Operation Bøllebank

Part of the Bosnian War

Date	April 29, 1994
Location	near Tuzla, Bosnia
Result	UN forces repulse Serb ambush

Belligerents

Republika Srpska

Jydske Dragonregiment (elements)
(as part of UNPROFOR)

Commanders and leaders

Lt. Colonel Lars R. Møller

Colonel Christer Svensson

Major Carsten Rasmussen

Strength

3 T-55 tanks
Anti-tank missiles
Several artillery pieces

7 Leopard 1 A5 tanks
(1st & 2nd platoon plus squ leader)
3 in reserve (3rd platoon)
1 APC PBV302

Casualties and losses

Between 9 (Serb sources) and 150 (Other sources) soldiers killed.
Ammunition store destroyed.
3 T-55 tanks withdrew. (disabled according to other sources).

1 vehicle damaged

Operation Bøllebank (English: Operation Hooligan Bashing) was the first combat operation conducted by Danish Armed Forces since World War II. In April 1994, a Danish contingent with elements of the Jydske Dragonregiment on peacekeeping duty in Bosnia, as part of UNPROFORs Nordic battalion (Nordbat 2) located in Tuzla, was ambushed, when trying to relieve a Swedish and Norwegian observation post, Tango 2, that was under heavy artillery fire by the Bosnian Serb Šekovići brigade at the village of Kalesija, but the ambush was dispersed when the UN forces retaliated with heavy fire.

The ambush started with shelling near Saraci, 8 km southeast from Tuzla, which was ignored. The column, however, came under attack by anti-tank missiles when they reached the village of Kalesija, further east. The UNPROFOR column requested air support, which was rejected. Due to restrictive rules of engagement imposed by the United Nations, Lt. Colonel Lars R. Møller was hesitant, but he decided to return fire. The attack on them ceased after this, but intensified again later, provoking an even stronger response.

The seven German-made Leopard 1A5 tanks fired 72 rounds and destroyed several Serb artillery pieces, an ammunition dump and several bunkers. Serb forces brought three T-55 tanks to the scene, but apparently the Danes did not engage them, as they made no offensive moves. The Leopards, however, fired 19 armour-piercing rounds. The Danes could see in their thermal tank sights that the guns on the T-55s were cold and therefore had not taken part in the engagement according to a non-official report. However, an Italian source claimed that, despite the UNPROFOR rules of engagement, the three T-55s were hit by the Leopards.

This was the first time a Leopard 1 fired its guns in anger and was one of the largest engagements that took place between UNPROFOR forces and military units involved in the war in Bosnia. It was also the first time since WWII that Danish soldiers were involved in combat operations.

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Wikipedia