Crna Legija

The Crna Legija (Black Legion) was the name given to the 1st and 5th Ustaše Brigades during World War II. The units were named as such due to the fact that their uniforms were coloured black, unlike other Ustaše units. These units drew their recruits largely from ethnic Croats in Eastern Bosnia and represented the most elite units in the NDH army of the period. [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7105] .

The Crna Legija unit commanders were Colonel Jure Francetić and Major Rafael Boban. While Boban remained in command of the unit to the very end of the war, Francetić was killed in action in 1942 and was succeeded by Colonel Ivo Stipković and then Major Franjo Sudar. With the loss of its commander, the Legion was broken up. The main body became the I Pokretni Ustaški sdrug (I Mobile Ustaša Brigade), while the Boban Battalion was used to form the cadre for the newly formed V Ustaša Brigade in Podravina. Former members of the Black Legion continued to wear the black uniform right up to the end of the war, probably as a sort of honorary mark of distinction. Lastly, at least 120 former Black Legion men were executed by the Partisans at Sisak in May 1945.

The Black Legion was especially notorious and feared for showing no quarter and expecting none.

External links

* [http://www.vojska.net/eng/world-war-2/independent-state-of-croatia/ustashe/army/brigade/1/ 1st Active Service Brigade of Ustasha Army 'Crna Legija']
* [http://www.vojska.net/eng/world-war-2/independent-state-of-croatia/ustashe/army/brigade/5/ 5th Active Service Brigade of Ustasha Army 'Crna Legija']
* [http://www.axishistory.com/index.php?id=7105 Article on Axis Factbook History]