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Memories of Bosnia

Hi, nice pic´s. I took a pic from the DC-3(???) in my time at Bosnia 12/2000-05/2001. The Plane is completely stripped.

Great shots Is that a m36 Jackson in picture3? does anybody knows the story on how a 2ww tankdestroyer ends up there? Eric

Its my understanding that the US sold Yugoslavia a lot of WWII surplus(M36's, Sherman's etc)and M47's after Tito's falling out with Stalin in the 50's. Erik

I think a lot of the old tanks were placed in fields to fool the airforce. I recall they were pretty successful.

Here is a picture i took at Novi Travnik ranges from one of my tours showing a T-34/85 , behind it was a knocked out Sherman variant. I've got more pix somewhere, just need to find them and scan. Dan

For me it was two tours '92-'93 (UNPROFOR) we ended up at TSG building Route Triangle, including add-hoc tasks like building Bailey Bridges north of Mostar. Highlights included getting shelled at TSG which resulted in the loss of a few vehicles and the REME office. Second tour was Op Grapple Surge at Ploce Dockyard Camp, those of you that remember it....well not the greatest place to visit. We arrived and built a base for 24 Airmobile Brigade, listened to lots of air heading towards Sarajevo. My abiding memory was a country full of contrasts, all the magnificent beauty and the hostility of the war. I remember visiting towns decimated by ethnic cleansing and seeing stunning views all that and watching for the ever present danger of booby traps and mines. There was a T34 and a Sherman at DJ Barracks near the airport and very many battered looking T55s, oh yes and those curious armoured trucks. So chock full of plate they never moved there was one at TSG for years. Brian

Simon, Thanks for posting the pictures, they capture the true nature of the time and place and bring back memories. I served in the theater from 1996-1997 as a NATO Role Specialist Nation Representative procuring fuel for the troops. I had almost forgotten just how bone chilling cold it was during the winter. The topography and vegetation reminded me of my home here in Kentucky.

nice set of photos. I did the first British tour arriving June 6th 92(D-Day. I thought that was quite apt). Travelled around Croatia providing construction work, supporting the Britmedbat based from Zagreb airport, and then travelled to Sarajevo via Beograd were my sect of 4 sappers and 2 corporals filled over 16,500 sandbags in 3 1/2 days. The troop took 3 casualties in 3 days. 2 caused by the Serbs dropping heavy mortar directly on the UNMO sanger that my sandbags had been for, and the other was on the way to the airport when they mistook our big white Bedford 4 tns, scammel tipper and hydrema digger for bos-croat houses that were moving. Our French escort at the front buggered off and left us but the one at the back couldn't get past us. after that my section got a ride in a Czech army BTR70 or 80, which was cramp, smelly and very noisy, exit was through a side door, weird. Put me in mind of a WW1 tank.

At least one M-36 Jackson was operated by the Dubrovnik-Brigade, used to protect the airport. This vehicle was rather odd painted, inspired by camouflage schemes, used in WW1. Other M-36-B2's were used in the Osijeck area, near the Hungarian boarder. The Croations hardly dared to encounter the opposing troops direct and used it as an artillery piece, via indirect fire. Approx. 400 of these vehicles were donated in the 1950's to Tito by the US Army. (Tito's political position between the East and the West caused a very typical military strategy, based on both traditional army war fare and guerrilla tactics, requiring weapon depots all over Yugo-Slavia. But that is a different story!! I guess a discussion here is not relevant.) The colors varied from (original???) OD to black spots on green, or OD with brown, black and yellow long spots. Some of them had the Croatian flag painted on the roof. I can recall one, trackless, M36, confiscated from Bosnian troops by NL 42 Battalion Limburgse Jagers, IFOR ( I am not sure about the date: 1995/1996 (?))

Thanks for sharing these great pics. Thank you for your service.