1st Croatian Guards Corps
| 1st Croatian Guards Corps | |
|---|---|
Corps flag, bearing corps shoulder sleeve insignia
|
|
| Active | 1994–2000 |
| Country | Croatia |
| Type | Special forces |
| Size | 2,500 |
| Garrison/HQ | Zagreb |
| Engagements | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders |
Mile Ćuk Miljenko Filipović |
The 1st Croatian Guards Corps (Croatian: 1. hrvatski gardijski zbor) was a special formation of the Croatian Army (Hrvatska vojska – HV) directly subordinated to the Ministry of Defence rather than the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia and reporting directly to the President of Croatia. The corps was established in 1994 by the amalgamation of various HV special forces. The 2,500-strong unit was organised into the 1st Croatian Guards Brigade (1. hrvatski gardijski zdrug – HGZ), a multi-purpose special forces combat unit, and four battalions tasked with ensuring the security of the President of Croatia and carrying out ceremonial duties. The HGZ took part in a number of military operations during the Croatian War of Independence and the Bosnian War. It was disbanded in 2000, when its components were amalgamated with other HV units to form the Special Operations Battalion, the 305th Military Intelligence Battalion, and the Honour Guard Battalion.
On 25 February 1994, the special forces of the Croatian Army (Hrvatska vojska – HV) were reorganised when all HV's special forces units were combined to form the 1st Croatian Guards Corps (1. hrvatski gardijski zbor). In April, personnel of the 8th Military Police Light Assault Brigade (itself only established in September 1993) were also transferred to the corps, ultimately making the corps 2,500-strong. In addition to special forces operations, the corps was also tasked with providing security for the President of Croatia. The corps was organised into four specialised battalions and the 1st Croatian Guards Brigade (1. hrvatski gardijski zdrug – HGZ), a multi-purpose special forces combat unit. The HGZ was considered the elite unit of the HV. The entire corps was directly subordinated to the Ministry of Defence rather than the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Republic of Croatia, and reported directly to the president. It was commanded by Major General Mile Ćuk. Ćuk and his deputy were based in the Presidential Palace, while the bulk of the corps was based in nearby Tuškanac barracks. The HGZ was capable of fielding up to 300 troops in combat. It was commanded by Colonel (later Major General) Miljenko Filipović, who had previously commanded the Zrinski Battalion—one of the special forces units amalgamated into the corps.
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