate of technical schools, parks and workshops. The Railway Command, which includes 2 battalions. The Motor Troops Command, which includes one battalion of motor drivers, the necessary number of sections of motor troops, i park, depot and workshops.
KINGDOUM OF UGOSLAVIA Y 927 C. ARMS AND' DEPARTMENTS The Army of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia includes the following arms and departments: Principal arms: Auxiliary arms: Special departments: Infantry. Communication troops. General Staff. Artillery. Intendance troops. Economic services. Cavalry. Medical troops. Technical department. Engineers. Technical troops. Army Medical Corps. Air Force. Non-combatant troops. Military Justice department. Chaplains department. Veterinary department. Bands. Infantry. i. THE ARMS. Cavalry. 16 brigades. 2 divisions. 57 regiments. 154' battalions. 5 brigades. io regiments. 616 companies. 38 squadrons. 57 machine-gun companies. Io machine-gun squadrons. A rtillery. 16 brigades. 32 regiments of divisional artillery. 5 regiments of army artillery. i regiment of fortress artillery. i regiment of Royal Guard artillery. 2 groups of horse artillery. 195 batteries in all : 71 field, 45 mountain, 48 howitzer, 6 horseartillery batteries; 21 large calibre gun and howitzer batteries ; 4 batteries of the Royal Guard (two horse batteries, i mountain, and i howitzer battery); and I6 companies of fortress artillery. Engineers. Air Force. 5 pioneer battalions. 6 air regiments. 4 bridging battalions. i8 flights. i special battalion. 3 ballooning companies. making 41 companies in all. 5 schools. i aero-technical institution, i air battalion.
928 KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA Staff Branch (see Chapter A). 2. SERVICES. General Economic Service. This department, which has charge of supplies, includes the following sections Intendance, Administration, Auditing and Technical Sections. The Intendance Section is responsible for supplies of foodstuffs and material. The Administrative Section makes payments, provides clothing, administers the depots, etc. The Audit Section is an organ under the immediate direction of the Minister of War and Marine. Its duty is to audit expenditure for the military budget. The Technical Section deals with the technical side of supply questions. Technical Service. This Department includes the following sections : Technical Artillery Section; Technical Engineering Section; Technical Air Section; Geographical Section. Army Medical Service. The Army Medical Service consists of five sections, the Medical Section and the Pharmaceutical Section. D. SUMMARY TABLE OF COMMANDS AND UNITS. Miii- Divi- Divi- Bri- Regi- Batta- Squa- Flits Com- Batte- Areas Areas sions gades ments lions drons panies ries Areas Areas p r 5. i6 - Infantry... - - i6 571 154-673 - Cavalry.... 2 51 10-48o - - Artillery.... - - - 6 39 - - 64195 Air Force... - 5 I i8 3.5 Engineers.... - - - Io 41 - Train.... - - - I 17 - Army Medical Corps.* 17 - Railway Troops... 2 7 Motor Troops.... 4 - Total... 5 i6 2 37 II 168 65 18 761 195 One of the Royal Guard. 4 Fortress troops. 2 57 of which are machine-gun companies. Balloon company. 3 io of which are machine-gun squadrons. E. GENDARMERIE, POLICE AND FRONTIER GUARDS The Gendarmerie is under the Ministry of the Interior. It is considered as part of the Army only as far as organisation and discipline are concerned. It consists of 9 regiments, 2 independent battalions, 82 companies and i squadron. The budgetary effectives of the Gendarmerie for I929-I930 consist of 45I officers, 3,930 N.C.O.s. and I3,573 corporals and gendarmes. The Police, which is also under the Ministry of the Interior, amounts, for the year 1929-1930, to 1,693 agents and guardians. The Frontier Guard is under the Ministry of War and Marine. Its effectives for 1929-1930 are 87 officers, 419 N.C.O.s. and 5,112 corporals and privates.
KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA 929 F. RECRUITING SYSTEM Military service is universal. All subjects who are fit to serve are liable for personal service; they may neither send substitutes nor be exempted from service by the payment of a tax. -A military tax must be paid by men found unfit for service and by persons deprived of their civil rights. The latter category have to pay the tax and are in addition liable to serve in auxiliary services in rear of the army in case of mobilisation or war. Military service is compulsory as from 21 years of age, and ceases at the age of 50. (a) Men liable to military service serve in the active Army from the age of 21I to the age of 40; (b) In the reserve forces, from the age of 40 to the age of 50. In case of mobilisation and war the Minister of War and Marine may, if necessary, in pursuance of a decision of the Cabinet, call up young men between i8 and 20 years of -age for service in the Army. The period served in the Army is then deducted from the period of service in the permanent cadres. In similar circumstances he may also, if need be, call up all persons of 17 to 55 years of age to serve in the Army or for auxiliary work in rear of the Army, if they are fit for the latter form of service. Service in the permanent units. The period of service in permanent units is i8 months for all arms and departments (except Navy and Aviation, where it is 2 years) reckoned from the year in which the man attains the age of 21. Men fit for military service who wish to engage voluntarily before they are called up may do so after they have attained the age of i8, provided that they obtain the consent of their parents or guardians and undertake to serve for the normal period. Reduction of the period of service. The period of service in the permanent units may be reduced to 9 months for men who are the supporters of families, and also under certain conditions for students at the universities and pupils in certain colleges ; the period of service in the aviation may also be reduced, under certain conditions, to 12 months. Exemption from active service. The following categories are exempt from active service: (a) Men unfit for service; (b) Men whose service has been postponed after they have attained 25 years of age; (c) Sole supporters of a family who live by cultivating their own farms or by labour, and pay a direct tax of not more than I2O dinars. 59
930 KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA Release from active service. Soldiers belonging to one of the following categories are released from active service before the termination of their period of service: (a) Soldiers who have become unfit for service ; (b) Soldiers temporarily unfit for service; they must rejoin if they become fit before reaching the age of 25 ; (c) Soldiers sentenced to imprisonment or to hard labour who will not have completed their sentences before reaching the age of 25 years ; (d) Soldiers whose family or financial circumstances have changed may also benefit by the provisions of the present law. Finally, the law provides in certain circumstances for the postponement of service in the case of men engaged in certain studies, in the case of sole supporters of families and in certain other cases. G. CADRES N.C.O.s. The rank of corporal exists in all the arms and departments which are organised in units, both in the active army and in the reserve. In order to be promoted corporal the soldier must serve 6 months and pass an examination on leaving the preparatory school attached to his unit. The N.C.O.s are recruited from among soldiers who have completed their course in the schools for N.C.O.s in their arms or departments. N.C.O.s who have completed their period of service may re-engage. Officers. Second lieutenants in the active army are recruited from among: (i) Men who have completed their studies at the preparatory school of the Military Academy; (2) Men who are Yugoslav subjects and have completed their studies at a foreign military school of the same' class as the preparatory school of the Military Academy, if they apply to enter the national army in the course of the first year after they leave the school; (3) Sergeants, sergeant-majors and sergeant-pilots in the Air Force: (a) Who have served as sergeants for at least 4 years; (b) Who have been selected by their superior officers and have passed the examination for second lieutenants ; (4) Second lieutenants of the reserve and sergeants of the reserve allowed by their superior officers to take the examination for the rank of second lieutenant in the active army. Promotion. Officers of all arms and all services may be promoted to a higher rank: (i) Up to the rank of lieutenant-colonel by seniority; (2) For ranks higher than that of lieutenant-colonel, by seniority and selection; (3) To vacant posts on complying with the following conditions.
Conditions of Promotion. KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA 931 Special conditions for the officers of the principal arms: For the rank of 2nd lieutenant: 4 years' service in the inferior rank. For the rank of lieutenant: 4 years. For the rank of captain (second class) : 3 years. For the rank of captain (first class) : 3 years. For the rank of major : 4 years. For the rank of lieutenant-colonel: 4 years. For the rank of colonel : 4 years. For the rank. of general in command of a brigade : 3 years. For the rank of general in command of a division : 4 years. For the rank of general in command of an army : must possess the necessary qualifications for exercising supreme command and must have commanded a division for one year. In war time, a general in command of an army who has rendered distinguished services may be promoted field-marshal. Reserve Non-Commissioned Officers and Officers. (a) N.C.O.s. The following are eligible as reserve N.C.O.s (i) N.C.O.s who have left the active army with the rank of N.C.O. (2) Any person liable to military service who obtains the rank of reserve N.C.O. Reserve N.C.O.s may, if they apply to do so and if their services are required, be incorporated in the active army, subject to certain conditions. (b) Officers. Resetve officers are recruited from among retired officers, students who have passed the examination for znd lieutenant of reserve, and qualified N.C.O.s who have passed the examination for reserve officers. Reserve officers over 50 years of age may also be called up if they are fit for military service. They are employed in rear of the army. Military Schools. (i) Military schools for N.C.O.s. There are schools for the non-commissioned ranks in the various arms, in the Navy and in the Departments. Troop schools for the preparation of N.C.O.s and petty officers are organised as need arises in the units belonging to the various arms and in the Navy. (2) Military Schools for Officers. Schools for the Training of Officers. The Preparatory School of the Military Academy; The Naval School; The Administrative School; The School for Reserve Officers. Schools for Higher Ranks. The Higher School of the Military Academy; Preparatory Courses for Staff Officers.
932 KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA Schools for the Advanced Training of Officers of the Principal Arms. The School for Infantry Officers; The Artillery School; The Cavalry School; The Engineers' School; The Air School. H. BUDGETARY EFFECTIVES I. Officers : 1929-30 Field-Marshals.... 2 Generals (army commanders)..... 7 Divisional-Generals...... 54 Brigadier-Generals... 97 Colonels... 399 Lieutenant-Colonels... 497 Majors....... 44 I Captains..... 1,992 Lieutenants... 1,565 Second Lieutenants... 1,998 Total... 7,052 II. N.C.O.s... 8,393 III. Corporals and other ranks... 95,000 Grand Total..... II0,445 IV. Number of Students in the Military Schools Military Academy... 1,260 Schools for N.C.O.s... 3,765 Army Medical and Veterinary Schools... 29 Administrative School...... I68 Carriage-smiths School... Total... 5,222 II. Navy. LIST OF UNITS Cruiser: (1928 and 1929) Dalmacija Displacement : 2,600 tons. Dimensions: 342 1/4 X 38 1/2 X I7 1/4 feet. H.P. 8,000ooo = 12 kts. 12 Torpedo-boats: i. T. i-t. 4 (I913-I5) Displacement: 200-362 tons. Dimensions: 188.3 X 2. T. 5-T. 8 (I913-I5) I8.7 X 4.9 feet. Guns: i ii-pdr. ; i ii-pdr. (A.A.). 3. T. 9-T. i2 (1906-07) Displacement: 200 tons. Dimensions: i8o x i8 X 4 Y2 feet. H.P. 3,000 = 27 kts. Guns : 4 3-pdr.
KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA 933 4 submarines (2 in 1928) : 2 submarines: Hrabri and Nebojsca launched in 1927. Displacement 975 tons; 1,164 1 kts. Io 2 submarines (launched in 1928 and in 1929): Smeli, Ostvetnik. Displacement: 6 tons'; kts. 800 9 Miscellaneous :25 units (6 mine-layers, 4 mine-sweepers, Danube flotilla, etc.). SUMMARY TABLE OF NAVAL' UNITS. Number Total Tonnage Depreciated Tonnage 1 i928 1929 1928 1[ 929 1928 2 I929 3 Cruiser... I. i i 2,600 2,600 - - Destroyers.... 12 12 2,912 2,912 Submarines... 2 4 1,950 3,2Io 1,950 3,048 Miscellaneous craft 4.........,973 973 33 275 Total... 9,435 o,695 2,281 3,323 Officers Other Ranks Total number of Naval Personnel... 256 2,000 Reserve. 164 570 1 The depreciated tonnage is calculated as follows: (i) For battleships, battle-cruisers, coast-defence ships, monitors, aircraft-carriers and miscellaneous craft, a reduction in original tonnage at the rate of i/20 per annum from date of completion. (2) For cruisers and light cruisers, a reduction of 1/I7 per annum from date of completion. (3) For torpedo craft and submarines, a reduction of I /i2 per annum from date of completion. 2 On January ist, 1929. 3 On January Ist, 1930. 4 River monitors. III. Budget Expenditure on National Defence. A. NOTES ON BUDGET PROCEDURE. (i) The financial year covers the period from April ist to March 3ist of the following year. (2) The expenditure is divided into ordinary and extraordinary, the latter comprising capital expenditure, outlay for construction and reparations. (3) In the budget of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia all the receipts and all the expenditure of the State are included. Prior to the financial year 1927-28 the figures entered in the budget concerning State domain, public undertakings and fiscal monopolies represented their gross receipts and expenditure, while those of certain public undertakings, for the financial year I927-28, represent net surplus or deficit, as the case may be. Beginning with that of 1928-29 the budget is divided into two parts. The first, the general budget, is that of the administration of the State; the second contains the accounts of the State domain, public undertakings and fiscal monopolies, only the net receipts from fiscal monopolies and the net surplus or deficit of public undertakings and State domain being entered in the general budget of the State administration.
934 KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA (4) Beginning with the budget for 1928-29, war pensions were entered under a separate heading - Pensions. They had previously been charged to the Ministry of Social Welfare. B. BUDGET EXPENDITURE ON NATIONAL DEFENCE. I. Summary of Defence Expenditure. TABLE I. 1926-27 1 1927-28 I 1928-29 I 29-3o Estimates Dinars (ooo,ooo's) Ministry of the Army and the Navy... 2,413.0 j 2,349.0 ( 2,428.6 2,428.6 II. Analysis of Defence Expenditure. i. The following table gives details of the main headings of defence expenditure charged to the budget of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy. TABLE 2. 1926-27 i 1927-28 1928-29 1929-30 Estimates A. Amy: Dinars (ooo's) A. Army: Ordinary Expenditure: Pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, men and civilian staff.... Inspections, manoeuvres, military schools, 467,237 487,718 496,483 502,I33 travelling expenses... 66,390 42,505 40,439 41,863 Provisions....... 383,000 319,650 343,790 343,167 Forage... I30,815 101,540 I48,050 147,527 Clothing and quarters.. 206,658 I56,680 151,763 I60,884 Lighting, heating, office supplies.96,500 95,800 103,900 93,197 Artillery : expenditure for technical purposes.... Engineering service : expenditure for 96,345 75,400 85,996 80,299 technical purposes. I9,550 13,350 I4,550 14,900 Fortification, drainage, installations... 25,500 20,500 21,500 21,600 Aviation.. 59,200 98,080 I30,600 I35,450 Health service... 58,740 43,720 44,570 44,030 Geographical Institute... 3,756 5,005 3,820 3,840 Total ordinary expenditure... 1,613,69I 1,459,948 1,585,46I 1,588,890 Extraordinary Expenditure: Quarters...... 70,100 30,400 23,500 23,500 War material....... 346,000 400,000 400,000 400,000 Engineering service.. 74,505 71,500 46,280 52,628 Health service.3,400 4,300 3,300 3,300 Aviation..... 52,870 48,255 i8,ooo 13,015 Total extraordinary expenditure 546,875 554,455 491,080 492,443 Total "A.... 2,160,566 2,014,403 2,076,541 2,o8r1,333
KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA 935 TABLE 2 (continued). 1926-27 I927-28 I i928-29 I929-30 Estimates Dinars (ooo's) B. Navy Ordinary Expenditure: Pay of officers, petty officers, men and civilian staff... 34,294 45,3I10 44,024 50,429 Travelling expenses, manoeuvres, etc.... 14,448 16,031 15,722 I5,722 Provisions... 22,650 25,582 24,000 25,484 Clothing... 14,599 I4,530 I2,830 13,670 Heating, lighting, office supplies... 7,760 7,335 6,580 6,800o Hydrographical Institute... 50 280 400 430 Naval machinery and apparatus... 34,000 37,000 40,750 38,350 Arsenal... 7,000 8,500 8,500 8,500 Hydroplanes... 5,200 34,680 31,400 30,400 Upkeep of telegraph service and telephones...... 700 3,000 3,000 3,000 Armaments... I,ooo Io, ooo 14,000 I3,000 Health service... 4,005 2,800 2,120 2,020 Total ordinary expenditure... 1. 45,706 205,048 203,326 207,805 Extraordinary Expenditure: Buildings... 500 1,I6o 2,000 7,250 Repair of vessels and construction.... 2,900 10,995 22,550 I3,300 Health service... 50 50 500 500 Miscellaneous expenses.i..... 1,888 2,747 2,600 2,121 C. Frontier Troops Total extraordinary expenditure. 5,338 I4,952 27,650 23,I71 Total "B"......... 15I,044 220,000 230,976 230,976 Ordinary Expenditure: Pay of officers, non-commissioned officers, men and civilian staff... 93,374 99,127 I07,005 104,842 Travelling expenses 250 350 350 350 Provisions... 2,100 3,030 3,380 3,370 Clothing and quarters... I,0oo 8,ioo 5,650 3,150 Heating, lighting, office supplies... 3,300 2,650 2,580 2,380 Artillery... 380 280 170 II0 Engineering service... 845 i,oio x,6io 1,700 Health service... 41 310 360 Total "C".... 101,390 II4,588 I2I,055 116,262 Total expenditure of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy... 2,413,000 2,348,991 2,428,572 2,428,571 2. The following table shows the expenditure of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy divided into ordinary and extraordinary expenditure Financial year. Ordinary Extraordinary Total TABLE expenditure 3 expenditure expenditure Dinars (ooo's) 1926-27... 1,860,788 552,212 2,413,000 1927-28... 1,779,584 569,407 2,348,991 1928-29... 1,909,842 518,730 2,428,572 1929-30... 1,912,957 515,614 2,428,571,... ~~~~~~
936 KINGDOM OF YUGOSLAVIA III. Receipts collected by the Various Departments of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy. The receipts collected by the Ministry of the Army and the Navy in the course of administration, together with those derived from work done in military arsenals for private persons and sale of disused material, have been estimated at 2,582,000 dinars for 1926-27, at 2,872,000 dinars for I927-28, at 4,465,000 dinars for 1928-29 and at 2,840,000 dinars for 1929-30. IV. Expenditure referring to Previous Years. (i) Debt Service. No debt service is charged to the budget of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy. (2) Military pensions are not included in the budget of the Ministry of the Army and the Navy, but shown under the heading, Pensions, jointly with civil pensions, from which it is not possible to distinguish them. War pensions, shown in the budget for 1928-29 and later years under the heading, Pensions, were previously included in the budget of the Department of Social Welfare; they were estimated at 400,000,000 dinars for 1926-27, at 322,000,000 for 1927-28, at 280,000,000 for 1928-29 and at 341,28I,050 dinars for i929-30. o