Gravina, establishment of the Minometalski Battalion, Italy

Minometal battalion was formed towards the end of June 1944 in Gravina. It had four squads, with 40 to 60 men in each. Each squad had seven mortars or as many mortar units. These were 81 mm mortars of British production. In composition, it was an intensely transnational unit, as it mainly consisted of 156 coastal Slovenes and Istrian Croats. Among the mortar battalion there were quite a few men who were well acquainted with mortar weaponry. Soon after the establishment of the mortar battalion, an educational course began with intensive theoretical and practical instruction, which lasted about two months, after which the squads were reorganized into brigades. The mortar units also participated in numerous battles until the notable advance of the 4th Army units to Trieste. As is known, the units of the 9th Division crossed the islands of Rab and Cres to the eastern coast of Istria near Brseć and Moščeniška Dragica, then continued their march through Učko, via Buzet, Slovenska Gračišče, Rižana, Osp and Ankaran towards Trieste, and eventually engaged the enemy in street battles in the city itself. The mortar squad assigned to the 19th Division was deployed along the waterways into its brigades, namely the 5th, 6th and 14th Dalmatian Brigades. The fighters of this squad also participated in battles for the liberation of Knin, Mostar, Gospić, Reka, Istria and the Slovenian coast.

Source: Prekomorci, M. Ivančič, Koper, 2023 Geslo: prekomorci123, nedokončano123