Royal Albanian Army
| Royal Albanian Army Ushtria Mbretërore Shqiptare | |
|---|---|
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Insignia of the Albanian Royal Army | |
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Flag of Albanian Royal Army | |
| Founded | 1928 |
| Current form | Albanian Army |
| Disbanded | 1939 |
| Service branches |
Royal Infantry Royal Artillery Royal Engineers Royal Navy Royal Gendarmerie Royal Guard Royal Border Guard |
| Headquarters | Tirana |
| Leadership | |
| Commander-in-Chief | Zogu[1][2] |
| Marshal of Albania | Zogu |
| Generals |
Xhemal Aranitasi Gustav von Myrdacz |
| Manpower | |
| Military age | 18 - 50 |
| Conscription | 18 month |
| Reserve personnel | 29.860 |
| Deployed personnel | 15.600 |
| Expenditures | |
| Budget | 21.3 million Franga in 1938 |
| Industry | |
| Foreign suppliers |
United Kingdom Italy |
| Related articles | |
| History |
International Gendarmerie Italian invasion of Albania |
| Ranks |
Ranks (1929–36) Ranks (1936–39) |
Royal Albanian Army with Zogu
The Royal Albanian Army (Albanian: Ushtria Mbretërore Shqiptare) was the army of Albanian Kingdom and King Zogu from 1928 until 1939. Its commander-in-chief was King Zog; its commander General Xhemal Aranitasi; its Chief of Staff was General Gustav von Myrdacz. The army was mainly financed by Italy during period 1936–39.[3]
Ranks
There were two rank systems, the first was replaced in 1936. The new ranks were used until 1939.
Ranks (1929–36)
Main article: Ranks of the Royal Albanian Army (1929–1936)
| Rank | General | Lieutenant-General | Major-General | Colonel | Lieutenant-Colonel | Major |
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| Royal Army |  |
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| Albanian title | Gjeneral | Gjeneral-Leitenant | Gjeneral-Major | Kolonel | Nënkolonel | Major |
| Captain | 1st Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Staff Sergeant | Sergeant | Corporal | Private |
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| Kapiten | Toger | Nëntoger | Rreshter | Tetar | Ushtar I Parë | Ushtar |
Ranks (1936–39)
Main article: Ranks of the Royal Albanian Army (1936–1939)
| English name | General | Lieutenant-General | Major-General | Captain | Lieutenant | Sub-lieutenant | Sergeant | Corporal | First Soldier | Soldier |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 Royal Army |
_Royal_Albanian_Army.jpg) |
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| Heads |  |
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| Albanian title | Gjeneral | Gjeneral-Leitenant | Gjeneral-Major | Kapiten | Toger | Nëntoger | Rreshter | Tetar | Ushtar i Parë | Ushtar |
List of weapons
Artillery
Machineguns
Guns
- Beretta Model 38
- Beretta Model 1918
- Carcano M1891
- Mannlicher–Schönauer
- Mauser M1893 [4]
- Mosin–Nagant
Pistols
Manpower and Equipment
Army
Albanian soldiers move through a northern village during the Italian invasion.
- 780 officers + 13,200 soldiers + 1,620 NCOs
- Around 15,000 conscripts (1939)
- 9 military districts
- 12 infantry battalions
- 2 motorized infantry squadrons
- 9 engineers companies
- 1,200 tribal officers + 29,860 tribal militia
- 204 HMG
- 10,700 carbines (Carcano M1891, Mannlicher, Mosin)
- 1,104 revolvers (Glisenti M1889)
- 16,196 rifles (Beretta Model 38 &1918)
- 12 batteries of 65 mm Italian
- 6 batteries of 75 mm Skoda
- 2 batteries of 105 mm Italian
- 2 batteries of 149 mm Italian (8 guns)
- 1 coastal artillery battery in Durrës
- 3 AA artillery batteries
- Two Fiat 3000B tanks
- Six Ansaldo CV.33 tankettes
- Eight armored cars: 2 Bianchi, 6 Lancia IZM
Navy
- 158 personnel
- 2 gunboats (ex-German minesweepers type FM=Flachgehende Minensuchboote)
- 170 t, 43/6/1.7 m, 14 kn., 76 mm gun, 2 MG
- Built in 1918/19, bought c. 1925.
- Shqipnja (ex-FM 16) & Skanderbeg (ex-FM 23)
- 4 Italian MAS boats
- Built & bought in 1926 in Venice
- 46 t, 17 kn., 76 mm gun, 2 MG
- Tirana, Saranda, Durres, Shengjin
Air Force
- 5 aircraft (Albatros-Fokker L45),
- Unknown number of personnel (some sources estimate around 15)
Gendarmerie
- 131 (officers) + 440 (NCO) + 3,206 (soldiers)
- 6 battalions (every battalion had 500 - 600 men)
- Behind vehicles are the numbers that were in use by the Albanian army
See also
References
- ↑ Balliu, Julie. "King Zogu - Albanians in Exile". Retrieved 24 August 2010.
- ↑ http://www.royalark.net/Albania/albania.htm
- ↑ http://pashtriku.beepworld.de/files/Histori/Histori_09/hazis_gjergji_7prill1939ahmetzogu_6.4.09.htm?id=FEkEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA20&dq=King+Zog&hl=nl&ei=qjHuTavcEsftOaC8rZII&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=3&ved=0CD0Q6AEwAg#v=onepage&q=King%20Zog&f=false
- ↑ Kidd, R Spencer. Military Uniforms in Europe: 1900-2000. Lulu.com. ISBN 9781291187441.
Bibliography
- Piero Crociani, "Gli Albanesi Nelle Forze Armate Italiane (1939-1945)", Roma 2001
- Bernd Fischer, "Albania at War, 1939-1945", London, 1999
- Patrice Najbor, Histoire de l'Albanie et de sa maison royale (5 volumes), JePublie, Paris, 2008, (ISBN 978-2-9532382-0-4).
- Patrice Najbor, La dynastye des Zogu, Textes & Prétextes, Paris, 2002
- Time Magazine, April 17, 1939 (article "A Birth and a Death") & Albania: Zog, Not Scanderbeg (Monday, Jun. 17, 1929)
- "Jane's Fighting Ships", London, various years
- "League of Nations Armaments Yearbook", Geneva, various years 1924-1938
- e-archives of Korrieri, Tiranë Gazeta and other Albanian newspapers
- on-line articles of the Albanian Headquarters and General Staff website
- on-line articles of Ushtria Gazeta (Army Gazette)
| Leadership | |
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| Branches | |
| Ranks | |
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External links
- Maison royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue française
- Famille royale d'Albanie, site officiel en langue anglaise
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