Armed Forces of Czechoslovakia in September 1938

[Joseph_Porta]

Hello everyone!

This is the topic I posted on the BKP Forums with facts and information regarding the Armed Forces of the Republic of Czechoslovakia on September 23, 1938 - the same day as full mobilization was declared and 7 days before the Munich dictate.

As a amateur historian (studying to become a professional one), and a proud half-Czech, I feel obligated to post this information.

It will take some time, but I will update some of the facts I posted earlier, bring in some photos of the River Guard, some coloured drawings and more. Thus, I urge you to wait commenting (if wished) to after I have posted the facts.

I hope this will be of interest.

Regards,
Martin Haugland / Joseph_Porta

[Joseph_Porta]

Československá republika
Republic of Czechoslovakia


ARMY
The Czechoslovak Army was fairly strong in numbers and was one of the most modern and well-equipped army in existence in September 1938, and had as well a very efficient organisation and command structure. Due to tensions over Sudetenland between Germany and Czechoslovakia starting in May 1938, most of the army was already mobilized in September 1938.

Chain of Command:
Political leadership:
• Highest Commander of the Armed Forces: President of the Republic Edvard Beneš
• Prime Minister: General of the Army Jan Syrový
• Minister of National Defence: General of the Army Jan Syrový

General Headquarters
• Chief of Army: General of the Army Ludvík Krejčí
• Chief of General Staff: Brigadier General Bohuslav Fiala

Organisation:
The 320,000-strong Czechoslovak Army under its Commander-in Chief, President Edvard Beneš, was basically a standing army but one which relied on conscription for its annual intake of recruits. Its strength on mobilization in September 1938 was 1,280,000 men, which for a country of 14,8 million people was a remarkable feat.

The peacetime strength of the Czechoslovak regular army in 1937 comprised 171,000 men in 17 infantry divisions and 4 fast (rychlé) divisions. The average division strength was therefore - under deducting 10,000 men serving in the air forces and other forces and army troops - with barely 7,000 men. In the May Crisis the strength of the peacetime force had grown to 320,000 men. For the full mobilization case, the field army should consist of 972,747 men including 43,474 officers.

The general mobilization, ordered on September 23, 1938, would according to plan yield 1,280,000 men. The Army was divided into four armies with headquarters in Kutná Hora, Olomouc, Kremnica and Brno. They comprised:

• 34 infantry divisions
• 4 fast (rychlé) divisions

Of the 34 infantry divisions, 22 of them were regular infantry divisions. A regular infantry division had a headquarters, three infantry regiments, one artillery regiment and support units. Five infantry divisions were organize slightly differently, with one or two mountain infantry regiments instead of infantry regiments. 9 infantry divisions also had a tankette platoon. The infantry regiments were ? men strong, and their support weapons included machine guns, 12 37 mm anti-tank guns and 12 81 mm mortars.

One of the regular infantry divisions (14. divize “Fibich”) was motorized (lorry-borne), another was in the process of being motorized. The motorized infantry division had a headquarters, three motorized infantry regiments, one motorized artillery regiment, one mechanized cavalry regiment and support units.

The fast (rychlé) divisions, like the French divisions légères de cavalerie of that period, were composed basically of a motorized brigade and a cavalry brigade. While the cavalry brigade comprised two dragoon regiments, a bicycle battalion and a horse artillery battalion, the organisation of the motorised brigades varied from each of the four fast divisions.

Czechs had also four division-sized formations of low-quality infantry (skupiny) manning the extensive border fortifications. Along them were 138 battalions of uniformed men (border guards, customs officials, railway guards, etc.), also manning the border fortifications fortifications. These 138 battalions could be counted as the equivalent of 14-15 infantry divisions.

Czechoslovakia mounted large and efficient arms productions centred mainly in Plzeň and Brno, and the Czechoslovak Armed Forces was thus was equipped with mostly self-produced small arms, artillery, vehicles and aircraft (both equipment produced when the Czech lands were part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and after their independence in 1918). The main arms manufacturers were the Škoda Works (Škodovy závody), ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), ČZ (Česká zbrojovka) and ZB (Zbrojovka Brno).

The equipment of the Czechoslovak army in September 1938 comprised:

• 1,280,000 soldiers
• 217,000 horses
• 26,000 motor vehicles

• 207,200 pistols
• 1,536,000 hand grenades
• 864,500 rifles
• 34,500 light machineguns
• 7,100 heavy machineguns (ČZ vz. 24)
• 1,600 heavy machineguns (ZB vz. 37)

• 600 anti-tank guns (37 mm and 47 mm guns)
• 230 anti-aircraft guns (20 mm VKPL vz. 36)
• 90 anti-aircraft guns (80 mm)
• 140 anti-aircraft guns (83,5 mm FlaK vz. 22)

• 900 mortars (80 mm)
• 200 mortars (90 mm)
• 240 mountain guns (75 mm)
• 270 light guns (80 mm)
• 600 light howitzers (100 mm)
• 100 heavy guns (105 mm)
• 340 heavy howitzer (150 mm)

• 15 heavy armoured cars (OA vz. 27)
• 51 light armoured cars (OA vz. 30)
• 70 Tč vz. 33 tankettes
• 50 LT vz. 34 light tanks
• 300 LT vz. 35 light tanks

Weaknesses:
Though the Czechoslovak Armed Forces were well-trained and well-equipped, it had some serious weaknesses as well. One of them were the heterogeneous structure of the population of Czechoslovakia. The tensions among the different ethnic groups in Czechoslovakia largely arose because of the more numerous Czechs dominated the central government and other national institutions, all of which had their seats in the capital Prague.

In 1938, Czechoslovakia had a population of 14,8 million, of them only around 7 million were Czechs. In the armed the forces only 52% of the soldiers were Czechs, while 22% were Germans, 15% were Slovaks and 5% were Hungarians.

The most serious ethnic problem in Czechoslovakia was the Germans living in Sudetenland. The 126,000 Sudeten Germans serving in the Czechoslovak Armed Forces would likely not follow the orders to fight the invading Germans, as they felt opressed by the goverment in Prague and considered the Germans to be liberators.

Problem also arose between the Czechs and the Slovaks. As a consequence of the Czech's political dominance was that they also dominated the army officer corps, and a side effect of their virtual industrial monopoly was that they also monopolised the key technical arms of the armed forces: the air force, the armoured force and the artillery. This imbalance was partly inherited, because in 1915 there had been 52 Czech regular officers in the Austro-Hungarian Army for every Slovak officer (2%) - a situation that was probably little altered when Czechoslovakia gained independence in 1918. However, post-independence Slovak advancement had been slow. In 1938 only 395 (4.9%) of the Czechoslovak Armed Forces' regular Warrant Officers were Slovaks. This was already a serious under representation, but it grew worse higher up the command structure, where only 435 (3.4%) of the regular officers, and 3 (1.1%) of the general staff officers were Slovaks. At the very top, only one of 139 generals was a Slovak (Div. Gen. Rudolf Viest).

This implied that some Slovak advancement had taken place since 1918 but that, although Slovaks supplied the manpower of about four active divisions in 1938, they still provided officers and NCOs barely sufficient to command one. The absence of a Slovak upper class, and the smallness of the evolving Slovak middle class, from which group's officer corps elsewere were drawn, provided some justification for this situation, but couldn't alter the fact of serious Slovak under-representation.

Slovak under-representation was also evident amongst reservists. The biggest single source of reserve officers in Czechoslovakia was schoolteachers, and the already noted shortage of Slovak teachers fed through into under-representation in the reserve officer corps. The most distinctive feature of Slovakia's military contribution to the Czechoslovak Armed Forces was that all the country's mountain troops were raised in the province, through which ran the Carpathian Mountains.

Uniforms:

Insignia:

More to come...

[Joseph_Porta]

French influence on Czechoslovakia

As Czechoslovakia had a high military and political value to the Allies (and in particular France), the French general staff were assigned as advisors to the Czechoslovak general staff, there were close cooperation between these in setting up mobilisation and advance plans and forming the little Entente.

Further more, France also had much influence in terms of armament. One example is the French armament manufacturer Schneider & Co. who invested much capital in the Škodovy závody (Škoda Works) in Plzeň. I think the fact that they were surrounded by nations with grudges against them along with territorial claims, it was a matter of survival to have a functional, modern army.

However, keep in mind that the Czechs experimented a lot before the LT vz. 35 came. Examples include the tankette Škoda MUV-4 S-I along with a series of armoured cares. These weren't as good as the later LT vz. 35, but they were stepping stones for futher development. The different arms manufacturers Škodovy závody, Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk were in compotition with eachother (as in most other capitalist markets), and the Ministry of Defence would then choose the best option. Thus there were no person who promoted the development, but the companies produced examples as specified by the Ministry of Defence.

However, the development of the LT vz. 35 was indeed quick - for a company that still had very little experience in designing and building tanks, the designing and building took only 8 months. However, there were major flaws with this design as well (at least 675 changes were needed), and there were problems in the production (both Škoda and ČKD were to produce the Škoda design (both conflict. However, the vehicles were made, and the result would have been a hard match for the Germans had there been a diplomatic solution.

Škoda had produced arms for Austia-Hungary since 1899, and also produced automobiles and other equipment, while ČKD (Českomoravská Kolben-Daněk), ČZ (Česká zbrojovka) and ZB (Zbrojovka Brno).

[Joseph_Porta]

CZECHOSLOVAK ARMY ORDER OF BATTLE
SEPTEMBER 30, 1938 - 12:00 HOURS

Note: Unit names and designation are in Czech. This is a matter of preference on my part, but you should understand the basic words (armáda, divize etc.). Those words you perhaps won't understand is listed below.

I. armáda ”Havlíček”
CO: General of the Army Sergěj Vojcechovský ¹
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. Ludvík Kašpárek
HQ: Kutná Hora


General of the Army Sergěj Vojcechovský.

I. sbor “Smetana”
CO: Div. Gen. Jan Šípek
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. Č. Kudláček
HQ: Votice

Hraniční oblast 32 “Miluláš”
CO: Brig. Gen. Ing. RTDr. Jan Kloud
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Suchánek
Location: Plzeň

2. divize ”Mácha”
CO: Brig. Gen. Valentin Pozdíšek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Uher
Location: Plzeň-Doubravka

68. pěší pluk
85. pěší pluk
96. pěší pluk
2. dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


5. divize ”Bezruč”
CO: Brig. Gen. Alois Benda
Chief of Staff: Staff Maj. E. Bečvář
Location: Písek

51. pěší pluk
61. pěší pluk
79. pěší pluk
5. dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


Skupina 4 VLK
CO: Brig. Gen. Václav Kuneš
Chief of Staff: Post not occupied
Location: Votice

Hraniční pásmo XI ”Dalibor”
CO: Div. Gen. Emil Linhart
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. A. Hochman
HQ: Praha

Skupina 1 ”Vlastimil”
CO: Brig. Gen. Václav Petřík
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. F. Kočí
Location: Rakovník

VOP Přemysl
CO: Brig. Gen. Cyril Langer
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. R. Feistmantl
Location: Praha-Břevnov

II. sbor “Dvořána”
CO: Div. Gen. Josef Váňa
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Krist
HQ: Mladá Boleslav

Hraniční oblast 33 ”Dominik”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Melichar
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. E. Šindler
Location: Český Dub

3. divize ”Holeček”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Jelínek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. A. Mrázek
Location: Mšeno

Pěší pluk 52
Pěší pluk 92
Pěší pluk 94
Dělostřelecký pluk 13
Tančíkový četa


17. divize ”Blodek”
Brig. Gen. Václav Šidlík
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. V. Dvořák
Location: Rychnov u Jablonce nad Nisou

3. horský pěší pluk
16. pěší pluk
27. pěší pluk
17. Dělostřelecký pluk
202. horský dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


Hraniční pásmo XII “Otakar“
CO: Div. Gen. Bedřich Ruml
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Cingroš
HQ: Hradec Králové

Hraniční oblast 34 ”Bořivoj”
CO: Brig. Gen. Antonín Pavlík
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. V. Vojtěchovský
Location: Jaroměř

Hraniční oblast 35 ”Vítežslav”
CO: Brig. Gen. Karel Kutlvašr
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Chleboun
Location: Vamberk

Reserves

18. divize ”Erben”
CO: Brig. Gen. Milosav Fassati
Chief of Staff: Staff Maj. L. Marek
Location: Buštěhrad

55. pěší pluk
78. pěší pluk
88. pěší pluk
18. dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


______________________________________

II. armáda ”Jirásek”
CO: General of the Army Vojtěch Boris Luža
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. F. Vejmelka
HQ: Olomouc


General of the Army Vojtěch Boris Luža.


IV. sbor “Myslbek”
CO: Div. Gen. Josef Janáček
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Lisý
HQ: Litovel

Hraniční oblast 36 ”Prokop”
CO: Brig. Gen. Otakar Líčka
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Ejem
Location: Šumperk

7. divize ”Aleš”
CO: Brig. Gen. Karel Klubal
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. O. Schreiber
Location: Zábřeh

56. pěší pluk 56
63. pěší pluk 63
84. pěší pluk
7. Dělostřelecký pluk


Hraniční pásmo XIII “Rostislav”
CO: Div. Gen. Emil Fiala
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Procházka
HQ: Hranice

Hraniční oblast 37 ”Florián”
CO: Brig. Gen. Jindřich Jiři Birula
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. F. Čatloš
Location: Šternberk

Reserves

8. divize ”Mánes”
CO: Brig. Gen. Otakar Zahálka
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. F. Janda

Location: Moravský Beroun
Pěší pluk 58
Pěší pluk 65
Pěší pluk 90
Dělostřelecký pluk 8


______________________________________

III. armáda ”Štefánik”
CO: General of the Army Josef Votruba
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. B. Kratochvíl
HQ: Kremnica


General of the Army Josef Votruba.


VII. sbor “Hurban”
CO: Div. Gen. Josef Mánek
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Vrzáček
HQ: Vráble

Hraniční oblast 39 ”Rafael”
CO: Brig. Gen. Miloš Žák
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. V. M. Koblitz
Location: Vráble

Hraniční pásmo XV “Adam”
CO: Div. Gen. Bedřich Homola
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. F. Slezák
HQ: Banská Bystrica

Hraniční oblast 40 ”Medard”
CO: Brig. Gen. Bohumil Rytíř
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. Š. Andreas
Location: Banská Bystrica

Hraniční pásmo XVI “Ferdinand”
CO: Div. Gen. Ondřej Mézl
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Křepel
HQ: Košice

Hraniční oblast 41 ”Alfons”
CO: Brig. Gen. Ondřej Moravec
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Pacholík
Location: Košice

Hraniční oblast 42 ”Karol”
CO: Brig. Gen. Oleg Svátek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. T. Lang
Location: Užhorod

Reserves

10. divize ”Tomašík” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. Rudolf Hošek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. K. Hoffmann
Location: Krupina

57. pěší pluk
75. pěší pluk
76. pěší pluk
10. dělostřelecký pluk


11. divize ”Dobrovský” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. František Kukačka
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. L. Hübelbauer
Location: Lovinobaňa

8. horský pěší pluk
64. pěší pluk
82. pěší pluk
11. dělostřelecký pluk

3. rychlá divize ”David”
CO: Brig. Gen. Jaroslav Eminger
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. K. Veit
Location: Levice

3. jezdecká brigáda
– 3. dragounský pluk
– 11. dragounský pluk
– 3. cyklistický prapor
– 83. dělostřelecký oddí
3. motorizovaná brigáda
– 5. tankový prapor
– 87. motorizovaný dělostřelecký oddíl
3. průzkumných prapor
83. protiletadlový rota
87. protiletadlový rota
87. protitankový rota
88. protitankový rota


______________________________________


IV. armáda ”Neruda”
CO: General of the Army Lev Prchala
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. A. Páral
HQ: Brno


General of the Army Lev Prchala.


VI. sbor “Rázus”
CO: Div. Gen. Rudolf Viest ³
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Heřman
HQ: Soběslav

Hraniční oblast 31 ”Blažej”
CO: Brig. Gen. Bedřich Neumann
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. gšt. F. Bürger
Location: Veselí-Mezimostí

4. rychlá divize ”Vojtěch”
CO: Brig. Gen. Josef Dvořák
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. gšt. F. Monzer
Location: Soběslav

4. jezdecká brigáda
– 4. dragounský pluk
– 8. dragounský pluk
– 1. cyklistický prapor
– 84. dělostřelecký oddí
4. motorizovaná brigáda
– 4. tankový prapor
– 7. tankový prapor
– 8. tankový prapor
– 4. motorizovaný hraničářský prapor
– 24. motorizovaný hraničářský prapor
– 85. motorizovaný dělostřelecký oddíl
4. průzkumných prapor
84. protiletadlový rota
88. protiletadlový rota
89. protitankový rota
90. protitankový rota


III. sbor “Hálek”
CO: Div. Gen. Sergěj Ingr
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. F. Pohunek
HQ: Jihlava

Skupina 2 ”Jaromír”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Slunečko
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. K. Viktorin
Location: Želetava


14. divize ”Fibich” ⁴
CO: Brig. Gen. Josef Zmek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Pavlíček
Location: Třešť

3. pěší pluk
27. pěší pluk
43. pěší pluk
14. motostřelecký pluk
14. dělostřelecký pluk


19. divize ”Arbes”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Hněvkovský
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. S. Suledr
Location: Třebíč

60. pěší pluk
74. pěší pluk
81. pěší pluk
19. dělostřelecký pluk


Hraniční pásmo XIV “Svatopluk”
CO: Div. Gen. Antonín Hasal
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. K. Nesweda
HQ: Brno

Hraniční oblast 38 ”Cyril”
CO: Brig. Gen. Miloš Kudrna
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Valenta
Location: Brno


Reserves

2. rychlá divize ”Ondřej” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. Josef Koutňák
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Kopecký
Location: Jaroměřice nad Rokytnou

2. jezdecká brigáda
– 2. dragounský pluk
– 6. dragounský pluk
– 2. cyklistický prapor
– 82. dělostřelecký oddí
2. motorizovaná brigáda
– 10. motorizovaný hraničářský prapor
– 30. motorizovaný hraničářský prapor
– 86. motorizovaný dělostřelecký oddíl
2. průzkumných prapor
82. protiletadlový rota
86. protiletadlový rota
85. protitankový rota
86. protitankový rota


V. sbor “Kolár” ⁵
CO: Div. Gen. Alois Eliáš
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Sýkora
HQ: Klobouky

6. divize “Kalvoda”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Tallavania
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. R. Pilfousek
Location: Pohořelice

53. pěší pluk
77. pěší pluk
93. pěší pluk
6. dělostřelecký pluk


20. divize “Bernolák”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Kravák
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. F. Houdek
Location: Mutěnice

59. pěší pluk
67. pěší pluk
83. pěší pluk
20. dělostřelecký pluk



______________________________________



Reserves of the Main Headquarters


4. divize “Heyduk”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Bláha
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. V. Ondrášek
Location: Hradec Králové

54. pěší pluk
71. pěší pluk
80. pěší pluk
4. dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


12. divize “Fajnor” ²
CO: Staff Col. Josef Buben
Chief of Staff: Staff Maj. K. Eminger
Location: Vsetín

70. pěší pluk
86. pěší pluk
95. pěší pluk


13. divize “Úprka” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. Alois Machačík
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. T. Kaisler
Location: Humpolec

72. pěší pluk
97. pěší pluk
98. pěší pluk
13. dělostřelecký pluk


16. divize “Jablonský”
CO: Brig. Gen. František Marvan
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. P. Duda
Location: Ružomberok

1. horský pěší pluk
2. horský pěší pluk
41. pěší pluk
16. dělostřelecký pluk


22. divize “Hviezdoslav” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. Julius Fišera
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. A. Šilhavý
Location: Pacov

66. pěší pluk
87. pěší pluk
7. horský pěší pluk
204. dělostřelecký pluk


1. rychlá divize “Kazimír” ²
CO: Brig. Gen. Josef Beránek
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. A. Pospíšil
Location: Žilina

1. jezdecká brigáda
– 1. dragounský pluk
– 5. dragounský pluk
– 4. cyklistický prapor
– 81. dělostřelecký oddí
1. motorizovaná brigáda
– 2. tankový prapor
– 3. tankový prapor
– 1. motorizovaný přípravy prapor
– 2. motorizovaný přípravy prapor
– 84. motorizovaný dělostřelecký oddíl
1. průzkumných prapor
81. protiletadlový rota
85. protiletadlový rota
83. protitankový rota
84. protitankový rota


VIII. sbor “Tajovský”
CO: Div. Gen. Jiři Hudeček
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. J. Vedral
HQ: Uherské Hradiště

9. divize “Hodža”
CO: Brig. Gen. Jan Beneš
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Pošíbal
Location: Nové Mesto nad Váhom

62. pěší pluk
73. pěší pluk
89. pěší pluk
9. dělostřelecký pluk


15. divize “Jánošík”
CO: Brig. Gen. Bohuslav Všetička
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Werner
Location: Senica

9. pěší pluk
17. pěší pluk
33. pěší pluk
15. dělostřelecký pluk
Tančíkový četa


21. divize “Šafařík”
CO: Brig. Gen. Jaroslav Čihák
Chief of Staff: Staff Lt.Col. J. Šanda
Location: Veselí nad Moravou

5. horský pěší pluk
6. horský pěší pluk
91. pěší pluk
203. dělostřelecký pluk

Velitelství "ČV"
CO: Brig. Gen. Bohuslav Všetička
Chief of Staff: Div. Gen. v. v. Robert Rychtrmoc
Location: Bystřice nad Pernštejnem

Velitelství "M"
CO: Arm. Gen. v. v. Josef Bílý
Chief of Staff: Staff Col. L. Kotík
Location: Vizovice


_____________________________________________

Notes

1: Arm. Gen. Vojcechovský was a Russian national.
2: Division not fully mobilized or organized.
3: Div. Gen. Rudolf Viest was the only Slovak general in the ČSA in September 1938.
4: This division was motorised.
5: A part of the reserves.

Word list:
Armáda = Army
Sbor = Corps
Divize = Division
Brigáda = Cavalry
Pluk = Regiment
Prapor = Battalion
Rota = Company
Rychlá divize = Fast Division
Hraniční pásmo = Border zone
Hraniční oblast = Border Area
Pěší pluk = Infantry Regiment
Motostřelecký = Motorised
Dělostřelecký = Artillery
Dragounský = Dragoon
jezdecká = Cavalry
Horský = Mountain
Protitankový = Anti-tank
Protiletadlový = Anti-Aircraft
Tančíkový četa = Tankette platoon

[Joseph_Porta]

CZECHOSLOVAK AIR FORCE ORDER OF BATTLE
SEPTEMBER 30, 1938 - 12:00 HOURS

Note: Unit names and designation are in Czech. This is a matter of preference on my part, but you should understand the basic words (armáda, divize etc.). Those words you perhaps won't understand is listed below.

The Czechoslovak Air Force was subordinated to the Third Department of the Ministry of Defence and comprised 6 regiments. Three of them (1st, 2nd and 3rd) were organised into three so-called Zemská velitelství letectva (ZVL), which were national defensive areas. The remaining three (4th, 5th and 6th) were subordinated to the Velitelství letecké brigády (VLB), which was an independent air force brigade. Further there was a independent training group called the Vojenské letecké učiliště (VLÚ) located in Prostějově. The Technical Air Force School (Vojenského technického a leteckého ústavu - VTLÚ) was located in Praha-Letňany as well as three air force warehouses.

III. (letecký) odbor Ministerstva národní obrany
CO: Div. Gen. Ing. Jaroslav Fajfr

III/1. oddělení – letecké
CO: Brig. Gen. Alois Vicherek
Located in Praha

III/2. oddělení – protiletadlová obrana
CO: Brig. Gen. Karel Hašek

III/3. oddělení – technické
CO: Brig. Gen. Jaroslav Kejla

III/4. oddělení – zbroj
CO: Col. Otakar Sviták


Zemské velitelství letectva Čechy
CO: Brig. Gen. Karel Janoušek
HQ: Praha

Letecký pluk 1 (Mixed) T. G. Masaryka
CO: Col. Robert Ellner
Second in Command: Col. Jiří Dršata
Location: Hradec Králové

Peruť I/1 (CO: Lt. Col. Jan Kolář)
- Pozorovací letka 1 (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Zvědná letka 61 - Maj. Antonín Grössler (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Aero A-100 & Avia B-71)

Peruť II/1 (CO: Lt. Col. Jan Štrof)
- Pozorovací letka 3 – Škpt. Václav Potěský (located in Milovice, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 6 (located in Milovice, aircraft: Š-328)
- zvědná letka 66 (located in Milovice, aircraft: Aero A-100 & Avia B-71)

Peruť III/1 (CO: Lt. Col. Vojtěch Michalec)
- Stíhací letka 31 – Cpt. Miroslav Seidl (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 32 – Škpt. Evžen Čížek (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 34 – Cpt. Adolf Chmela (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Pozorovací letka 2 (located in Tábor, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 4 – Cpt. Jan Bílek (located in Plzeň, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 11 – Cpt. Jan Červenka (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Letov Š-328)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Lt. Col. Josef Mezera)
- Náhradní letka (located in Hradec Králové)
- Cvičná letka (located in Hradec Králové)

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Zemské velitelství letectva Morava
CO: Col. Karel Plass
HQ: Brno

Letecký pluk 2 (Mixed) Dr. E. Beneše
CO: Col. Vladislav Květoň
Second in Command: Col. Jiří Hon
Location: Olomouc

Peruť I/2 (CO: Maj. František Mikala)
- Pozorovací letka 5 (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 14 – Npor. Alois Vašátko (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Š-328)
- Zvědná letka 63 – Maj. Vojtěch Skoba (located in Přerov, aircraft: Aero A-100 & Avia B-71)

Peruť II/2
- Pozorovací letka 7 – Škpt. Karel Lašek (located in Vyškov, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 8 – Npor. Ivan Haluzický (located in Vyškov, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Zvědná letka 62 – Cpt. Ivan Haluzický (located in Vyškov, aircraft: Aero A-100 & Avia B-71)

Peruť III/2 (CO: Lt. Col. Václav Liška)
- Stíhací letka 33 (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 35 – Cpt. Josef Macháček (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 36 – Cpt. Karel Leypold (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 51 – Npor. Arnošt Kostohryz (located in Olomouc, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Pozorovací letka 4 – Cpt. Jan Bílek (located in Plzeň, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 11 – Cpt. Jan Červenka (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Letov Š-328)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Lt. Col. František Kabeláč)
- Náhradní letka (located in Olomouc)
- Cvičná letka (located in Olomouc)

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Zemské velitelství letectva Slovensko
CO: Col. Jaroslav Skála
HQ: Bratislava

Letecký pluk 3 (Mixed) Generála-letce M. R. Štefánika
CO: Col. Gustav Studený
Second in Command: Col. Karel Dymeš
Location: Piešťany

Technická letka – Maj. Karel Holub (located in Piešťany)

Peruť I/3 (CO: Maj. Václav Jiroušek)
- Pozorovací letka 9 – Škpt. Otakar Sekyra (located in Vajnory, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Zvědná letka 64 – Škpt. Augustin Blažek (located in Vajnory, aircraft: Aero A-100)

Peruť II/3 (CO: Maj. Jan Drobný)
- Pozorovací letka 12 – Škpt. Alois Zmátlo (located in Spišská Nová Ves, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 13 – Maj. Robert Goldberger (aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Stíhací letka 49 – Cpt. Václav Kanta (aircraft: Avia B-534)

Peruť III/3 (CO: Škpt. Vilém Kaschtofský)
- Stíhací letka 37 – Cpt. Alois Novotný (located in Piešťany, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 38 (located in Piešťany, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 39 – Npor. Ivan Novotný (located in Piešťany, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 45 – Škpt. Josef Duda (located in Piešťany, aircraft: Avia B-534)

Peruť IV/3 (CO: Lt.Col. Vojtěch Linét)
- Pozorovací letka 10 – Maj. Ladislav Bartoš (located in Nitra, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 15 – Škpt. Stanislav Pihert (located in Žilina, aircraft: Letov Š-328)
- Pozorovací letka 16 – Cpt. Otto Čížek (located in Zvolen, aircraft: Letov Š-328)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Lt. Col. Kamil Šustera)
- Náhradní letka – Škpt. Josef Riegler (located in Piešťany)
- Cvičná letka – Maj. Otto Baier (located in Piešťany)

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Velitelství letecké brigády “Čáslav”
CO: Lt.Col. Karel Procházka
HQ: Praha

Letecký pluk 4 (Fighter)
CO: Col. Josef Berounský
Second in Command: Lt.Col. Josef Heřmanský
Location: Praha-Kbely

Peruť I/4 (CO: Lt.Col. Josef Hamšík)
- Stíhací letka 40 – Škpt. Karel Sojček (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 41 – Škpt. Miloš Hájek (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 42 – Škpt. Jaroslav Svítek (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)

Peruť II/4 (CO: Maj. Alois Snášel)
- Stíhací letka 43 – Škpt. Alois Zmátlo (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 44 – Npor. František Novák (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 50 – Škpt. Jaroslav Polma (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-534)

Peruť III/4 (CO: Maj. Alexander Hess)
- Stíhací letka 46 – Škpt. Ladislav Bartoš (located in Pardubice, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 47 – Škpt. Jan Pernikář (located in Pardubice, aircraft: Avia B-534)
- Stíhací letka 48 – Škpt. Jaroslav Bílý (located in Pardubice, aircraft: Avia B-534)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Lt. Col. Jan Čech)
- Náhradní letka – Škpt. Josef Riegler (located in Praha-Kbely)
- Cvičná letka – Maj. Dmitrij Tjunikov1 (located in Praha-Kbely)

Letecký pluk 5 (Bombers)
CO: Lt.Col. Vladimír Charousek - interim
Location: Brno

Technická letka – Maj. Dimitrij Jarčevský (located in Brno)
Peruť I/5 (CO: Lt.Col. František Klepš)
- Těž. bomb. letka 81 – Škpt. Václav Vondrák (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200 & Avia/Fokker F-IX)
- Těž. bomb. letka 82 – Maj. Otto Lazar (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200 & Avia/Fokker F-IX)

Peruť II/5 (CO: Maj. Vladimír Lánský)
- Těž. bomb. letka 83 – Maj. Kurt Hošek (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200 & Avia/Fokker F-IX)
- Těž. bomb. letka 84 – Škpt. František Nožín (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200 & Avia/Fokker F-IX)

Peruť III/5 (CO: Lt.Col. Karel Müller)
- Leh. bomb. letka 75 – Škpt. Vladimír Pála (located in Nitra, aircraft: Aero Ab-101)
- Leh. bomb. letka 76 – Škpt. Miroslav Procházka (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero Ab-101)
- Leh. bomb. letka 77 – Cpt. Karel Dóczy (located in Brno, aircraft: Aero Ab-101)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Maj. Rudolf Vaníček)
- Náhradní letka – Škpt. Jan Jahoda (located in Brno)
- Cvičná letka – Npor. Felix Mareš (located in Brno)

Letecký pluk 6 (Bombers)
CO: Col. Vilém Stanovský
Second in Command: Col. Jaroslav Borecký
Location: Praha-Kbely

Technická letka – Maj. Antonín Suda (located in Praha-Kbely)

Peruť I/6 (CO: Lt.Col. Ludvík Budín)
- Leh. bomb. letka 71 – Maj. Filip Doležal (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-71)
- Leh. bomb. letka 72 – Cpt. Emil Bušina (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Avia B-71 & Aero Ab-101)

Peruť II/6 (CO: Lt.Col. Jaroslav Neubauer)
- Leh. bomb. letka 73 – Cpt. Ota Grof (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Aero Ab-101 & Avia B-71)
- Leh. bomb. letka 74 – Cpt. Václav Nechutný (located in Hradec Králové, aircraft: Aero Ab-101 & Avia B-71)

Peruť III/6 (CO: Lt.Col. Vladimír Nosek)
- Těž. bomb. letka 85 – Škpt. Mikuláš Petrov (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200)
- Těž. bomb. letka 86 – Škpt. Václav Fuksa (located in Praha-Kbely, aircraft: Aero/Bloch MB-200)

Náhradní Peruť (CO: Lt.Col. Karel Fulín)
- Náhradní letka – Škpt. František Prokop (located in Praha-Kbely)
- Cvičná letka – Col. Bedřich Starý (located in Prostějov)

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Vojenské letecké učiliště
CO: Col. Bedřich Starý
Located in Prostějov.

Letecký školní oddíl I (CO: Lt.Col. František Diviš)
- School for Senior Air Cadets
- Školní letka 1
- Školní letka 2

Letecký školní oddíl II (CO: Lt.Col. Vojtěch Kopecký)
- School for officers of the Air reservists
- Letecké oddělení Vojenské akademie
- Aplikační škola důstojníků letectva

Letecký školní oddíl III (CO: Maj. Karel Zahradník)
- Školní letka 3
- Školní technická

II. (letecký) odbor (CO: Col. Karel Bucháček)
- Institute for military technology and aviation (located in Praha-Letňany)
- II/1.oddělení – Lt.Col. Karel Mráz
- II/2. oddělení - Lt.Col. Gustav Benesch
- II/3. oddělení - Lt.Col. Jan Žváček

Zkušební oddíl - Test Section (CO: Lt.Col. Karel Mareš)
- Ústřední letecký sklad (Central Air Depot) – Col. Jan Paulíček (located in Praha)
- Letecký sklad 1 – Col. Julius Philipp (located in Praha-Kbely)
- Letecký sklad 2 – Col. Jan Urban (located in Olomouc with a branch in Prostějov)
- Letecký sklad 3 – Lt.Col. Jaroslav Jirout (located in Nitra)
- Letecká střelnice – Maj. Karel Šifner (located in Malacky-Nový Dvor)
- Letecké radioelektrické středisko (Radioelectric Flight Centre) – Lt.Col. Karel Nedoma

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Word list:
Letecký pluk = Air Regiment

[Ocelo]

Very, Very interesting!